MAA Panels, Posters, Workshops, and Other Sessions
NSF Funding Opportunities for the Learning and Teaching of the Mathematical Sciences, organized by John Haddock and Lee Zia, Division of Undergraduate Education, NSF; Karen King, Division of Research on Learning, NSF; Tasha Inniss, Division of Human Resource Development, NSF: Jennifer Slimowitz Pearl, Division of Mathematical Sciences, NSF. A number of NSF divisions offer a variety of grant programs that support innovations in learning and teaching in the mathematical sciences. These programs will be discussed along with examples of successful projects in two sessions. Anticipated budget highlights and other new initiatives for the next fiscal year, as appropriate, will also be presented. Sponsored by the MAA Committee on Professional Development
Part I: Undergraduate/Graduate Education Programs, Workforce, and Broadening Participation (DUE/DGE/DMS, HRD) Saturday, 8:00 a.m.– 9:20 a.m., and
Part II: The K–16 Continuum: Learning Science & Research and Pre- and In-Service Teachers (DUE/DRL) Saturday, 9:35 a.m.–10:55 a.m.
Freeman A. Hrabowski, Sylvester James Gates, and Richard A. Tapia Lecture Series, co-chaired by Carlos Castillo-Chavez, Arizona State University, and Lloyd Douglas, chair of the MAA Committee on Minority Participation in Mathematics; Saturday, 9:30 a.m.–11:00 a.m. Presentations by F. A. Hrabowski, S. J. Gates, and R. A. Tapia at the 2014 JMM provided the impetus and motivation for the establishment of this lecture series. This year, the research and trajectories of two past recent recipients of the David Blackwell and Richard Tapia Award will be highlighted.
Through multiple mechanisms, the series expects to facilitate and accelerate the participation of mathematical scientists in the building of sustainable communities of mathematicians and mathematical scientists. In particular, the intention is to systematically recruit, welcome, encourage, mentor, and support individuals from underrepresented groups in the USA. The speakers for this meeting are Richard Tapia, Rice University, Introductory remarks on the inaugural Freeman A. Hrabowski, Sylvester James Gates, and Richard A Tapia Lecture; Ricardo Cortez, Tulane University, Advances in computational modeling of microorganism motility; and Trachette Jackson, University of Michigan, Mathematical models of tumor vessel formation and targeted therapies that attack the vascular supply.
This activity was first conceived by the MAA Committee on Minority Participation in Mathematics and is jointly supported by the MAA, AMS, and SIAM.
MOOCs and Me: Massive Online Materials for My Students, organized by John Travis, Mississippi College; Saturday, 9:35 a.m.–10:55 a.m. This panel will include several creators of mathematics MOOCs to discuss the opportunities realized and challenges encountered through developing and presenting one of these large online courses. Ideas for how MOOC course materials can be used for independent study as well as incorporated into standard university classes will be presented. Each of the panelists, including Jim Fowler, Ohio State University; Petra Bonfert-Taylor, Wesleyan University; Tom Morley, Georgia Tech University; and Grace Lyo, Stanford University, will focus on special features of their courses and on advantages and disadvantages related to their course environment provider. Costs—both financial and personal—will be considered and compared to those normally associated with teaching an online course. Philosophical reasons for supporting MOOCs will be addressed. Significant time will be reserved for questions from the audience and between the panelists. Sponsored by the MAA Committee on Technologies in Mathematics Education and WebSIGMAA
Recommendations for the 21st Century Mathematical Sciences Major, organized by Martha J. Siegel, Towson University, and Carol Schumacher, Kenyon College; Saturday, 2:15 p.m.–3:35 p.m. At these Joint Mathematics Meetings, the MAA Committee on the Undergraduate Program (CUPM) is announcing the release of the 2015 Curriculum Guide to Majors in the Mathematical Sciences. The Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) and the American Statistical Association (ASA) have recently prepared their own recommendations for undergraduate majors in applied mathematics and statistics, respectively. The MET II report gave recommendations for the preparation of future mathematics secondary school teachers. Representatives of the MAA, SIAM, ASA, and MAA’s Committee on the Mathematical Education of Teachers (COMET), including Rachel Levy, Harvey Mudd College; Nicholas J. Horton, Amherst College; and Elizabeth A. Burroughs, Montana State University, will discuss the highlights of their reports and the 21st century challenges to mathematics departments offering undergraduate degrees. Sponsored by the MAA Committee on the Undergraduate Program in Mathematics (CUPM) and the MAA Committee on the Mathematical Education of Teachers (COMET)
