Mathematics
McKellar studied at UCLA, majoring in mathematics. While at UCLA, she became a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority. She graduated summa cum laude in 1998. As an undergraduate, she coauthored a scientific paper[6] with Professor Lincoln Chayes and fellow student Brandy Winn. Their results are termed the 'Chayes-McKellar-Winn theorem'[7][8] Referring to the mathematical abilities of his coauthor students, Chayes was quoted in the New York Times[9] as saying, "I thought that the two were really, really first-rate."
Books
McKellar is the author of the book Math Doesn't Suck: How to Survive Middle-School Math without Losing Your Mind or Breaking a Nail (ISBN 1594630399), which encourages girls in middle school to enjoy and succeed at mathematics.[10] The book has been favorably reviewed by Tara C. Smith, the founder of Iowa Citizens for Science and a professor of epidemiology at the University of Iowa.[11] In an interview with Smith, McKellar said that she wrote the book "to show girls that math is accessible and relevant, and even a little glamorous" and to counteract "damaging social messages telling young girls that math and science aren't for them".[12]
McKellar's second book, Kiss My Math: Showing Pre-Algebra Who's Boss (ISBN 9781594630491), was released on August 5, 2008. The book's target audience is girls in the 7th through 9th grades. As of September 28, 2008 (2008 -09-28)[update], both of McKellar 's books have held for several weeks on the New York Times children's bestseller list.[13]
McKellar was named Person of the Week[14] on World News with Charles Gibson for the week ending August 10, 2007. The news segment highlighted her book Math Doesn't Suck and her efforts to help girls develop an interest in mathematics, especially during the middle school years.
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