2012 Joint Mathematics Meetings

Boston, MA, January 4-7

Thank you for joining us in Boston for the largest annual mathematics meeting in the world! Your attendance was record-breaking: over 7,200 mathematicians gathered for the joint meetings of the Mathematical Association of America and the American Mathematical Society.

Visit the official 2012 Joint Mathematics Meetings website - Find full program, session information, and more.

Highlights from the 2012 Joint Mathematics Meetings



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JMM 2012 Photo Gallery

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JMM 2012 in the News

A Unique Expression Of Love For Math (National Public Radio)
Mathematical ecology: Spot check (The Economist)
Professor gives minority students nudge into graduate school, math careers (Ventura Star)
Extraterrestrial intelligence: Lonely planet (The Economist)
Sports And Math: Where Leisure And Learning Meet (National Public Radio/90.9 WBUR Boston)
Penn Mathematicians Win 2012 Chauvenet Prize (Penn News)
A Taste of the 2012 Joint Mathematics Awards and Prizes (Decoded Science)

JMM Awards and Prizes

MAA Awards Announced (December 9, 2012)
Official JMM Awards Booklet (pdf)

Quick Links

MAA Contributed Paper Sessions

The MAA Committee on Contributed Paper Sessions solicits contributed papers pertinent to the sessions listed below. Contributed Paper Session presentations are limited to fifteen minutes, except in the general session where they are limited to ten minutes. Each session room is equipped with a computer projector, an overhead projector, and a screen. Please note that the dates and times scheduled for these sessions remain tentative.

Writing the History of the MAA

Friday, 8:00 – 10:55 a.m., Hynes 203

Saturday, 3:00 – 4:55 p.m., Hynes 203
Organizers: Victor J. Katz, University of the District of Columbia; Janet Beery, University of Redlands; Amy Shell-Gellasch, Beloit College

Description: In preparation for the MAA centennial celebration in 2015, it is important to fill in gaps in the history of the organization and its sections. Many sections do not have written histories, and there are many facets of the MAA's history that have not been fully explored. We invite section historians or other officers or individuals to begin research on the histories of their sections and present their preliminary findings at this session. We also invite members to begin research and present their findings on other topics related to the history of the MAA, particularly in the last 50 years. Examples of topics include the history of any MAA sponsored projects, the history of electronic services in the MAA, the changes in membership over the years, the development of the publication program, or the history and accomplishments of a particular committee. This session is sponsored by the History Subcommittee of the Centennial Committee and is a follow-up to the Panel Discussion of the same name at the 2011 JMM.

Sponsor: History Subcommittee of the MAA Centennial Committee

Arts and Mathematics, Together Again

Thursday, 8:00 – 11:55 a.m., Hynes 311
Thursday, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m., Hynes 311
Organizer: Douglas E. Norton, Villanova University

Description: SIGMAA-Arts again sponsors its series of sessions on the connections between Mathematics and the Arts. Mathematical interpretations, analysis, constructions, or motivations for art; aesthetic interpretations, analysis, constructions, or motivations for mathematics; visual or verbal or vocal, dance or drama, geometry or algebra or number theory or topology, theoretical discoveries or teaching experiences: all are welcome! Come! Contribute! Share! Learn! Presentations should reflect ongoing research or pedagogical innovation at the intersection of Mathematics and the Arts.

Sponsor: SIGMAA Arts

Mathematics and Sports

Wednesday, 8:00 – 11:00 a.m., Hynes 203
Organizer: R. Drew Pasteur, College of Wooster

Description: Applications of mathematics are plentiful in sports, relating to probability, statistics, linear algebra, calculus, and numerical analysis, among other areas. This contributed paper session will feature various uses of mathematics to study phenomena arising from multiple sports. The success of the 2010 Mathematics Awareness Month, with this theme, and the increasing prominence of a peer-reviewed academic journal in this area are both evidence of its growth. The expanding availability of play-by-play data for professional and some collegiate sports is leading to innovative kinds of analysis. This session will include both expository talks and presentations of original research; undergraduate students and their mentors are particularly encouraged to submit abstracts for consideration. With a broad audience in mind, all talks are requested to be accessible to undergraduate mathematics majors.

