Click on profile photos for extended details and contact information.
DIRECTORS
Klaus Hoechsmann
Nataša Sirotić
Diana Kovac
Mario Sirotic
Senior Advisor
Klaus Hoechsmann
PhD, Professor Emeritus, UBC
Using the principles he teaches, “mathematics, like singing, is for everyone – not only the three tenors”, Klaus Hoechsmann inspires teachers to love and understand mathematics. He is a devoted scholar of mathematics who went from research mathematician to a trainer of math teachers, to play-wright and public disseminator of mathematics. He is co-founder of the elementary grades math contest (ELMACON) and the author of the PIMS math-posters that were seen on busses throughout the year 2000.
Senior Advisor
Nataša Sirotić
BSc, BEd, MSc, PhD
Dr. Sirotić believes that through inspired teaching and mentorship, anyone can succeed in mathematics and develop the confidence, creativity, and critical-thinking skills that are essential in life. She is an experienced educator with 20+ years of teaching experience in both public and independent schools where she has taught mathematics from Kindergarten to Calculus, and acted as Head of the Mathematics Department at two independent schools. In her classes, high expectations are blended with guidance and encouragement. She co-founded Math Potentials with the mission to help young people discover the meaning, purpose, and joy that are inherent in mathematics, which in turn will open opportunities and equip them for success in life. Dr. Sirotić is also active in the fields of mathematics education research and teacher education. She has worked as a Lecturer and Faculty Advisor at the University of British Columbia, where she instructed courses for preservice elementary and secondary mathematics teachers and mentored new teachers into the profession.
Strategic Advisor
Diana Kovac
BSc, ASA
Diana is a graduate of the Math Circles program, and has been involved ever since, first as an instructor and now as Strategic Advisor. She has an Actuarial Mathematics degree from SFU and is an Associate of the Society of Actuaries. Having a strong math background has helped her in her studies and career, and she is passionate about passing that math knowledge and confidence on to students. She enjoys attending conferences and workshops on math education to continuously improve the Math Circles program.
Email:Diana@MathPotentials.com
Programs Director
Mario Sirotic
BaSc
Having completed the Math Circles program himself, Mario has a unique perspective on the program which allows him to communicate with and teach his students effectively. He has been involved with Math Potentials in nearly every aspect, first as a student of the program to a teacher, administrator, and now the Programs Director. Mario has a background in the field of mining engineering, which has granted him a strong math foundation.
Program of Instruction:Math Circles
Email:Mario@MathPotentials.com
ADMINISTRATORS
Martha Garcia
Tiana Gale
Ocean Tang
Programs Coordinator
Martha Garcia
Martha is a BBA graduate with passion for education and science. She joined Math Potentials to support core business activities including accounting, marketing, administration and programs coordination. Having a strong background in corporate strategy and business processes allows her to understand how small administrative tasks relate to the overarching company’s goals. So when she is not answering phone calls and emails, she will be enjoying the challenge to methodically standardize business activities to efficiently achieve Math Potentials’ corporate goals.
Email:Info@MathPotentials.com
Business Development and Communications Manager
Tiana Gale
Tiana supports Math Potentials in a business development and project management capacity. She’s focused on the growth of Math Potentials, while maintaining the integrity of the program and high level of educational value to our communities. Tiana optimizes operational efficiency and communications, so that all our teachers have to do is focus on being the expert and inspiring educators they are!
Marketing and Events Coordinator
Ocean Tang
Ocean Tang has worked with a number of extra-curricular educational institutions for over 12 years. She holds a Masters Degree in Philosophy, and is a qualified teacher by training, who holds a BC Teaching Certificate for an Independent Elementary School for second language teaching. She has a proven leadership record in various school administration roles and has spent 5 years managing the largest extra-curricular institution in China, Neworiental Education & Tech Grp. With her broad and relevant experience, Ocean finds herself right at home within the Math Potentials team, acting as the Marketing and Events Coordinator.