What Every Student Should Know about the JMM, organized by Pamela Richardson, Westminster College; Saturday, 2:15 p.m.–3:35 p.m. Navigating a large conference can be overwhelming, even for those who have previously attended such an event. Panelists Richard Neal, University of Oklahoma; Frank Morgan, Williams College; and George Yates, Youngstown College, will provide guidance for students attending the Joint Mathematics Meetings, including answers to some common questions: How do I get the most out of the program? What sessions are especially for students? What other events should I be on the lookout for? Will I understand any of the invited addresses or should I not bother attending them? If I am presenting a poster, where do I go to set it up? How can I get some cool, free math stuff? Students and their faculty mentors are encouraged to attend. Sponsored by the MAA Committee for Undergraduate Student Activities and Chapters
YMN/Project NExT Poster Session, organized by Jonathan Needleman, Le Moyne College, and Kim Roth, Juniata College, Saturday, 2:15 p.m.–4:15 p.m. This session is intended to highlight the research activities, both mathematical and pedagogical, of recent or future Master’s/Ph.D.’s in mathematics and related fields. The organizers seek to provide an open venue for people who are near completion, or have finished their graduate studies in the last five years, to present their work and make connections with other same-stage professionals, in much the same spirit as YMN and Project NExT. The poster size will be 48” wide by 36” high. Poster boards and materials for posting pages on the posters will be provided on site. We expect to accept about forty posters from different areas within the mathematical sciences. To apply, send a poster abstract, when and where you have or will receive your Ph.D. or master’s degree, and your current college or university affiliation to the organizers. Potential applicants should send a poster abstract to one of the organizers, Kim Roth, roth@juniata.edu, or Jonathan Needleman, needlejs@lemoyne.edu, to apply for the session. The deadline for submissions is December 15, 2014. Sponsored by the Young Mathematicians’ Network and Project NExT
Career Ladders for Full-time Non-tenure-track Faculty, organized by Amy Cohen, Rutgers University; Judy Walker, University of Nebraska Lincoln; and David Manderscheid, The Ohio State University; Saturday, 3:50 p.m.– 5:10 p.m. Many institutions of higher education are developing career tracks for full-time instructional staff for whom active research in mathematics is not the primary job criterion. These are not tenure-track positions. They carry a variety of titles including "Professor of the Practice", "Clinical Professor", "Lecturer", "Teaching Professor", and "Instructor", sometimes with modifiers like "Assistant", "Associate", or "Senior". There has been little formal discussion within our profession of such topics as the purposes of such positions; criteria for hiring, retention and promotion criteria; mentoring such colleagues, and evaluating their impact of our students and our departments. Panelists are David Manderscheid, The Ohio State University; Sue Geller, Texas A&M University; and Ellen Kirkman, Wake Forest University, who have experience and concerns about this change in faculty structure. A moderator will lead a discussion after the presentations. Cosponsored by the MAA and AMS
Graduate School: Choosing One, Getting In, Staying In, organized by Nick Scoville, Ursinus College, and Kristine Roinestad, Georgetown College; Saturday, 3:50 p.m.–5:10 p.m. You've made the decision to apply to graduate school. Now you must sift through all the available information, match schools to your academic and research interests, narrow down your list to a handful of schools, and submit outstanding applications. How do you accomplish all this and hopefully increase the likelihood of getting into your first- or second-choice program? Then, once accepted, how do you successfully complete the program and earn your degree? How do you use your time in graduate school to better prepare for your postgraduate goals? Panelists Bill Velez, University of Arizona; Annalisa Crannell, Franklin & Marshall College; Peter Howard, Texas A&M University; and Brian Miceli, Trinity University, will discuss these and other important issues for those considering graduate school, transferring to a different graduate school, or switching graduate programs. Sponsored by the Young Mathematicians’ Network