The Mathematics of Sudoku and Other Pencil Puzzles

Wednesday, 2:15 – 5:55 p.m., Hynes 312
Thursday, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m., Hynes 312
Organizers: Laura Taalman and Jason Rosenhouse, James Madison University

Description: This contributed paper session is for talks about mathematical research, classroom use, and possible undergraduate research projects that relate to Sudoku or other pencil puzzles such as Ken Ken, Slitherlink, Masyu, Kakuro, and so on. We invite papers for any type of pencil puzzle, from any mathematical perspective, including graph theory, game theory, Gröbner bases, Latin squares, integer programming, probability, rook problems, exact cover problems, and NP-completeness. Speakers whose talks are accepted to the session will be encouraged to submit puzzles to the organizers for inclusion in a handout that will be made available at the session.

The Mathematics of Sustainability

Friday, 1:00 – 6:00 p.m., Hynes 203
Organizers: Elton Graves, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, and Peter Otto, Willamette University

Description: This session is intended to encourage papers from colleagues who have used sustainability models or discussion in their undergraduate mathematics classroom.
Topics such as sustainable harvesting of food and natural resources, development of sustainable energy sources, conservation and recycling, greenhouse gas emissions, global warming, new types of "green" buildings, etc. are ideas which have now become global issues.
Papers for this session should describe how mathematical sustainability models/discussions have been used in the undergraduate mathematics classroom. Models/discussion may include but are not limited to: global warming; green house gas models; sustainable use of resources including food, water, minerals; power generation; alternative fuel generation; conservation; recycling; and sustainable structures including retrofitting older buildings.
Faculty members who have participated in interdisciplinary programs, classes, projects, or assignments are encouraged to present. Papers from all undergraduate mathematical courses or interdisciplinary courses with a mathematics component are welcome and encouraged.

Wavelets in Undergraduate Education

Friday, 1:00 – 6:00 p.m., Back Bay C, Sheraton Hotel<
Organizers: Caroline Haddad, SUNY Geneseo; Catherine Beneteau, University of South Florida; David Ruch, Metropolitan State College of Denver; and Patrick Van Fleet, University of St. Thomas

Description: Wavelets are functions that satisfy certain mathematical properties and are used to represent data or other functions. They work extremely well in analyzing data with finite domains having different scales or resolutions. Interesting applications include digital image processing, FBI fingerprint compression, signal processing of audio files, de-noising noisy data, earthquake prediction, and solving partial differential equations. Wavelets have typically been studied at the graduate level, but are making their way into the undergraduate curriculum. We are interested in presentations that effectively incorporate wavelets in an innovative way at the undergraduate level. This may include an undergraduate course in wavelets; a topic on wavelets in some other course using, but not limited to, hands-on demonstrations, projects, labs that utilize technology such as Matlab, Mathematica, Maple, Java applets, etc.; or research opportunities for undergraduates.

Philosophy of Mathematics and Mathematical Practice

Friday, 1:00 – 6:00 p.m., Hynes 311
Organizers: Dan Sloughter, Furman University, and Bonnie Gold, Monmouth University

Description: Philosophers search for insights into the most general epistemological and ontological questions: How do we know, and what is it that we know? Since mathematical knowledge is a significant piece of what we know, an explanation of the nature of mathematics plays an important role in philosophy. To this end, a philosopher of mathematics must pay careful attention to mathematical practice, what it is that mathematicians claim to know and how they claim to know it.
A philosopher's explanation of mathematics cannot be a local explanation: it must fit within the larger picture of knowledge as a whole. A mathematician may have an account of mathematics which suffices for her work, but unless this account fits coherently into a larger epistemological and ontological picture, it will not suffice as a philosophy of mathematics.
This session will address questions concerning the relationship between the philosophy and the practice of mathematics. We encourage papers to address questions such as: Should the philosophy of mathematics influence, or be influenced by, the practice of mathematics? Is it necessary for the philosophy of mathematics to influence the practice of mathematics for it to be relevant to mathematicians?

Sponsor: POM SIGMAA

Research on the Teaching and Learning of Undergraduate Mathematics

Thursday, 8:00 – 11:55 a.m., Hynes 202
Thursday, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m., Hynes 202
Organizers: Sean Larsen, Portland State University; Stacy Brown, Pitzer College; and Karen Marrongelle, Portland State University

Description: This session sponsored by the SIGMAA on RUME (Special Interest Group of the MAA on Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education) presents papers that address issues concerning the teaching and learning of undergraduate mathematics, including theoretical and empirical investigations that employ quantitative and qualitative methodologies.
Proposals for reports of Research on Undergraduate Mathematics Education are invited. The research should build on the existing research literature and use established methodologies to investigate important issues in undergraduate mathematics teaching and learning. The goals of the session are to share high quality research on undergraduate mathematics education with the broader mathematics community. The session will feature research in a number of mathematical areas including linear algebra, advanced calculus, abstract algebra, and mathematical proof.

