The Association of Young Talented Mathematicians "Marin Getaldić" was created when mathematical groups in the XV. and V. Gymnasium united. They had both been traditionally organized for many years, and were led mainly by former top competitors from these schools, students of FER or PMF. At the beginning of the school year 2008/2009., the leaders of these groups decided to join forces in order to organize and improve the work with the gifted and founded an association with the following ideas:
Mission
- take a new approach to working with young talented mathematicians based on innovative ideas, young people and friendship.
Goals
- encouraging students to work and develop mathematical talent,
- advanced mathematics education and preparing young talented mathematicians for mathematics competitions
- connecting young mathematicians in Croatia,
- promotion of mathematics as a science in Croatia and spreading awareness of the role of mathematics in modern society,
- cooperation with competent institutions in order to improve and restructure the education system,
- cooperation with similar organizations abroad to promote mathematics internationally.
Mathematical education in Croatia has a lot of room for improvement at all levels. In primary and secondary schools, fostering interest in mathematics is not systematic, but often depends solely on goodwill of teachers and professors. This is why it often happens that students who would like to be more active in mathematics do not get enough support on time. Also, there are often situations when it may not be possible to find systematic solutions, but it is simply necessary to invest extra effort. For example, the progress of the best students is sometimes significantly slowed down because there is no one to direct their work and potential. We would like to fill this "empty space" with activities in the association MNM "Marin Getaldić".
The members of the association are top former competitors, mostly students of FER or PMF who see working with students as passion and joy. What makes our association special is the fact that students work with mentors who understand them best because they have faced the same challenges themselves. In addition to their love for mathematics and great knowledge, what all our members have in common is their desire to share their knowledge with others. All work in the association is voluntary, which is a guarantee of quality: the great effort required to carry out many activities of the association would never have been invested if it were not intrinsically motivated.
All this is reflected in our activities, where the friendship among the members of the association and the love for a common vocation are reflected in an informal and relaxed atmosphere, but also in serious work. The biggest advantage of the association is that all its members enjoy mathematics and the activities they perform through the association. Among the members, there is one strong driving force that pushes us forward and we are sure that our future successes will justify all the effort put in many times over.
Who are we named after?
Our association is named after one of the greatest Croatian scientists, Marin Getaldić. Born in Dubrovnik in 1568, Getaldić's greatest passion, like ours, was mathematics. Getaldić soon appears as a pioneer of the algebraization of geometry. His contributions to geometry were cited by the world-renowned Christian Huygens and Edmond Halley. His interests led him on a path full of innovations. He played an important role in the construction of various physical instruments, such as, for example, the refracting telescope. He also constructed a parabolic mirror with a diameter of 2/3m, which is now kept in the Maritime Museum in London.
Just like Getaldić's innovations were what made him famous as a distinguished scientist, the Association of Young Talented Mathematicians strives to convey new ideas in approaching gifted individuals and working with them, and to show the world that there are young students in Croatia who are ready to compete on an equal footing with their international colleagues.
During his stay in Padua, Getaldić met Galileo Galilei and continued to correspond with him regularly. He published his most famous works, "Some views on the parabola" and "Archimedes Improved", in 1602. He spread his influence and knowledge in a large part of the professional circles of the time. He was also friends with the French mathematician F. Viéte, who let him prepare some of his works for printing, thereby expressing his admiration for Getaldić's talent.
Further proof of his renowned reputation is the fact that he was offered the position of professor of mathematics at the University of Louvain in Belgium, one of the most respected universities in Europe at the time.
Getaldić’s influence is also the subject of the letters of Italian scientist Buratini. According to those letters, Dubrovnik had a telescope even before Newton discovered it. It is very likely that it was constructed by Marin Getaldić. Like Getaldić, the members of our association, in addition to popularising science, want to leave behind a legacy - one that will shape growth and development at the local, regional and international level and contribute to building a knowledge society.