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MAA Math Alert - January 2014

News

Teaching, Service, and Writing Awards Presented at Joint Mathematics Meetings

Recipients of MAA teaching, service, and writing awards were honored at the Joint Mathematics Meetings in Baltimore. Peruse the prize booklet.

 
Mathematical Art Recognized at the JMM
The 2014 Mathematical Art Exhibition Awards were made at the Joint Mathematics Meetings "for aesthetically pleasing works that combine mathematics and art." See the winners

 

AMC Advantage Enables Students to Prepare for AMC Contests at Their Own Pace

American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) contestants are encouraged to explore AMC Advantage, a short online course to help students prepare for the AMC 10/12 contests. AMC Advantage includes a diagnostic test, 'skill building' problem sets, and full-length contest simulations with performance analysis. Learn more.

 

MPE 2013 Moves into Mathematics of Planet Earth

As of January 1, 2014, the international project "Mathematics of Planet Earth 2013" (MPE 2013) became "Mathematics of Planet Earth" (MPE). The objectives remain unchanged: identify fundamental research questions about Planet Earth and reach out to the general public. Read more.

 

Announcements   

Proposals for Improving Undergraduate Education Due February 4

NSF DUE (Division of Undergraduate Education) has posted a program description for "Improving Undergraduate STEM Education" that consolidates a substantial portion of DUE's programs, while also offering a much more flexible proposal process. Read more.

 

MAA Minicourse Proposals Deadline Extended

All MAA members are invited to consider submitting proposals for MAA Minicourses. Proposals for the Joint Mathematics Meetings 2015 are due by January 31, 2014. More.

 

MAA Is Searching for New Directors of Competitions and Publications

With the retirements next year of Steve Dunbar and Ivars Peterson, the MAA is conducting searches for new directors of both competitions and publications. Read the position descriptions:competitions / publications.

 

Register for the American Mathematics Competitions

The 2014 AMC 10/12 A will take place on Tuesday, February 4. The AMC 10/12 B will take place on Wednesday, February 19. Clickhere to create an AMC account to register for the competitions online using our new registration website. Also new this year and included in AMC registration is a K-12 Teacher Membership in the MAA. Learn more about the benefits of being a K-12 Member here.

 

Project NExT Applications Due April 11

Project NExT (New Experiences in Teaching) is a professional development program for new and recent Ph.D.s in the mathematical sciences (including pure and applied mathematics, statistics, operations research, and mathematics education) that addresses all aspects of an academic career: improving the teaching and learning of mathematics, engaging in research and scholarship, and participating in professional activities. Applications for the 2014-2015 fellowship year are due April 11. Learn more.

 

Special Issues of Journals Available for Individual Sale

Three recent special issues of MAA journals are available for individual sale in the MAA store. The March Monthly features the work of presenters at the 2011 International Mathematics Summer School for Students in Bremen, Germany; the September CMJ is a compendium of papers about the mathematics of games, from Set and mancala to Chomp and Boggle; and the November CMJ ties into the international Mathematics of Planet Earth 2013 initiative.

 

Features

What's So Good about IBL Anyway?

In a guest post for Math Ed Matters, MIT's Susan Ruff challenges her fellow fans and practitioners of IBL (inquiry-based learning) to articulate the value they see in the pedagogy and the factors that contribute to it. Read the post.

 

Seven Characteristics of Successful Calculus Programs

In a post coauthored by Chris Rasmussen, the January Launchingsoffers a list of seven characteristics found by the MAA Calculus Study to distinguish successful calculus programs from their less effective counterparts. Read the post.

 

Devlin Recaps His Mathemaliterary Journey

In the January Devlin's Angle, Keith Devlin indexes past columns according to three ongoing themes: What is Multiplication?, Mathematical Thinking, and MOOCs. Read the post.

 

Do You Have X-Ray Vision?

In the final Card Colm of 2013, Colm Mulcahy describes a card effect based on a probability-defying principle involving permutation cycle decomposition. Read the post.

 

Loci Article Lets Readers Redistrict

A new Loci article titled "A Political Redistricting Tool for the Rest of Us" not only gives readers a taste of the mathematics and data analysis behind legislative redistricting but also equips them to try their hand at it. Read the article.

 

Publishing Date: 
January, 2014