Gleb Glebov
Hee jin Hyun
Iulia Dobritoiu
Marcel Sincraian
Mike Shen
Pawel Chrzastowski
Sachiko Noguchi
Nayeon Kim
Mario Sirotic
MSc, BSc
Gleb Glebov
After completing A levels in England in 2010, Gleb moved to the US and received an award and a scholarship for outstanding performance and interest in Mathematics and earned his BSc degree in Mathematics. After receiving his undergraduate degree, Gleb pursued further education in Canada and received a graduate entrance scholarship from SFU. After obtaining his MSc degree in Mathematics from SFU, he began teaching. After graduation, Gleb worked at SFU, Fraser International College, and Coquitlam College and has taught Mathematics at other academic institutions. Some of his students have even received awards for outstanding performance in Mathematics. Gleb is an enthusiastic yet demanding teacher who genuinely wants students to succeed. He structures his lessons in ways that allow him to guide his students and address their needs. Gleb focuses on thought-provoking examples and the aesthetic aspects of Mathematics. He presents technical areas of Mathematics in their historical context to make them understandable and broadly appreciable. Gleb believes in the importance of creativity and discovery in learning Mathematics. His goal is to spark his students’ interest and help them flourish.
Program of Instruction:Math Circles
Email:glebglebov@mathpotentials.com)
BEd
Hee jin Hyun
Hee jin has a degree in Mathematics from UBC and has completed her UBC B.Ed. Program. She is currently working towards her Master of Mathematics for Teachers from the University of Waterloo. She works as a teacher within the Coquitlam School District and is a private tutor. She would like to reinvent the image of a Mathematics classroom through the use of innovative teaching methodologies and varied assessment. Her goal is to encourage students to take an active and engaging role in their learning by facilitating opportunities for inquiry, collaboration and reflection. Outside of teaching, she loves camping and travelling around the world.
Program of Instruction:Math Circles
BSC, BEd
Iulia Dobritoiu
Iulia completed her degree in Mathematics in Romania where she taught for several years before moving to Canada in 2008. She grew up observing her mother teaching and discovered her passion for mathematics when her elementary school teacher encouraged her to develop her talent and trained her for the Math Olympiads. Upon moving to Canada, she completed her degree in the field of education and earned a B.Ed. degree at SFU, and continued to work in her chosen career as a mathematics teacher. Iulia is currently teaching a wide range of grades, including elementary and high school students, in whom she seeks to inspire the love of learning mathematics. Outside of school, she enjoys spending time in nature, traveling and exploring new places.
Program of Instruction:Math Circles
PhD
Marcel Sincraian
Marcel Sincraian has been working with numbers whole his life as an Engineer, Accountant, Math and Physics teacher. While an Engineer, he got his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering. He participated in European engineering research projects in soil dynamics. He published papers in international Engineering Journals and international Conferences. He is a passionate, warm, and funny Mathematics and Physics teacher. He is always ready to share his knowledge in Math and Physics. Because of his teaching passion, he decided to help the students with a few math books. From Introduction to Calculus to pure Calculus. He is continually writing new Math and Physics books hoping to help students with other parts of Mathematics and Physics. His hobbies are, reading, traveling, camping.
BSE, MSc, MBA, PhD
Mike Shen
Mike’s background is in electrical engineering, and he has worked at the university level as an instructor and in student affairs. Mike is currently working towards his teaching certificate to fulfill his childhood dream of teaching math at the secondary school level. In his spare time, he volunteers as community basketball coach in south Surrey.
Program of Instruction:Math Circles
BSc, BEd, MEd
Pawel Chrzastowski
Pawel graduated from Warsaw University with Masters Degree in Applied Mathematics. After graduation, he worked in a prestigious high school in Warsaw for four years teaching mathematics and computer science. When he moved to Canada he obtained his BEd Degree at the University of Calgary in 1995 and then a Masters Degree from Simon Fraser University in 2004 with a specialty in high school math education. This lead him to teach high school math in Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver.
Pawel now lives in Vancouver with his family. He loves playing logical games such as Chess, GO and Bridge; he enjoys classical music, especially the piano; and he loves to take advantage of the outdoors, including weekly hikes, skiing adventures, swimming sessions and bike rides.
Program of Instruction:Math Circles
BSc, BEd, MMT
Sachiko Noguchi
Sachiko believes that math is as beautiful as music. However, to cultivate the ability to appreciate the beauty of math we need to learn the subject. She hopes that her classroom is filled with the joy of learning math. She takes on different roles as a math teacher, such as a TOC in private schools, a private tutor, a facilitator in workshops, and a classroom teacher. Sachiko has also earned her MMT (Master of Mathematics Teaching) from the University of Waterloo.