Managing Your Own Course, organized by Ralucca Gera, Naval Postgraduate School; Timothy Goldberg, Lenoir-Rhyne University; and Gwyneth Whieldon, Hood College; Saturday, 5:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m. One of the many challenges facing new faculty members (and sometimes advanced teaching assistants) is managing their own courses. This event will consist of small group discussions based on types of courses and perhaps types of institutions, with the goal of sharing ideas and experiences about managing one’s own course. This may also include discussions on creating a new course. Sponsored by the Young Mathematicians’ Network
Counting from Infinity: Yitang Zhang and the Twin Primes Conjecture, Saturday, 6:20 p.m.–7:40 p.m. In April 2013, a lecturer at the University of New Hampshire submitted a paper to the Annals of Mathematics. Within weeks word spread—a little-known mathematician, with no permanent job, working in complete isolation had made an important breakthrough towards solving the Twin Primes Conjecture. Yitang Zhang’s techniques for bounding the gaps between primes soon led to rapid progress by the Polymath Group, and a further innovation by James Maynard. The film is a study of Yitang Zhang’s rise from obscurity and a disadvantaged youth to mathematical celebrity. The story of Zhang’s quiet perseverance amidst adversity, and his preference for thinking and working in solitude, is interwoven with a history of the Twin Primes Conjecture as told by several mathematicians, many of whom have wrestled with this enormously challenging problem in Number Theory—Daniel Goldston, Kannan Soundararajan, Andrew Granville, Peter Sarnak, Enrico Bombieri, James Maynard, Nicholas Katz, David Eisenbud, Ken Ribet, and Terry Tao. This film was directed by George Csicsery, and produced by MSRI. Cosponsored by the MAA and AMS
Panel Discussions by NSF-DUE Principal Investigators, organized by John Haddock and Lee Zia, Division of Undergraduate Education, National Science Foundation.
Presenters will describe their experiences with the general NSF grant proposal process and share their expertise in putting together proposals for specific programs.
- Part 1: Panel of successful PIs talking about their experiences (CCLI/TUES/IUSE); Sunday, 8:00 a.m.–8:50 a.m.;
- Part 2: Panel of successful PIs talking about their experiences (DRK-12, Noyce, STEM-CP & MSP); Sunday, 9:00 a.m.–9:50 a.m.
- Part 3: General session; audience shares potential ideas, PIs and NSF staff are available for feedback; Sunday, 10:00 a.m.–11:20 a.m.
Sponsored by the MAA Committee on Professional Development
MAA Session for Chairs: Program Assessment: Making it Easier and Better, organized by Catherine M. Murphy, Purdue University Calumet, and Daniel Maki, Indiana University; Sunday, 8:00 a.m.–9:20 a.m. The results of assessment of Student Learning Outcomes are used to inform curriculum decisions as well as provide data for departmental reviews, and regional accreditation documents. Panelists Barbara Loud, Regis College; William O. Martin, North Dakota State University; Deborah Pace, Stephen F. Austin State University; and Elizabeth C. Yanik, Emporia State University, will address organizational principles that may ease the transition from data to information. In particular, the following topics—focused goals and objectives, management of data, rubrics, and the feedback loop—will be discussed. Sessions for Chairs are designed to encourage attendees’ interaction with panelists. Please share your successes and concerns with assessment during the Session.
Math Circle Demonstration, organized by David Auckly, Kansas State University; Japheth Wood, New York Math Circle; and Philip Yasskin, Texas A&M University; Sunday, 10:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m. 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. This demonstration session offers the opportunity for conference attendees to observe and then discuss a math circle experience designed for local students. While students are engaged in a mathematical investigation, mathematicians will have a discussion focused on appreciating and better understanding the organic and creative process of learning that circles offer, and on the logistics and dynamics of running an effective circle. Sponsored by the SIGMAA on Math Circles for Students and Teachers.