Sponsor: SIGMAA on RUME

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Collegiate Mathematics

Wednesday, 8:00 – 10:55 a.m., Hynes 202
Wednesday, 2:15 – 6:00 p.m., Hynes 202
Organizers: Jackie Dewar, Loyola Marymount University; Thomas Banchoff, Brown University; Pam Crawford, Jacksonville University; Edwin Herman, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; and Nathan Wodarz, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

Description: The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning is a growing field in which faculty bring disciplinary knowledge to bear on questions of teaching and learning and use student-based evidence to support their conclusions. Work in this area emphasizes pedagogical techniques and questions. The scope of the research can range from small, relatively informal investigations about teaching innovations in the classroom to larger or more formal investigations of student learning.
Reports that address issues concerning the teaching and learning of postsecondary mathematics are invited. Appropriate for this session are reports of classroom-based investigations of teaching methods, student learning difficulties, or curricular assessment. Papers must discuss more than anecdotal evidence. For example, papers might reference the following types of evidence: student work, pre/post tests, interviews, surveys, think-alouds, etc.
The goals of this session are to: feature scholarly work focused on teaching of postsecondary mathematics; provide a venue for mathematicians to make public their scholarly work on teaching; and highlight evidence-based arguments for the value of teaching innovations.

Quantitative Literacy and Decision Making

Friday, 8:00 – 10:55 a.m., Hynes 202
Organizers: Eric Gaze, Bowdoin College; Cinnamon Hillyard, University of Washington Bothell; and Semra Kilic-Bahi, Colby Sawyer College

Description: Our students are being asked to make decisions in an increasingly complex world that require fundamental quantitative literacy in diverse fields such as personal health, finance, and public policy. The ability to reason from evidence by questioning assumptions and premises, and assessing the veracity of claims is especially critical when arguments are based on data and mathematical models. Students' abilities to obtain, process, and understand information related to such issues is crucial for them in making well-informed decisions and participating in a democratic society.
This session seeks papers that discuss courses, classroom materials, curricular and/or extracurricular activities that focus on exploring the use and misuse of mathematical concepts related to making important decisions that affect the personal, professional, and academic lives of our students. All presentations are expected to be scholarly in nature, including some evidence (qualitative or quantitative) of the effectiveness of the activity.

Sponsor: SIGMAA QL

Motivating Statistical and Quantitative Learning through Social Engagement

Saturday, 8:00 – 10:55 a.m., Hynes 203
Saturday, 1:00 – 5:00 p.m., Hynes 203
Organizers: Brian Gill, Seattle Pacific University; Eric Gaze, Bowdoin College; Andrew Zieffler, University of Minnesota; and Stuart Boersma, Central Washington University

Description: It is important for our students to learn to apply statistics and quantitative methods to real problems. Our students are interested in service learning and civic engagement and they provide important ways for students to both do useful work and also better understand the techniques that they learn in their courses. Social justice is not often discussed in mathematics or statistics courses; however, we can use quantitative techniques to better understand the differences in the lives of people in various segments of society. We invite submissions that describe successful statistics or quantitative literacy courses that include a service learning, social justice or civic engagement component.

Sponsors: SIGMAA on Statistics Education and SIGMAA on Quantitative Literacy. Presenters identifying their presentation as being about a statistics course will be considered for the Dex Whittinghill Award for Best Contributed Paper.

Innovative and Effective Ways to Teach Linear Algebra

Wednesday, 2:15 – 6:00 p.m., Hynes 311
Organizers: David Strong, Pepperdine University; Gil Strang, MIT; and David Lay, University of Maryland

Description: Linear algebra is one of the most interesting and useful areas of mathematics, because of its beautiful and multifaceted theory, as well as the enormous importance it plays in understanding and solving many real world problems. Consequently, many valuable and creative ways to teach its rich theory and its many applications are continually being developed and refined. This session will serve as a forum in which to share and discuss new or improved teaching ideas and approaches. These innovative and effective ways to teach linear algebra include, but are not necessarily limited to:

  1. hands-on, in-class demos;
  2. effective use of technology, such as Matlab, Maple, Mathematica, Java Applets or Flash;
  3. interesting and enlightening connections between ideas that arise in linear algebra and ideas in other mathematical branches;
  4. interesting and compelling examples and problems involving particular ideas being taught;
  5. comparing and contrasting visual (geometric) and more abstract (algebraic) explanations of specific ideas;
  6. other novel and useful approaches or pedagogical tools.

