University of St. Thomas Assistant Professor of Mathematics Natasa Dragovic was featured in The Free Press Journal for her role in an outreach event ahead of the 18th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA), to be hosted in Mumbai this August.
From the story:
The Sky Explorers, in collaboration with the organizing committee of the 18th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA), hosted an inspiring and intellectually vibrant session featuring a talk by Dr. Natasa Dragovic, assistant professor at the University of St. Thomas and the current general secretary of the IOAA.
The event was held at Udayachal High School in Vikhroli, Mumbai, and featured a session led by Dragovic titled “Introduction to Random Graphs and Applications.” Her student-friendly lecture introduced middle school students to the foundational concepts of graph theory, touching on everything from Eulerian paths to the use of random graphs in solving real-world problems.
Despite the topic’s mathematical depth, Dragovic made it accessible and engaging for students in Grades 8 to 10. The interactive session reflected a growing enthusiasm for STEM among Indian students and was designed to inspire the next generation of scientists and problem-solvers.
The outreach was organized by The Sky Explorers in collaboration with the IOAA organizing committee, with support from the school and private sector sponsors. The initiative forms part of India’s broader efforts to generate excitement ahead of hosting the 18th IOAA – expected to draw top astronomy students from over 50 countries.
Dragovic, a former IOAA gold medalist herself, highlighted the importance of such programs in making advanced science education more approachable for younger students.
