Liaison Newsletter

April 2003


In this issue:
April is Mathematics Awareness Month

The Joint Policy Board for Mathematics announces that this year's Mathematics Awareness Month focuses on the connections between mathematics and art.

The connection between mathematics and art goes back thousands of years. The ancient Greeks and Romans used mathematics in sculptures and to aesthetically design buildings. In the 15th century Leonardo da Vinci wrote, "Let no one read me who is not a mathematician." More details at http://mathforum.org/mam.

Time to register for PREP 2003 Workshops

This year we are offering 15 Professional Enhancement Program workshops covering a wide variety of topics, including knot theory, statistics and courses for future teachers. The costs of participants’ lodging and meals are covered by the program. Details on this year’s program, as well as application materials, are on the web at http://www.maa.org/prep. Reserve your spot now.

Application deadlines approach for PMET Workshops

Preparing Mathematicians to Educate Teachers (PMET) is a major initiative to increase the capacity of mathematics faculty to educate K-12 teachers. An initial mailing that includes copies of the CBMS report “Mathematicians Educating Teachers” and Liping Ma’s “Knowing and Teaching Elementary Mathematics” should be arriving in your department. Be sure to check with your department head and notify your colleagues that these resources are available.

In addition, PMET is supporting four workshops this summer, three focusing on preparing elementary teachers and one on secondary teachers. The costs of participants’ lodging and meals are covered by the program. Descriptions of the workshops, application materials and other details about the PMET program can be found on the program web site, http://www.maa.org/pmet.

Join Us in Boulder for MathFest 2003

This year’s MathFest will be held in Boulder, Colorado, July 31-August 2. We hope you’ll make plans to attend. Program details are now available through MAA Online at http://www.maa.org/meetings/mf3_frontpage.html. Register by June 17 to take advantage of the early bird savings and receive your registration packet before the meeting.

MAA undergraduate Mathematics conferences
 
The MAA has recieved funding from the NSF to provide support for institutions or groups of institutions that wish to initiate or expand undergraduate mathematics conferences. The first grants will likely be awarded by the Fall of 2003, and proposals are currently being solicited. For more information and application instructions, see http://www.maa.org/UGConf.

April 11 is application deadline for 2003-04 Project NExT Fellows

Faculty for whom the 2003-04 academic year will be their first or second year of full-time teaching at the college/university level (after receiving the Ph.D.) are invited to apply to become Project NExT Fellows. Approximately sixty Project NExT Fellows will be selected for the 2003-04 year. There is no fee for participation in Project NExT itself, and Fellows will be provided with room and board at the Project NExT Workshop at MathFest 2003, which will be held in Boulder, Colorado, July 31-August 2.  Fellows also do not have to pay for the special short courses at the summer MathFest that are organized by Project NExT.  Institutions employing the Project NExT Fellows are expected to provide all other expenses associated with the meetings.  

Questions about eligibility, cost, schedule, or other issues: Consult the program website (http://archives.math.utk.edu/projnext/) or contact T. Christine Stevens (email:stevensc@slu.edu; telephone: 314-977-2436).

CUPM seeks comments on Draft 4.2 of Curriculum Guidelines

The Mathematical Association of America's Committee on the Undergraduate Program in Mathematics (CUPM) is charged with making recommendations to guide mathematics departments in designing curricula for their undergraduate students. CUPM began issuing reports in 1953, updating them at roughly 10-year intervals. The committee began work on the current version in 1999.
 
Draft 4.2 of the CUPM Curriculum Guide contains draft recommendations unanimously approved by CUPM in January 2003.  The current draft is available at http://www.maa.org/cupm. Comments on the draft are requested before June 1.

MAA Online has new look, offers new services

If you’ve visited MAA Online (http://www.maa.org) lately, you have already seen the new look of the front page. The new design is not just another pretty face, but represents one phase of a project to revamp our entire web site to add new services for MAA members.

One new service already available is the online bookstore. You can now order books directly through MAA Online. You can even renew your membership online. Of course, another goal of the reorganization is making navigation of the site easier, so that you will be able to quickly find the information you seek. The new structure of MAA Online provides much easier access, and as we continue to refine and improve the site, we hope that you’ll agree that MAA Online should be your first step for math on the World Wide Web.


Submitted by:

        Michael Pearson
        Director of Programs and Services
        pearson@maa.org