Topics and Techniques for Teaching Real Analysis

Friday, 8:00 – 10:55 a.m., Hynes 310
Organizers: Paul Musial, Chicago State University; James Peterson, Benedictine College; Erik Talvila, University of the Fraser Valley; and Robert Vallin, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Description: Analysis of the real numbers and of functions of a real variable is an integral part of the mathematics curriculum. An instructor of a real analysis class must have deep content knowledge, but also must have ways of motivating the learning of this important but technically difficult subject. The organizers propose a contributed paper session at which mathematicians can share their ideas for teaching an undergraduate real analysis course. This CPS was given at the 2007 New Orleans and 2008 San Diego Joint Mathematics Meetings where each time the sessions had to be spread out over two days due to the large volume of speakers. Every session was well-attended (between 50 and 100 people at each talk) and generated good and important discussions within the audience in the time between speakers.
The intended audience for the session is instructors teaching undergraduate real analysis courses at a college or university. Participants will find new ways of understanding the material taught in a real analysis course and new ways of presenting this material. It is assumed that the participants have taken at least one real analysis course and have a graduate degree in mathematics.

Innovations in Teaching Statistics in the New Decade

Friday, 1:00 – 6:00 p.m., Back Bay B, Sheraton Hotel
Organizers: Andrew Zieffler, University of Minnesota; Brian Gill, Seattle Pacific University; and Nancy Boynton, SUNY Fredonia

Description: What have you found that is working particularly well in your statistics class? What did you try that really didn't work? What went wrong? Are there new technologies, websites, textbook ancillary materials activities or other teaching methods that are working well for you? What shouldn't we let go of from the traditional courses? And what should we let go of? Tell us about your course – especially what makes it successful. We encourage contributions concerning either an introductory or a more advanced undergraduate course.

Sponsor: SIGMAA on Statistics Education. Presenters will be considered for the Dex Whittinghill Award for Best Contributed Paper.

Trends in Undergraduate Mathematical Biology Education

Thursday, 8:00 – 11:55 a.m., Hynes 310
Thursday, 1:00-4:00 p.m., Hynes 310
Organizer: Timothy D. Comar, Benedictine University

Description: This session highlights successful implementations of biomathematics courses and content in undergraduate curriculum, entire biomathematics curricula, efforts to recruit students into biomathematics courses, involvement of undergraduate students in biomathematics research, preparation for graduate work in biomathematics and computational biology or for medical careers, and assessment of how these courses and activities impact the students.
Several reports emphasize that aspects of biological research are becoming more quantitative and that life science students should be introduced to a greater array of mathematical and computational techniques and to the integration of mathematics and biological content at the undergraduate level. These reports in include "Bio 2010" (National Research Council, 2003) and "A New Biology for the 21st Century" (National Research Council, 2009). Additionally, the 2009 document, "Scientific Foundations for Future Physicians" co-published by the Association of American Medical Colleges and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, recommends that future physicians need increased quantitative training.
Moreover, presenting quantitative approaches to biological problems to all biology majors, not just those who intend to pursue research or medical careers, in their introductory college mathematics courses provides these students with a wider range of tools and can better motivate the mathematics. It is also important for mathematics majors to be made aware of current issues at the intersection of mathematics and biology because mathematical and computational biology provides interesting, approachable problems for research even at the undergraduate level and mathematics students need to be trained to collaborate with scientists in other disciplines particularly including biology.
Topics may include scholarly work addressing the issues related to the design of effective biomathematics courses and curricula, how best to gear content toward pre-med students, integration of biology into existing mathematics courses, collaborations between mathematicians and biologists that have led to new courses, course modules, or undergraduate research projects, effective use of appropriate technology in biomathematics courses, and assessment issues.

