Maxine is a Ph.D. student at the University of Pennsylvania studying mathematics, and she discovered her unexpected love of abstract math while an undergraduate at Reed College. Her research is in an area of pure math called algebraic topology, which is all about how different shapes can be stretched, squished, glued together, and otherwise deformed. Maxine began volunteering with PTI in 2021 and has taught and tutored mathematics with PTI for the past several years. Her goal as an instructor is to create an environment where math can be accessible and enjoyable for everyone, and she believes that mathematical literacy (and scientific literacy more generally) should never be a barrier to opportunity.