Program of Instruction:Math Circles
BSc, BEd
Nayeon Kim
Nayeon has completed her Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and is currently completing her master’s in Secondary Math Education at Simon Fraser University. She is a full-time math teacher working in the Surrey School District. Nayeon is interested in exploring various math curricula to better assist students’ learning. Outside of teaching, Nayeon likes to travel and try out different cuisines.
Program of Instruction:Math Circles
Email:nkim@mathpotentials.com
Programs Director
Mario Sirotic
BaSc
Having completed the Math Circles program himself, Mario has a unique perspective on the program which allows him to communicate with and teach his students effectively. He has been involved with Math Potentials in nearly every aspect, first as a student of the program to a teacher, administrator, and now the Programs Director. Mario has a background in the field of mining engineering, which has granted him a strong math foundation.
Program of Instruction:Math Circles
Email:Mario@MathPotentials.com
SCIENCE CIRCLES TEACHERS
Solmaz Khodaeifaal
PHD, MED, MBA, BSC
Solmaz Khodaeifaal
Solmaz Khodaeifaal has a background in Atomic Applied Physics. Before coming to Canada, she worked as a mathematics and physics teacher in public and private high schools in Tehran. She has taught IB Physics High Level and Standard Level. Since 2011 she has been working with the International Baccalaureate Organization and its Diploma/Career-Related Program. Throughout her master’s degree completion at the University of British Columbia, she was involved in a number of field-based projects and experiences in Education. She also holds a master’s degree in Business Administration, MBA. All her background encouraged her in pursuing a doctoral program in Science Education with a particular focus on Curriculum and Pedagogy at Simon Fraser University. Her focus is on students’ engagement, their active roles in learning, and how adolescents can learn quantum mechanics at their early ages. With the experience of teaching physics and mathematics for various levels from elementary to high school, she strongly believes and emphasizes that youths—8th and 9th graders—are able to develop their learning of quantum mechanics with a focussed, well-designed, and aimed curriculum on waves principles and basics of quantum physics—wave-quantum-
Program of Instruction:Science Circles
MATH CIRCLES SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS
Ali Seyedfarshi
Bianca Ungurean
Gavin Yip
BSc, MSc, BEd
Ali Seyedfarshi
After graduating from high school in Iran, Ali Seyedfarshi travelled to UK for higher education. He completed General Certificate of Education in London and attended Thames University to complete his degree in Engineering. Ali continued his education obtaining his M.Sc. degree in Theoretical Physics and Mathematics. In 1990, Ali Immigrated to Canada, and ever since then pursued his old passion in teaching. He worked at Collingwood for 16 years teaching AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, and AP Statistics. In 2005 Ali was awarded teacher fellowship from prestigious University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Ali continued his teaching career at Southpointe Academy in Delta, BC.
Ali is very passionate about teaching and he says he finds himself at home in Math Potentials, where our younger generations are offered the ultimate challenge in education, specifically in Mathematics education.
Program of Instruction:Math Circles
BSc, BEd, MEd
Bianca Ungurean
Bianca has completed a 5 year Degree in Mathematics in Romania, where she also taught for five years before moving to Canada. In 1999 she came to Vancouver where she obtained her teaching degree (2001) and Master Degree (2004) from Simon Fraser University. Throughout her teaching career, Bianca has taught full time at various public secondary schools. Bianca currently teaches grades 8-12 including Calculus. Occasionally, she tutors IB kids in the SL and HL streams. Outside school, Bianca enjoys cooking for her family, reading and hiking.
Email:bungurean@hotmail.com
BaSc, BEd
Gavin Yip
Gavin is a passionate educator with 12 years of experience, combined, in industry and secondary education, holding a BASc in Computer Engineering and a BEd in Computer Science and Mathematics. But don’t let that fool you – he still hasn’t grown up. Gavin loves to watch Star Trek, debate Star Wars, build Lego, and climb boulders. All these passions fuel his love of discovery, which is the basis of his teaching philosophy. Through exploration, observation, perseverance, and discussion, Gavin‘s hope is that students discover a newfound excitement for deeper understanding and creative problem solving.
Program of Instruction:Math Circles
Email:gyip@mathpotentials.com