Other Mathematical Sessions

Opportunities in the Actuarial Profession 

Thursday, August 1, 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., Marriott, Ballroom E

The city of Hartford is home to a large number of companies that employ actuaries.  Actuaries and actuarial students from the local area will be available in this session to describe what they do and some of the opportunities available in the actuarial profession.  The session will begin with a short presentation that describes the actuarial profession and the steps in the career of an actuary.  Then the moderator will interview the panelists to gather information about their actuarial experience, the challenges they face, etc.  Panelists will discuss actuarial student programs and the support actuarial students receive as they progress through their careers. The panelists will answer questions from the audience.  Audience members will also hear from Professor Jay Vadiveloo about the applied research work being undertaken at the Goldenson Center for Actuarial Research at the University of Connecticut.

Moderator: 
Thea Cardamone, FSA, UnitedHealthcare Group

Panelists:
Daniel Akier, UnitedHealthcare      
Gaia Dong, FSA, Aetna     
Trevor Foster, Aetna
Harry Gong, UnitedHealthcare
Eli Greenberg, UnitedHealthcare
Amber Lahde, ASA, MassMutual         
Olga Jacobs, FSA, UnitedHealthcare
Gao Niu, University of Connecticut
Stephen Smith, FSA, MassMutual
Jay Vadiveloo, FSA, Ph.D,. University of Connecticut Goldenson Center for Actuarial Research
June (Chunchun) Wu, FSA, Ph.D., UnitedHealthcare

Sponsor:  
The Actuaries’ Club of Hartford and Springfield

MAA Section Officers Meeting 

Thursday, August 1, 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m., Marriott, Ballroom C

This session is moderated by Rick Gillman, Valparaiso University, Chair of the MAA Committee on Sections.  It is open to all section officers and their guests.  The session consists of a short workshop on section events relating to the MAA Centennial celebration, together with brief reports from the Association headquarters.

Town Meeting on Minority Participation in Mathematics 

Thursday, August 1, 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m., Connecticut Convention Center, Ballroom B

Twenty-five years ago an MAA Task Force on Minority Participation in Mathematics produced a list of 42 recommendations for how the MAA could help broaden participation in mathematics. This town meeting will feature an open discussion on progress and  priorities since the report was issued in 1988. 

Moderators: 
Alissa Crans, Loyola Marymount University
William Hawkins, University of the District of Columbia and MAA

Organizers:
Alissa Crans, Loyola Marymount University
Frank Morgan, Williams College
Talithia Williams, Harvey Mudd College

Sponsor: 
Committee on Minority Participation in Mathematics

CODEBREAKER 

Thursday, August 1, 7:30 p.m. – 9:15 p.m., Marriott, Ballroom C

Join us for a free screening of CODEBREAKER, the award-winning film that tells the story of Alan Turing, mathematical genius, World War II codebreaker, and intellectual father of computer science and artificial intelligence.  In the early 1950s, Turing faced terrible persecution from the British government because he was gay.  The film explores this aspect of his personal life as well as his scientific achievements.  CODEBREAKER's executive Producer and creator Patrick Sammon will introduce the film and provide Q&A afterward.  Learn more details about the film and watch a two-minute trailer here.

MAA Prize Session 

Friday, August 2, 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Connecticut Convention Center, Ballroom B

Organizer:
Barbara Faires, Westminster College, MAA Secretary

Moderator:
Robert Devaney, Boston University, MAA President

CSHPM Business Meeting 

Friday, August 2, 1:00 p.m. - 1:50 p.m., Connecticut Convention Center, Room 27

The CSHPM's annual general meeting will include reports by members of the CSHPM executive and will be chaired by CSHPM president Glen Van Brummelen.

Speed Interviewing Marathon for Students 

Friday, August 2, 2:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m., Marriott, Ballroom E

Employers suggest that communication skills are a critical component when considering a mathematics major for a job. An important time to demonstrate good communication skills is during the job interview. This session will start with an overview of best practices and tips on job interviewing, then guide students as they participate in several speed interviewing sessions of 10 minutes each, where they can practice what they have learned and hone their interviewing skills.  Speed interviewing sessions will include individual feedback for students, as well as opportunities to network with fellow students.

Organizers:  
Michael Dorff, Brigham Young University
Jenna Carpenter, Louisiana Tech University

Sponsors:
Professional Development Committee
Committee on Graduate Students

Alder Award Session

Friday, August 2, 2:00 p.m. – 3:20 p.m., Connecticut Convention Center, Ballroom B

In January 2003 the MAA established the Henry L. Alder Award for Distinguished Teaching by a Beginning College or University Mathematics Faculty Member to honor beginning college or university faculty whose teaching has been extra-ordinarily successful and whose effectiveness in teaching undergraduate mathematics is shown to have influence beyond their own classrooms. Each year, at most three college or university teachers are honored with this national award.  The awardees are invited to make a presentation at MathFest on their work. Presentations by the Alder Award honorees.

Honorees:
Kumer Das, Lamar University
Rachel Levy, Harvey Mudd College
Christopher Storm, Adelphi University

Moderator:
Paul Zorn, Former MAA President

Discover facts, enrich artistic ability, and increase the sum of knowledge: participate in undergraduate research

Friday, August 2, 2:00 p.m. – 2:20 p.m.