Mathematical Outreach Programs, organized by Elizabeth Yanik, Emporia State University; Sunday, 10:00 a.m.–11:55 a.m. This poster session is designed to highlight special programs that have been developed to encourage students to maintain an interest in and commitment to succeeding in mathematics. These programs might include such activities as after-school clubs, weekend activities, one-day conferences, mentoring opportunities, summer camps, etc. This poster session encompasses a wide variety of outreach efforts for a variety of age groups. For example, programs might be designed to reach out to underrepresented groups. The projects supported by MAA Tensor and Summa grants will find this an ideal venue in which to share the progress of their funded projects. Another possible type of outreach might involve mathematical enrichment programs. For example recipients of Dolciani Mathematics Enrichment Grants might wish to highlight their programs. Other examples might include innovative programs to motivate undergraduates to study mathematics. We encourage everyone involved with offering mathematical outreach activities to consider submitting an abstract to the session organizer, Betsy Yanik, eyanik@emporia.edu.
Undergraduate Research: Viewpoints from the Student Side, organized by Herbert A. Medina, Loyola Marymount University, and Angel R. Pineda, California State University, Fullerton; Sunday, 10:35 a.m.–11:55 a.m. The number of undergraduates engaging in mathematical sciences research has increased dramatically the past few years. Indicators of this growth are the size of the undergraduate poster session at the Joint Mathematics Meetings (e.g., over 300 posters at the 2014 meeting), the number of mathematics Research Experiences for Undergraduates (now close to 70), and the recent creation of journals devoted to mathematics undergraduate research (e.g., Involve at UC Berkeley). Undergraduate research is now a major factor in preparing students for graduate school and industrial careers.
The panel will ask current undergraduate and graduate students who have engaged in undergraduate research to share some of their experiences and what they view as the “dos” and “don’ts” of undergraduate research, both from the student side and their perception of the faculty mentor side. Their viewpoints should prove useful to both fellow undergraduates and current and future faculty mentors of undergraduate research. Panelists are: Alejandro Camacho, California State University Fullerton; Jeffrey Laylon Davis, University of South Carolina; Sarah Klett, Davidson College; and Samantha VanSchalkwyk, Mount Holyoke College. Sponsored by the MAA Subcommittee on Research by Undergraduates
Math Wrangle, organized by Steve Dunbar, American Math Competitions; Ed Keppelmann, University of Nevada, Reno; and Philip Yasskin, Texas A&M University; Sunday, 1:00 p.m.– 2:30 p.m. This session will pit teams of students against each other, the clock, and a slate of great math problems. The format of a Math Wrangle is designed to engage students in mathematical problem solving, promote effective teamwork, provide a venue for oral presentations, and develop critical listening skills. A Math Wrangle incorporates elements of team sports and debate, with a dose of strategy tossed in for good measure. The intention of the Math Wrangle demonstration at the Joint Math Meetings is to show how teachers, schools, circles, and clubs can get students started in this exciting combination of mathematical problem solving with careful argumentation via public speaking, strategy and rebuttal. Sponsored by the SIGMAA on Math Circles for Students and Teachers and American Mathematics Competitions.
On-Campus Interview Survival Guide, organized by Thomas Wakefield, Youngstown State University, and Jacob A. White, Texas A&M University; Sunday, 1:00 p.m.–2:20 p.m. Applying for an academic position can be a daunting task! In this session, panelists will offer their perspective on the academic job search, and specifically provide advice and tips regarding the on-campus interview. Panelists Antonia Cardwell, Millersville University of Pennsylvania; Greta Panova, UCLA; and Frank Sottile, Texas A&M University, represent faculty and recent PhD.’s on the job market. Learn some tips to help prepare for the next step in the job application process. Sponsored by the Young Mathematicians’ Network
Writing Competitive Grant Applications, organized by Semra Kilic-Bahi, Colby-Sawyer College, and Kimberly A. Roth, Juniata College; Sunday, 1:00 p.m.–2:20 p.m. Panelists Florence Fasanelli, MAA; Elizabeth Teles, Division of Undergraduate Education, NSF; Victoria Powers, Division of Mathematical Sciences, NSF; and Roselyn E. Williams, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, will discuss the process and give tips for writing successful grant proposals with a focus on proposals that target underrepresented groups, especially women. Each panelist will give a 15–18 minute presentation addressing key points and the common features of competitive grant applications. The presentations will be followed by questions from the audience. Sponsored by the MAA Committee on Participation of Women in Mathematics
Projects Supported by the NSF Division of Undergraduate Education, organized by Jon Scott, Montgomery College; Sunday, 2:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. This session will feature principal investigators (PIs) presenting progress and outcomes from various NSF funded projects in the Division of Undergraduate Education. The poster session format will permit ample opportunity for attendees to engage in small group discussions with the PIs and to network with each other. Information about presenters and their projects will appear in the program. NEW! See additions and cancellations to this session here.
