The Webinar on Who Can Do Math? Pop Culture and the Myth of the Genius took place on Wednesday, August 26th, 2026 from 5 pm until 6 pm, with Monica Morales, Professor of Mathematics at the Adelphi University in New York, as our invited speaker. This virtual event was free and open to the general public.
The speaker noted how pop culture influences who we want to become and emphasized that the myth of the genius is the belief that mathematical ability is an innate gift and not a skill that is developed through practice and effort. Monica Morales commented that this mistaken mindset suggests that only those with natural talent can succeed in mathematics, creating barriers in learning and discouraging those who at first might find it hard but who can improve with persistence. The speaker also mentioned several examples of how we can use pop culture in our favor to feel that mathematics are also yours.
