The mission of the Kalamazoo Area Mathematics and Science Center is to design and deliver educational experiences to selected students who will benefit from a highly rigorous, sequential and integrated exposure to mathematics, science and computer science in an environment where respect for self and others is valued.

Behind the Kalamazoo Area Mathematics and Science Center lies a vision that challenges the old boundaries. It is an idea that transcends the segmentation of society in the interest of a common goal - effective education. The university educator, the high school teacher, professional scientist, mathematician, public school system, private business, parents — can unite resources in the service of awakening a developing mind.

KAMSC, then, is a collaboration, a conflux of resources. It is a way of addressing problems, such as the decline of scientific literacy, the shortage of technical manpower, dwindling federal support of education. All communities large and small face them. They are national problems, but their force is localized, communal — so must be their treatment.

The primary goal of KAMSC is to educate the scientific and technical leaders of tomorrow in an environment focused on the technical and intellectual needs of advanced public and private high school students in the Kalamazoo area.

KAMSC's curriculum is dynamic, to be developed and refined as the center grows. Several principles, however, lie at the core. KAMSC's curriculum delivers programs in mathematics and science that are unavailable at any one school. It unites accelerated instruction with enrichment, encouraging students to probe challenging topics in each discipline in a technology-enriched environment.

Communication skills and computer fluency are stressed. Research and experimentation with KAMSC staff and area professional scientists is encouraged. The curriculum is deliberately innovative in both course content and in methods of delivery.

An integral part of the KAMSC approach is a mentorship program in which students work directly with professional scientists, mathematicians, educators and other experts in the community to develop skills and deepen knowledge. An outreach program ensures that the center's influence is broadened to the entire community.

But above all, beyond technique and equipment and innovation, lies a single goal: effective education. 

The Kalamazoo Area Mathematics and Science Center (KAMSC) was conceived in 1981 by what was then The Upjohn Co. and established with cooperation from the schools of the greater Kalamazoo area.

After five years of planning, KAMSC opened its doors in 1986, a gift to the Kalamazoo area marking the centennial of The Upjohn Co. The charter ninth grade class of KAMSC included 68 students from 12 school systems, including both public and private schools. KAMSC is a four-year program capable of accommodating up to 300 students.

The goal of the center, reflecting The Upjohn Co.'s concern over the growing national problem of scientific illiteracy, is to provide accelerated instruction in mathematics and science to qualifying secondary school students in the Kalamazoo area.

Administered by Kalamazoo Public Schools and initially funded with a grant of $2 million from The Upjohn Co., KAMSC operates by means of an unusual, creative partnership between the public and private sectors. While KAMSC is a school, the center continues to draw on the resources and counsel of private industry.

KAMSC emphasizes direct exchange between professionals and KAMSC students through its formal mentorship program. KAMSC's scientific and computer equipment is of the highest quality available due to the participation of area businesses. 

KAMSC's curriculum is oriented toward the major issues in contemporary mathematics and science, while ensuring the teaching of basic skills and concepts.

A strong outreach program provides opportunities to enrich existing school programs and to deliver professional development seminars for mathematics and science teachers in the area.

Students who attend KAMSC come from public and private schools all over the Kalamazoo area. The primary applicant pool covers the Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency (KRESA) service area

Dr. Michael Tanoff joined the KAMSC team as director in August of 2011. He holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Rutgers University and a Ph.D. in engineering and applied science from Yale University, where he received the Harding Bliss Prize for Excellence In Engineering and Applied Science as the graduating student “who has done the most to further the intellectual life of the department.”

His research career in the field of computational combustion, which included an expatriate position in the Department of Physical Chemistry at Chalmers University in Gothenburg, Sweden, and research scientist and lecturer positions at Yale University, involved the development of computer models for understanding and predicting pollutant formation, fire extinguishment, solid propellant combustion, flame structure, and ignition phenomena, and included fifteen journal articles and numerous technical presentations.

Dr. Tanoff’s industrial experience included an engineering position in the process simulation and control area for the Exxon Corporation (now ExxonMobil) where he was co-inventor on a U.S. patent for developing a “Control Scheme and Apparatus for a Cogeneration Boiler,” and a senior research managerial position for the Kellogg Company. Dr. Tanoff served as a visiting associate professor of mathematics (two years), and then as an assistant professor of physics (seven years) at Kalamazoo College, where he developed a concept and lab-based introductory physics program, participated in state and national conversations on physics education research, directed the 3-2 engineering program, co-advised student mathematics teams, and served as co-director for a National Science Foundation-sponsored program for attracting students from underrepresented groups to the sciences and mathematics. Dr. Tanoff’s science classroom perspective coupled with his lengthy experience at Kalamazoo College and Yale University leave him uniquely qualified for his duties at KAMSC. He is excited about his continuing opportunity to help guide the KAMSC program.

Dr. Tanoff sits on the Board of Directors for the Michigan Mathematics and Science Centers Network, the Board of Directors for the Michigan STEM Partnership, and the Advisory Board for the Lee Honors College of Western Michigan University.