Diploma to Building a Math Platform

Ever tried to build a community learning platform from scratch? Abdulhafeez Abdulsalam, Nigerian ex-ICTP Diploma student has done just that. He talks to us about the process of getting his home for math students and early-career learners off the ground.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I usually describe myself simply as a mathematics graduate with a strong interest in analysis, special functions, and how abstract mathematics connects to computation and visualisation. I graduated with First Class Honours in mathematics from the University of Ibadan and later joined the postgraduate Diploma programme at ICTP, where I was exposed to a very international and collaborative research culture.

Along with my research, I’ve always been interested in teaching, outreach, and building structures that help students engage with mathematics more actively and confidently. I tend to think a lot about how mathematical ideas are learned in practice, not just how they are formally written down.

What is InvariantMath?

InvariantMath is a digital platform I designed as a home for mathematics students and early-career learners. It brings together problem-solving spaces, learning resources, computational laboratories, and community-driven activities in one place. 

The name InvariantMath comes from the mathematical idea of invariants: quantities that remain unchanged under transformation. It reflects my aim to build a stable, shared space for learning even as people, tools, and topics evolve.

All of these laboratories are represented on the platform through dedicated modules. At present, direct on-site experimentation is available for Python, SageMath, and LaTeX, while the remaining laboratories are integrated as structured learning and reference modules.

The goal is to make mathematics feel less fragmented. Instead of theory, computation, discussion, and experimentation living in separate silos, InvariantMath allows students to move naturally between them. Students can read, compute, visualise, test ideas, and discuss results within the same environment, which mirrors how mathematics is actually done.

The development of the InvariantMath website was supported, in part, by the Vienna African Mathematics Scholarship at the University of Vienna.

Why did you create InvariantMath?

The idea grew out of a very practical need. As a student from a developing country like Nigeria, I reflected deeply on the challenges undergraduate mathematics students face. During my time at the university, access to computational tools and genuine expertise in computer algebra systems was limited. Many students depended on others to type projects or run computations for them, which created unnecessary barriers to independent learning.

I wanted to break that cycle by giving students direct access to tools and guidance in a structured way. Beyond tools, I also wanted to create a platform that connected students on the basis of mathematics itself; bringing problems, discussion, and experimentation into one shared space.

This motivation was reinforced by my experience receiving the Spirit of Ramanujan STEM award in 2022 for my research on Malmsten-type integrals, which led to a publication in late 2025. The award is directed by Ken Ono and supports emerging researchers who lack traditional institutional backing through mentorship and access to research resources. Through this support, I gained access to books and computational tools that were transformative for my work. Having benefited so directly from it, I felt a strong responsibility to lower similar barriers for other students. InvariantMath became a way of translating that opportunity into something collective.

Creating InvariantMath was therefore a deliberate and bold step for me. The platform was initially built under a different name for a student association I belonged to, but a number of challenges made it clear that the idea needed to be broadened. That  process led me to generalise the platform so it could serve a much wider audience, not just a single association or institution, but mathematics students across Nigeria and beyond.

Which issues did you deal with setting up the platform?

On the technical side, one of the main challenges was designing the user interface and overall experience to a standard I was personally satisfied with. I often thought of myself as the end user and paid close attention to how students would actually interact with the platform, from typing mathematics to previewing LaTeX in real time. There were moments when I sketched ideas on paper before implementing them.

Building the site for long-term use also required careful planning, especially around navigation and pagination, since the platform is meant to grow over time. I wanted it to feel modern and responsive, so I spent time refining how quickly and smoothly the interface behaves as content loads.

I also had to deal with challenges related to visibility and recognition by search engines such as Google. Because the platform was new and evolving rapidly, there were occasions when automated checks were triggered and brief reviews were required. These were resolved as they arose, and Google’s support channels were helpful throughout the process.

On the human side, the project demanded significant personal commitment. Building and refining the platform required many late nights and, at times, skipping regular meals to keep pace with development.

It also involved navigating administrative and organisational challenges. I published an early version of the platform for an association I belonged to, which led to bureaucratic difficulties with affiliated parties.

I ultimately chose to unpublish that version and relaunch the project under a neutral, independent name, InvariantMath. While this was a difficult decision, it clarified the platform’s purpose and allowed the core educational idea to continue without constraints.

A personal touch

I added a Serbian Cyrillic inscription beneath the logo in the launch materials, which represents a Slovenian phrase. It translates roughly as “one for the other,” (in Slovenian) or more broadly, “a comrade for a comrade" (in Serbian). I chose it in honour of my Serbian friends, a close group of mathematics students and programmers who hosted me with remarkable generosity when I visited their country near the end of 2025.

The central symbol S in the logo was also chosen deliberately. Mathematically, the shape is invariant under a 180 degree rotation, which ties directly into the theme of invariance that runs through the project. The letter S also stands for Salam in my name. In addition, the form of the symbol itself reflects something essential to this platform. One part of the curve represents the team behind InvariantMath, the other the community it brings together. Taken alone, neither is complete. It is only together, in balance and continuity, that the symbol makes sense.

To read about the tools and resources used to create the platform, go to the Portal article