[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/tstop08.jpg” caption=”A graduate student helps a high school student with a trading floor activity. Photo by Susan Bubak.”]The Teachers' Science and Technology Outreach Program (TSTOP) was created by the Ministry of Research and Innovation to give Ontario elementary and secondary science and technology teachers the opportunity to be mentored by some of the province's pre-eminent researchers.

Rosa Assalone is a Grade 11 and 12 physics teacher at Bishop Ryan Catholic Secondary School in Hamilton. She participated in the program at McMaster for two weeks last summer, conducting research in the area of financial mathematics with Matheus Grasselli, assistant professor and Sharcnet Chair in the Department of Mathematics & Statistics, Faculty of Science.

As part of TSTOP, funding was available for her to bring her high school class for a follow-up field trip, and recently she brought 24 students for a day of activities organized by the DeGroote School of Business at the Allan H. Gould Trading Floor.

“TSTOP brings together different levels of learning,” said Allison Sekuler, associate vice-president (research) at McMaster University. “Teachers are connected to university researchers, and are immersed in an ongoing research project for several weeks. Teachers then pass on what they've learned to their students, with a renewed passion and a deeper understanding of research. Combining this with hands-on experiences for students, like a visit to the
trading floor, provides a really unique and effective learning environment for students, teachers and researchers alike.”

At the beginning of the day, Assalone's students were introduced to graduate students in the Masters of Financial Mathematics program, who answered questions about careers in this area. They also spent some time with Grasselli, who gave them a short lesson on stock options, and met professor Thomas Hurd, who jointly administers the new master's program with Graselli.

“It was great that the students got to see the University, meet Dr. Grasselli and Dr. Hurd, as well as some graduate students,” said Assalone. “The students also learned about the wide variety of careers available to people who study science.”

At the Allen H. Gould Trading Floor, the students participated in a seminar that included basic market theory and a lesson on how capital is raised through stocks and bonds. They were introduced to Reuters 300Xtra and Bloomberg software, going through live screen exercises to learn how to retrieve information.

Three coordinators were available to answer their questions about investment strategies. After lunch, each student was given $1 million in a mock trading account and they competed to see who could realize the greatest profit in a short time.

“This activity, as well as being hugely informative, was a ton of fun for the students,” said Caroline Burgess, outreach coordinator for the Departments of Mathematics & Statistics, Physics & Astronomy and Chemistry. “Having a facility like the Gould Trading Floor right on campus adds realism and relevance to classroom learning. Although they may not end up working on Bay Street, these students have experienced the application of mathematics to a dynamic and exciting field.”