Mathematician volunteers to mentor three AI-assisted Mathathon student teams
soumitrashukla9 · x · 2026-09-11
As debate rages over whether an AI-assisted student math marathon (Mathathon) helps or harms the field, mathematician Scott Kominers — a former student math researcher with a decade of mentoring experience — is moving beyond opinions to action.
- The offer: He is volunteering to mentor at least three Mathathon teams, helping turn their projects into rigorous, complete mathematical contributions, and inviting other mathematicians to join.
- On the criticism: Students learning background while solving problems is normal, he argues, and first-draft proofs that aren't journal-ready are exactly what mentors are for.
- The takeaway: Whether AI is seen as boon or threat, hundreds of students spending a weekend doing math deserves support.
The thread marks a shift in academia from arguing about AI-assisted research to concretely engaging with it.
Related event: Mathematicians Launch Volunteer Mentorship Amid Mathathon Debate(2 posts)→
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