Anas Bilal, Senn HS

“Mathematics is no longer about numbers or calculations, but about hope, logic, and the ability to make a difference.”

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Anas started with Math Circles of Chicago this fall as a High School Assistant at our newest hub location, FORA: Forging Opportunities for Refugees in America. Though Anas is relatively new to Math Circles of Chicago, his journey to becoming an MC2 Scholar has been lifelong. Here are some excerpts from his writing and reflection on his past, present, and future in mathematics.

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How did you develop an interest in mathematics? What has your learning experience been like in school up to this point? What challenges, socially and/or academically, have you faced in this journey? 

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The Kaushik stuck to my skin, its gritty texture pressed between my fingers, the taste of earth lingering on my tongue, and the wet squish of clay filling the silence of the broken village walls. Now you wonder what Kaushik is. Kaushik is a traditional mixture of clay and cow manure used in rural areas to bind bricks and strengthen walls, known to build housing in impoverished areas. Six years ago, I visited my home country, Pakistan, and just like every other house in the village, mine was bonded together with Kaushik too. 

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A heavy flood hit the villages surrounding my area, and due to poor resources and fragile materials, our homes stood vulnerable. The flood destroyed everything and washed away the walls constructed with Kaushik. As a child, I didn’t know much, but I realized the lack of resources and weak infrastructure that led to the loss of countless memories and stability for families who had spent their lives building their houses. I recall visiting my aunt’s house and telling her, “I promise to come back and make a change.”

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Mathematics is no longer about numbers or calculations, but about hope, logic, and the ability to make a difference. I want to apply my knowledge to empower communities—by creating sustainable infrastructure, enhancing financial systems, or ensuring that no child witnesses their home collapsing as I once did. Math gave me both a reason and an opportunity. Just as Kaushik once held together the bricks of my childhood home, mathematics now binds my dreams, making my vision of change structured and strong.

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What is your mathematical power? How has your work with Math Circles of Chicago helped you develop that power?

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Persistence and communication is my mathematical strength. I have come to know that math does not only entail the solving of problems but also to find means of understanding and relating with others in terms of ideas. It not only has taught me to be patient and confident but also has made me become a better learner and a leader.

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During most of the sessions, I attempted to engage all the participants in discussions by turning errors into learning experiences. In cases where someone had provided an incorrect reply, I would pose a question to the group, which seemed to make sense to me. This made students realize that not every effort is futile and that it is a discovery to be wrong. I observed the way they became confident with time. The silent students also started to put in more since they understood that their voices were heard.

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These experiences made me understand that it is not about being the fastest and getting all the answers right that makes one belong in math. It arises out of being perceived and embraced. Math Circles provided me with the opportunity to construct such a community. I got to know that it is as important to explain, listen and celebrate effort as it is to find solutions to equations.

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I would like to keep making the environment where students are not afraid of math, where all questions aren't disregarded, and language or background does not restrict learning. Using Math Circles, I learned that I have succeeded in becoming what I considered to be one of my biggest strengths, assisting people in discovering their confidence in math.

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MC2 College Pathways is dedicated to helping students find their own pathway forward in STEM. Please describe your future plans for college and beyond. 

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When I look at my family’s history,  no one has ever gotten an opportunity to attend college. However, now I am determined to break that cycle - and engineering is my way to my future full of opportunities.

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As a first-gen college student, a Pakistani Asian, and a first-generation immigrant, I have had to make more efforts to show that I fit not only in classes, but in the world around me. It was always a pressure to be twice as ready, twice as good just to be accorded the same measure of respect.

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The first place where I began to put that into practice was in Math Circles. They did not simply provide me with problem sets but provided me with a space to think, make risky decisions and continue going when I did not necessarily have the answer. I came in confident, however, Math Circle further increased my confidence. I recall an instance when we were presented with a problem, which was initially unattainable, something full of patterns and logic, which did not make sense at first. I got frustrated but continued doing it. I would listen, ask questions and finally, I would manage to find my way through it. That was a lesson that was imprinted in my mind, as it taught me that actually being able to solve a problem is not a question of speed, but rather one of grit.

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