Sponsor: BIO SIGMAA

The Capstone Course: Innovations and Implementations

Wednesday, 8:00 – 10:55 a.m., Hynes 310
Organizers: Kathryn Weld, Manhattan College, and Agnes Rash, St Joseph's College

Description: There are a variety models for capping the major, and often these take the form of a special capstone course or senior seminar. We invite papers describing innovative implementations of the capstone course, and evidence of success in the classroom. What content is covered? If the course involves problem solving or undergraduate presentations, how are topics chosen? What are the goals and outcomes for the course and how is success measured? Does the course play a role in departmental assessment of the major? Does the course make connections for students to regional undergraduate mathematics conferences, and if so, how? What are the special problems (if any) posed by student collaboration and the use of the internet, and how does the course address them?

Sponsor: PRIMUS: Problems, Resources, and Issues in Undergraduate Mathematics Studies. Papers from the session may be considered for a special issue of PRIMUS on the capstone course.

Touch it, Feel it, Learn it: Tactile Learning Activities in the Undergraduate Mathematics Classroom

Wednesday, 2:15 – 6:00 p.m., Hynes 313
Organizers: Jessica Mikhaylov, United States Military Academy at West Point, and Julie Barnes, Western Carolina University

Description: This session invites presentations describing activities that use tactile teaching methods in any undergraduate mathematics classes. Some examples of tactile methods could include props that students can touch to understand concepts better, projects where students create physical models that represent a concept, or in-class activities where students work together to create a hands-on demonstration of their understanding of a particular concept. This session seeks presentations that focus on engaging students through interaction with props, use of manipulative materials, or even inviting students to physically become a part of a function or concept; this does not include technology demonstrations such as computer visualizations. We seek innovative and creative ways for physically involving students in mathematics. Presentations that include how to integrate a particular activity into class, student reactions, educational benefits, difficulties to avoid, and/or possible modifications of the activity are desired.

Projects, Demonstrations, and Activities that Engage Liberal Arts Mathematics Students

Thursday, 1:00 – 4:10 p.m., Back Bay C, Sheraton Hotel
Organizer: Sarah Mabrouk, Framingham State University

Description: Many colleges and universities offer liberal arts mathematics courses (lower-level courses other than statistics, college algebra, precalculus, and calculus) designed for students whose majors are in disciplines other than mathematics, science, social science, or business. Students taking such courses have a variety of backgrounds and strengths and differing levels of interest and comfort with mathematics. This session invites papers regarding projects, demonstrations, and activities that can be used to enhance the learning experience for students taking liberal arts mathematics courses. Papers should include information about the topic(s) related to the project/demonstration/activity, preliminary information that must be presented, and the goal(s)/outcome(s) for the project/demonstration/activity. Presenters discussing demonstrations and activities are encouraged to give the demonstration or perform the activity, if time and equipment allow, and to discuss the appropriateness of the demonstration/activity for the learning environment and the class size. Presenters discussing projects are encouraged to address how the project was conducted (individual or group), how the project was presented for evaluation (in-class or online presentation, written paper, poster session, or online discussion), grading issues, if any, and the rubric used to appraise the students' work. Each presenter is encouraged to discuss how the project/demonstration/activity fits into the course, the use of technology, if any, the students' reactions, and the effect of the project/demonstration/activity on the students' attitudes towards and understanding of mathematics.

Modeling Across the Mathematics Curriculum

Friday, 8:00 – 10:55 a.m., Hynes 313
Organizers: Benjamin Galluzzo, Shippensburg University; Mariah Birgen, Wartburg College; and Joyati Debnath, Winona State University

Description: By answering the question: How can I apply my education to the "real world"? Mathematical modeling offers a great opportunity to attract and retain outstanding students. While some departments offer mathematical modeling in a single course setting, inclusion of application-based activities across the full range of the curriculum presents a greater challenge. The 2004 MAA CUPM Curriculum Guide recommends that "every course in the undergraduate mathematics program – from the most basic to the most advanced – should strive to include meaningful application that genuinely advance students' ability to analyze real-life situations and construct and analyze appropriate mathematical models". Inside or outside of the classroom, as an individual project or a semester long theme, as an introduction to mathematical applications for entry level students or as a gateway to undergraduate research, mathematical modeling serves as an excellent platform for satisfying CUPM expectations and reaching a broad student audience. This session invites scholarly papers that discuss how modeling is used to engage and excite students – at all levels – about mathematics.

