You are here

MAA Student Chapters Newsletters - Spring 2003

Chapter News

The Newsletter for Advisors of Student Chapters of the Mathematical Association of America

Spring 2003

Baltimore summary Boulder activities Phoenix activities contact

Baltimore Meeting Report

National Collegiate Mathematics Championship

There were 26 finalists in the U.S. National Collegiate Championship at the Baltimore meeting. Students solved a variety of problems ranging in grade of difficulty. Students were top problem solvers in The Problem Solving Competition, a national monthly mathematics competition. The competition is conducted locally at more than 400 college campuses. First place in the US this year went to Wei-Shou Hsu, a 21-year-old senior at Utah State University. Second place in the U.S. went to Daniel Boylan, a 21-year old Senior at Harvey Mudd College. Boylan was also the recipient of the annual Livermore Research Institute Prize. It is a $10,000 internship of study at the Livermore National Research Laboratory. Other prizes included trophies and TI-92 calculators. All competitors received beautiful U.S. medallions and t-shirts.

--Submitted by Richard Neal

Diversity Initiative

Nine groups of university faculty and underrepresented students attended the January 2003 Joint Mathematics Meetings in Baltimore with the help of CUSAC's Diversity Initiative mini travel grants.

The Diversity Initiative granted mini travel grants to nine faculty members in order to bring 43 students to the Joint Meetings from Bowie State University, Coppin State University, Gettysburg College, Goucher College, Hood College, Lafayette College, Morgan State University, Shippensburg University, and Virginia Wesleyan College. These students enthusiastically attended the MAA Student Lecture, the MAA Student Reception, and participated in many other activities. They also enjoyed networking with other students in the Student Hospitality Center. Most of all, students expanded their horizons while experiencing the excitement of working mathematicians doing mathematics.

Pending funding constraints, the Diversity Initiative travel grants application will again be open for universities and colleges within about 250 miles from Phoenix, AZ, the January 2004 Joint Mathematics Meetings site. Faculty members interested in applying for mini travel grants for bringing underrepresented students should write to Betty Mayfield at in October 2003.

--Submitted by Jean Bee Chan jean.chan@sonoma.edu 707-664-2570

The majestic Rocky Mountains will provide the scenic backdrop for MathFest 2003. The annual summer meeting of the MAA will be held Thursday-Saturday, July 31-August 2, on the campus of the University of Colorado at Boulder. An MAA/Pi Mu Epsilon reception, scheduled for Wednesday evening, August 30, will inaugurate the student activities. The next three days will include the student paper sessions, student workshop, student lecture, and student problem solving competition.

Call for Student Papers

Students who wish to present a paper at MathFest 2003 in Boulder, Colorado, must be nominated by a faculty advisor familiar with the work to be presented. To propose a paper for presentation, the student must complete a form and obtain the signature of a faculty sponsor.

Nomination forms for the MAA student paper sessions can be obtained from:

Dr. Thomas Kelley
Department of Mathematics
Henry Ford Community College
Dearborn, MI 49128
(313) 845-6492
Email: tkelley@hfcc.net
Download: http://adm.hfcc.net/~tkelley/

Students who make presentations at the MathFest, and who are also members of an MAA Student Chapter, are eligible for partial travel reimbursement. The deadline for receipt of applications is June 27, 2003.

PME student speakers must be nominated by their chapter advisors. Application forms for PME student speakers can be found at http://www.pme-math.org or can be obtained from the PME Secretary-Treasurer, Dr. Leo Schneider, email: leo@jcu.edu. Student who make presentations at the Annual Meeting of Pi Mu Epsilon are eligible for partial travel reimbursement. The deadline for receipt of abstracts is June 27, 2003.

Problem Solving Competition at MathFest 2003

The next US National Collegiate Mathematics Championship will be in Boulder, Colorado during Mathfest 2003. For information on how a student from your college or university can compete in Boulder contact Dr. Richard Neal, Editor, The Problem Solving Competition, University of Oklahoma Department of Mathematics, 601 Elm Avenue #525, Norman, OK 73019, 1-800-229-1725, .