Over the last several years, there has been a proliferation of summer and semester-long undergraduate research experience programs in mathematical sciences. Besides those sponsored summer research programs, academic year research for undergraduate students at their home institution becoming popular. Mathematics faculty around the country are getting involved with this type of research and administrators are encouraging this effort. Research with faculty during the regular academic year, at a student's home institution, provides a different type of opportunity. Such academic-year research experiences expand possibilities for undergraduates, proceed with time for students to reflect as they work and can be extended to allow students to complete substantial work. Since 2007, we have been conducting academic year research at Lamar University. This study describes our academic year research program.

Speaker:  Kumer Pial Das, Lamar University

Mentoring through Media: Grandma Got STEM

Friday, August 2, 2:30 p.m. - 2:50 p.m. 

Have you ever heard the phrase, “That’s so easy your grandmother could do it”?  I’ll share a project designed to change perspectives about grandmothers in STEM fields that unexpectedly blossomed. Take home message: when you mentor through social media, you just might reach the world.

Speaker:  Rachel Levy, Harvey Mudd College

Teaching Mathematics: Get Real

Friday, August 2, 3:00 p.m. – 3:20 p.m.

One of the key goals of an undergraduate research experience is to empower students mathematically by engaging them in mathematics in the same way we as mathematicians are engaged.  With the rise of REUs and university curricula that intentionally incorporate research, more undergraduate students than ever are participating.  However, many students still do not have or take advantage of such an opportunity.  With this as a backdrop, I share my own progression as a teacher who seeks to engage students in authentic mathematical experiences.  I've always designed my courses to invite students to do mathematics; however, as the result of my participation in the National Science Foundation grant "Mathvote: Teaching Mathematics with Classroom Voting" and a recent conference, I have taken the next step and now work to design experiences where every mathematics undergraduate student has the opportunity to function in the same manner as a professional mathematician.

Speaker:  Christopher K. Storm, Adelphi University

Math Circle Demonstration

Session 1, Saturday, August 3, 9:00 a.m. – 9:55 a.m., Connecticut Convention Center, Room 13
Session 2, Saturday, August 3, 10:00 a.m. – 10:55 a.m., Connecticut Convention Center, Room 13

A math circle is an enrichment experience that brings mathematics professionals in direct contact with pre-college students and/or their teachers. Circles foster passion and excitement for deep mathematics.  These two demonstration sessions, each directed by an experienced math circle leader, offer the opportunity for MathFest 2013 attendees to observe and take part in math circle experiences, and to enjoy the organic and creative process of learning that circles offer. The first is directed towards professional mathematicians as participants, the second towards students as participants. Both are for all to witness.

Organizer:
Tatiana Shubin, San Jose State University

Sponsor:  
SIGMAA-MCST

MAA Business Meeting 

Saturday, August 3, 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Connecticut Convention Center, Ballroom B

Organizer: 
Barbara Faires, Westminster College, MAA Secretary

Chair:
Robert Devaney, Boston University, MAA President

Great Talks for a General Audience: Coached Presentations by Graduate Students 

Saturday, August 3, 1:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Connecticut Convention Center, Room 12

Presenters in this session must be graduate students. While many graduate students will be asked to give a lecture to a general audience which includes undergraduates and non-mathematicians as part of a job interview, most students do not have experience talking to a non-research audience. This session gives graduate students the opportunity to give a 20-minute talk aimed at an undergraduate audience which has been exposed to calculus and some linear algebra. Both the talks and abstracts should be designed to excite a wide range of undergraduates about mathematics. All participants in this session will receive private feedback on their presentations from an established faculty member and an undergraduate student. Time permitting, a discussion of effective techniques for delivering great general-audience talks will occur at the end of the session. Contact Jim Freeman or Rachel Schwell for help on writing an abstract and preparing a talk for a general audience. Graduate student participants in this session should also attend the graduate student workshop (What’s the Story?) on mathematical presentations. Information on travel support will be available here on March 1, 2013. Abstracts must be submitted by April 30, 2013.

Organizers:
Jim Freeman, Cornell College
Rachel Schwell, Central Connecticut State University

Sponsor:
Committee on Graduate Students

Introductory Session
1:00 p.m. - 1:10 p.m.

A Variation on Tetris for Algebraic Geometers
1:15 p.m. - 1:35 p.m.
Stepan Paul, UC Santa Barbara

Where Will I Sit?!
1:40 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
John Asplund, Auburn University

What Your Professor Didn't Tell You About Critical Points
2:05 p.m. - 2:25 p.m.
Rachel Webb, Brigham Young University

A Beautiful Connection Between Graphs and Knots
2:30 p.m. - 2:50 p.m.
Adam Giambrone, Michigan State University

Modeling Changes in DNA Topology Using the Tangle Method
2:55 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.
Crista Moreno, San Francisco State University

Extremal Cayley Digraphs
3:20 p.m. - 3:40 p.m.
Joni Schneider, Texas State University - San Marcos

Introduction to Mutually Orthogonal Latin Squares
3:45 p.m. - 4:05 p.m.
James Hammer, Auburn University

The Game of Basic Mancala
4:10 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Maximiliano Liprandi, University of Calgary

Panel Discussion
4:45 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.