The History of Mathematics and its Uses in the Classroom

Friday, 3:20 – 5:35 p.m., Hynes 312

Saturday, 8:00 – 10:55 a.m., Hynes 312
Organizer: Amy Shell-Gellasch, Beloit College

Description: This session features talks about original research in the history of mathematics, ideas for the inclusion of the history of mathematics in mathematics courses, or ideas for courses dedicated to the history of mathematics.
Interest in the history of mathematics has grown rapidly in the last decades. Specialists and non-specialists alike contribute to the field. Many mathematicians use history to enhance the teaching of college mathematics.

Sponsor: The History of Math SIGMAA

Trends in Teaching Mathematics Online

Saturday, 1:00 – 5:55 p.m., Hynes 311
Organizer: Michael B. Scott, California State University, Monterey Bay

Description: This session will highlight the challenges, triumphs and emerging trends in teaching mathematics online. It will also provide a forum for instructors to share and discuss new or improved teaching ideas, approaches and technologies for teaching mathematics courses online. Presentations will be geared to both instructors teaching mathematics online for the first time and veteran practitioners. The demand for effective online courses continues to grow. Although teaching online has been around for some time, technologies and techniques continue to evolve. This evolution can present new and more effective learning experiences for students. The focus of the reports include, but are not necessarily limited to:

Sponsors: Committee on Technologies in Mathematics Education (CTiME) and WEB SIGMAA

Effective Use of Dynamic Mathematical Software in the Classroom

Wednesday, 8:00 – 10:55 a.m., Back Bay C, Sheraton Hotel
Organizers: M. E. (Murphy) Waggoner, Simpson College, and Therese Shelton, Southwestern University

Description: Although using dynamic mathematical software programs, such as GeoGebra or Fathom, can be very effective as a teaching tool, it often difficult to find the time to develop the files needed for a classroom experience. The purpose of this session is to provide a jump start to using software in the classroom. We are looking for talks that present one specific mathematics lesson using some dynamic software. The presentation will describe how the software was used in the classroom, and the files used in the lesson will be made available on-line. As a result, the audience will have a ready-made lesson to use. The lesson could be for any mathematical course and use any third-party software including GeoGebra, Fathom, Geometer's Sketchpad, calculator simulators, spreadsheets or a computer algebra system. It is preferred that the lesson include hands-on use of the software by students and not simply a classroom demonstration. Preference will be given to uses of widely used software such as those listed above or freeware.

Developmental Mathematics Education: Helping under-prepared students transition to college-level mathematics

Friday, 1:00 – 6:00 p.m., Hynes 310
Organizers: Kimberly Presser and J. Winston Crawley, Shippensburg University

Description: The struggle to assist underprepared students to be successful in college-level mathematics is not new. However, in recent years, the number of underprepared or math anxious students coming to our colleges and universities has been growing. In order to help these students to be successful, we need to undertake new strategies for support services; courses offered; and perhaps even in our programs themselves. This session invites papers on all aspects of developmental mathematics education. In particular, what classroom practices are effective with such students and how does research in student learning inform these practices? For students interested in math-intensive majors such as the sciences, how can we best prepare these students for several subsequent mathematics courses? How can be best coordinate support services with the courses offered in our mathematics departments? We are interested in hearing presentations from across the spectrum of community colleges through four-year universities at this session.

Preparing College Students for Calculus

Thursday, 8:00 – 11:55 a.m., Hynes 313
Organizer: Andrew Bennett, Kansas State University

Description: What do students need to know and be able to do in order to succeed in calculus? More mathematics? More mathematical ways of thinking? More about how to learn and study? (Or, perhaps, all of the above?) This session is intended to solicit a wide range of perspectives on the issues related to and successful approaches in preparing college students to succeed in calculus. This work is part of the MAA CRAFTY committee's information gathering process to inform our upcoming examination of the topic.
We encourage talks on illustrative examples of the mathematics or mathematical thinking necessary for calculus; new and innovative approaches to pre-calculus or calculus with review courses; research on the factors involved in student readiness or success in calculus; and successful extra-course support programs (such as supplemental instruction). In all cases, speakers should present evidence of success in these approaches or offer reflective insight on the core challenges. (While we gratefully acknowledge the critical role that high school curricula play in this conversation, we are interested in talks about courses or programs housed in colleges and universities).

