Liaison News March 2007

In this issue:

Two new PREP workshops
MathFest 2007, August 3-5 in San Jose, CA
Call for Proposals: Regional Undergraduate MathematicsProgram
MAA Celebrates 2007 as the Year of Euler
New CRAFTY Guidelines for College Algebra
Project NExT: Applications for new Fellows now beingsolicited
MAA Spring Section Meetings
Celebrating 10 Years of Math Horizons
Apply now to participate in Spreadsheets Across the Curriculum workshop

Two New PREP workshops

We hope you got the PREP 2007 program brochure, and are already considering attending one of the great workshops this summer. Two new workshops were added after the brochure went to press:

Calculus: Online and Interactive

Lang Moore, David Smith
June 25 - 29, 2007
Online from Duke University, Durham, NC

This online workshop is designed to acquaint participants with online interactive calculus materials being developed by the organizers as part of the NSF-funded MAA project, MathDL Books Online, NSF Grant DUE-231083.

The online materials represent a second edition of materials published as Calculus: Modeling and Application. You can view the materials at www.math.duke.edu/education/calculustext/.

Computational and Mathematical Biology

Eric Marland, Raina Robeva, Robin Davies
June 10 - 16, 2007
Sweet Briar College
Sweet Briar, VA

As the process of integrating mathematics and biology gains momentum, it has become clear that, now that people are convinced of the need to bring mathematics and biology together, we need to focus more on "how" to achieve this integration.

Materials produced during the workshop will have the opportunity for submission to the National Science Digital Library (http://NSDL.org) through the Computational Science Reference Desk (http://www.shodor.org/refdesk/) as a reference for biology and mathematical science faculty wishing to integrate biology, mathematics, and computer science in their classrooms.

For additional information about these and other PREP workshops, or to register, visit www.maa.org/prep/2007.

Do you know the way to San Jose?

Mark your calendar now to join us in San Jose on August 3-5 for MathFest 2007. This year, we mark the 20th anniversary of the first student paper sessions. In addition, the Euler Society will join us to help celebrate the tercentennial of Euler’s birth, and the Society for Mathematical Biology will hold their meeting in conjunction with MathFest as well.

Look for details in the April issue of FOCUS, or visit www.maa.org/mathfest.

MAA Regional Undergraduate Mathematics Conferences

The MAA has received funding from the Division of Mathematical Sciences at the National Science Foundation to provide support for institutions or groups of institutions that wish to initiate or expand undergraduate mathematics conferences. The primary objective of the grant is to provide as many undergraduate students as possible with the opportunity to  present mathematically-oriented talks and to better expand their knowledge of the wide range of theory, history, and applications of the mathematics sciences at conferences that are within their geographic region.

The awards are intended to cover a portion of the typical expenses involved with hosting the conference. These include travel expenses for invited speakers, lunch and refreshments for participants, and duplicating and postage for advertising.
For additional details and application materials, visit www.maa.org/rumc.

The MAA is celebrating the 300th Anniversary of Euler's Birth as the Year of Euler

Leonhard Euler, generally regarded as one of the greatest mathematicians of all times, was born in Basel, Switzerland on April 15, 1707. Euler made massive contributions to analysis, and worked in almost all branches of pure and applied mathematics.

Among the many activities to mark this year are:
For details on these and other Euler events, visit www.maa.org/euler.

CRAFTY releases Guidelines for College Algebra

Available at www.maa.org/cupm, these guidelines represent the recommendations of the MAA/CUPM subcommittee, Curriculum Renewal Across the First Two Years, concerning the nature of the college algebra course that can serve as a terminal course as well as a pre-requisite to courses such as pre-calculus, statistics, business calculus, finite mathematics, and mathematics for elementary education majors. They were endorsed on January 31, 2007 by CUPM, the MAA Committee on the Undergraduate Program in Mathematics.

Applications to Project NExT for the 2007-2008 Fellowship year due April 16, 2007.

Project NExT (New Experiences in Teaching) is a professional development program for new or recent Ph.D.s in the mathematical sciences. It addresses all aspects of an academic career: improving the teaching and learning of mathematics, engaging in research and scholarship, and participating in professional activities.

Faculty for whom the 2007-2008 academic year will be the 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 seventy Project NExT Fellows will be selected for the 2007-2008 year.

We hope you will encourage new faculty at your institution to apply. For additional information visit http://archives.math.utk.edu/projnext/.

Spring Section Meetings: A great chance to connect with your colleagues

Your Section meeting offers  a chance to present a paper, hear from mathematicians that live close to you, and develop a stronger support network for your work. A Section meeting is also an excellent venue for undergraduate and graduate students alike to present research to a friendly audience.

Check www.maa.org/sections for specific details on what your section is planning.

Celebrating Ten Years of Math Horizons

The Edge of the Universe, a collection of articles from the MAA student magazine, Math Horizons, features exquisite expositions of mathematics accessible at the level of an undergraduate or advanced high school student. Broad and appealing, the coverage also includes fiction with mathematical themes; literary, theatrical and cinematic criticism; humor; history; and social history. Anyone with an interest in mathematics will delight in engaging in this volume. Beautifully printed with 24 pages of full color images. Deanna Haunsperger & Stephen Kennedy, Editors List: $57.50; MAA Members: $45.95

Spreadsheets Across the Curriculum Project invites applications

The Washington Center for Improving the Quality of Undergraduate Education at Evergreen State College is now inviting applications for the third, and final, institute for the Spreadsheets Across the Curriculum Project. In this National Science Foundation funded project, faculty develop spreadsheet modules aimed at enhancing students' quantitative literacy skills within disciplinary contexts.

The institute will be held July 17-20, 2007, at the Phoenix Inn in Olympia, WA. The project covers the cost of participating in the institute (meals and lodging), but does not cover travel expenses.

For more information about the project and the application for this year's institute, go to
http://www.evergreen.edu/washcenter/project.asp?pid=75.