The student problem solving competition at MathFest 2003 is the finals of the Problem Solving Competition. Universities and

colleges that participate monthly on their own campuses by holding problem solving contests are invited to send two contestants. Each contestant will be required to solve a series of mathematical problems. Based upon the outcome, a champion and runner up will be named. The competition will be held on Saturday, August 2, 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Special Session: Math Horizons

Meet the new editors of Math Horizons magazine at MathFest 2003. It is the magazine written for students, filled with intriguing articles, profiles, problems, humor, and contests. We are looking for your suggestions and input and will be looking for students to serve on our Student Advisory Board.

Arthur T. Benjamin, Harvey Mudd College
Jennifer J. Quinn, Occidental College
Saturday, August 2, 1:15 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

MAA Student Workshop

Problems, Problems, Problems!
A presentation of a smattering of interesting mathematical problems with discussions of their solutions, followed by the opportunity to work selected problems. See the MathFest Registration Form for ticket information.

Clayton Dodge, University of Maine
Saturday, August 2, 2:10 p.m. - 3:50 p.m

MAA Student Lecture: The Art of Mental Calculation

Arthur T. Benjamin of Harvey Mudd College will demonstrate and explain how to perform rapid mental calculations, Saturday, August 2, 4:00 p.m. - 4:50 p.m.

Other Activities of Interest to Students at MathFest 2003

The Student Hospitality Center will be open Thursday and Friday, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., and Saturday, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. The Student Hospitality Center (SHC) provides a place for students and other MathFest attendees to meet for informal conversation, refreshment, and mathematical diversions. The SHC also provides programs for the MAA and Pi Mu Epsilon student paper sessions, packets for MAA student presenters, and information on MathFest activities of interest to students. Special information for students can be found on here and at www.pme-math.org.

MAA/Pi Mu Epsilon Student Reception:
Wednesday, July 31, 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m
MAA Student Paper Sessions: Thomas E. Kelley, Henry Ford Community College
Thursday, July 31, 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m
Friday, August 1, 1:15 p.m. - 5:00 p.m
Pi Mu Epsilon Paper Sessions: Jennifer Galovich, St. John's University
Thursday, July 31, 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m
Friday, August 1, 1:15 p.m. - 5:00 p.m
MAA Mathematical Contest in Modeling (MCM) winners: Ben Fusaro, Florida State University
Thursday, July 31, 5:15 -6:30 p.m
Graduate Student Reception:
Thursday, July 31, 5:30-6:30 p.m See the MathFest Registration Form for ticket information.
PME Banquet:
Friday, August 1, 6:00-7:45 p.m See the MathFest Registration Form for ticket information.
PME J. Sutherland Frame Lecture: Chaos Games and Fractal Images
Friday, August 1, 8:00 p.m. - 8:50 p.m

In this lecture, Robert L. Devaney of Boston University will describe some of the beautiful images that arise from the "Chaos Game." We will show how the simple steps of this game produce, when iterated millions of times, the intricate images known as fractals. We will describe some of the applications of this technique used in data compression as well as in Hollywood. We will also challenge students present to "Beat the Professor" at the chaos game and maybe win his computer.

Mathematical Experiences for Students Outside the Classroom

The MAA Committee on Undergraduate Student Activities and Chapters is seeking contributed papers for a special session at the January 2004 Joint Mathematics Meeting in Phoenix AZ. This session seeks presentations by academic, industrial, business, or student mathematicians so that the audience will be encouraged to organize and run events for their students. Descriptions of non classroom activities could include, but are not limited to, special lectures, workshops for students, Math Days, Math Fairs, research projects for students, Career Days, recreational mathematics, problem solving activities and student consultants. The session will be coordinated by Laura L. Kelleher of Massachusetts Maritime Academy and Mary S. Hawkins of Prairie View A & M University. For further information or to submit a proposal contact Laura L. Kelleher by e-mail: lkelleher@mma.mass.edu or at Massachusetts Maritime Academy, 101 Academy Drive, Buzzards Bay MA 02532.

Suggestion, concerns, and/or contributions of articles for the CUSAC newsletter may be sent to:

John Holte
Department of Mathematics and Computer Science
Gustavus Adolphus College
800 W. College Avenue
St. Peter, MN 56082
(507) 933-7465
holte@gustavus.edu