Sponsor: CRAFTY

The Mathematical Preparation of Teachers: The Impact of the Common Core State Standards Initiative

Saturday, 8:00 – 10:55 a.m., Hynes 310
Organizers: Kenneth C. Millett, University of California Santa Barbara; Elizabeth Burroughs, Montana State University; Holly Peters Hirst, Appalachian State University; and William McCallum, The University of Arizona

Description: How has the mathematical preparation of teachers been influenced by the widespread state adoption of the Common Core State Standards? Papers describing the changes in mathematics curricula and teacher preparation programs at a range of institutions will provide the context for exploring the implications of the CCSS on the content and emphasis of mathematics courses and the consideration of options available to faculty members and their departments in addressing the CCSS mathematics objectives.

Sponsor: COMET

Early Assessment: Find Out What Your Students Understand (and Don't Understand) Before They Take the Test

Saturday, 1:00 – 5:30 p.m., Hynes 313
Organizers: Miriam Harris-Botzum, Lehigh Carbon Community College, and Bonnie Gold, Monmouth University

Description: Assessment has two aspects, formative and summative. Both can be used to improve student learning. But where summative assessment looks at long-term comprehension and retention of material, and is generally used to assign grades, formative assessment is more short-term – what did the students get out of this lecture, or this concept, and what don't they quite get yet? And formative assessment need not be counted towards a student's grade; the goal of formative assessment is to inform your teaching and your students' studying. Angelo and Cross's Classroom Assessment Techniques is full of good ideas for finding out where students' understanding is, and there are quite a few chapters in the MAA Notes volume 49, Assessment Practices in Undergraduate Mathematics devoted to formative assessment methods. This session invites talks sharing methods, and evidence for their effectiveness, you have used in your classes to find out what your students have learned so far and, with that information, help them learn the rest better.

Sponsor: The MAA Committee on Assessment

Mathematics Experiences in Business, Industry and Government

Thursday, 8:00 – 11:55 a.m., Hynes 203
Organizers: Carla D. Martin, James Madison University; Phil Gustafson, Mesa State College; and Michael Monticino, University of North Texas

Description: The MAA Business, Industry and Government Special Interest Group (BIG SIGMAA) provides resources and a forum for mathematicians working in Business, Industry and Government (BIG) to help advance the mathematics profession by making connections, building partnerships, and sharing ideas. BIG SIGMAA consist of mathematicians in BIG as well as faculty and students in academia who are working on BIG problems.
Mathematicians, including those in academia, with BIG experience are invited to present papers or discuss projects involving the application of mathematics to BIG problems. The goal of this contributed paper session sponsored by BIG SIGMAA is to provide a venue for mathematicians with experience in business, industry, and government to share projects and mathematical ideas in this regard. Anyone interested in learning more about BIG practitioners, projects, and issues, will find this session of interest.

Sponsor: BIG SIGMAA

My Most Successful Math Club Activity

Thursday, 8:00 – 10:55 a.m., Back Bay B, Sheraton Hotel
Organizers: Jacqueline Jensen, Slippery Rock University, and Deanna Haunsberger, Carleton College

Description: Math clubs enhance the culture of a mathematics department and inspire students to study and major in mathematics. How does one develop a new group? How about refreshing an existing one? What successful math club activities have your students engaged in recently that is replicable at other schools? This session features presentations from math club advisors and others who will share their favorite non-standard activity for math clubs. Our goal is to provide ideas and support for mentors of math clubs, especially those trying to begin or reactivate a group. Speakers should focus on a single activity that motivates and engages students, and, when applicable, include suggestions for acquiring funding for such activities. It is our hope that these talks will spur immediate discussion between speakers and audience members, and lead to re-energizing math clubs and engaging students.

Sponsor: MAA Committee on Undergraduate Student Activities and Chapters

General Contributed Paper Session

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, morning and afternoon, Hynes 201
Organizers: Jennifer Beineke, Western New England College; Lynnette Boos, Providence College; and Aliza Steurer, Dominican University

Submission Procedures for MAA Contributed Paper Abstracts

Abstracts may be submitted electronically at http://www.ams.org/cgi-bin/abstracts/abstract.pl Simply select the Boston meeting, fill in the number of authors, and then follow the step-by-step instructions. The deadline for abstracts is Tuesday, September 22, 2011.

Participants may submit at most one abstract for MAA contributed paper sessions at any one meeting. If your paper cannot be accommodated in the session in which it is submitted, it will automatically be considered for the general session.

The organizer(s) of your session will automatically receive a copy of the abstract, so it is not necessary for you to send it directly to the organizer. All accepted abstracts are published in a book that is available to registered participants at the meeting. Questions concerning the submission of abstracts should be addressed to abs-coord@ams.org.