Mathematicians Write: Publishing Options and Outlets Beyond the Standard Research Journal, organized by Gizem Karaali, Pomona College; Sunday, 2:35 p.m.–3:55 p.m. Mathematicians are trained to write research papers and are often comfortable with the norms and expectations of a standard research journal. However many find that they have other things to say, other ideas to explore. This leads to an unfamiliar territory. How does one get an expository piece published? Can a pedagogical innovation idea develop into a publishable article? What kinds of different audiences can I address with my writing? Panelists Brian Hopkins, Saint Peter’s University (College Mathematics Journal); Marjorie Senechal, Smith College (The Mathematical Intelligencer); Janet Beery, University of Redlands (Convergence); Jo Ellis-Monaghan, Saint Michael’s College (PRIMUS); and Gizem Karaali, Pomona College (Journal of Humanistic Mathematics), all editors of prominent journals and magazines that populate the mathematical publishing universe and enrich its offerings, will provide some concrete answers to such questions. Besides these, the panelists will respond to the following questions: What does it take to get published in your journal? What differentiates manuscripts you publish from those you don’t? What else do you recommend for prospective authors? The panel will conclude with an interactive Q&A session.
Find a Research Collaborator, organized by Ralucca Gera, Naval Postgraduate School; Timothy Goldberg, Lenoir-Rhyne University; and Gwyneth Whieldon, Hood College; Sunday, 5:30 p.m.– 6:30 p.m. As freshly graduated PhD.’s will start their research career at a new institution, one of the obstacles observed is finding (1) collaborators in other departments or institutions, and (2) finding topics to work on. This event will consist of small group discussions based on research interests, with the goal of sharing ideas of how to find collaborators and topics, as well as possibly finding a collaborator during the event. Sponsored by the Young Mathematicians’ Network
Poetry Reading, Sunday, 5:30 p.m.–7:00 p.m. All mathematical poets and those interested in mathematical poetry are invited. Share your poetry or simply enjoy the company of like-minded poetic-math people! The reading is sponsored by the Journal of Humanistic Mathematics (http://scholarship.claremont.edu/jhm) and will be hosted by Gizem Karaali and Larry Lesser. Though we do not discourage last-minute decisions to participate, we invite and encourage poets to submit poetry (≤ 3 poems, ≤ 5 minutes) and a bio in advance, and, as a result, be listed on our printed program. Inquiries and submissions (by December 1, 2014) may be made to Gizem Karaali (gizem.karaali@pomona.edu).
The Mathematics of Being Human, Sunday, 6:00 p.m.–7:20 p.m. Battle lines are drawn between mathematics and the humanities when English professor Naomi Kessler and mathematician Mike Pearson are compelled to co-teach a course at a university bent on promoting interdisciplinarity. They tussle over everything: from the value of ‘nothing’ in King Lear, to the fractal nature of cauliflower, to the relevance of non-Euclidean geometry in poetry. Will they be able to give their beleaguered students a glimpse of synthesis or will their insularity prove impossible to surmount? Come see the fireworks fly during this live staged reading of a new play co-written by Michele Osherow, professor of English at the University of Maryland Baltimore County; and Manil Suri, professor of mathematics, University of Maryland Baltimore County. A talk-back will follow the performance. Cosponsored by the MAA and AMS
Benefits and Challenges of Introducing Multivariate Topics Earlier in the Calculus Sequence, organized by Mark Gruenwald, University of Evansville, and Ken Luther, Valparaiso University; Monday, 9:35 a.m.–10:55 a.m. Many voices within STEM disciplines have recommended that (some) multivariate topics be introduced earlier in the calculus sequence. Thus far, attempts to restructure the calculus sequence with this goal in mind have not gained widespread adoption, though several recent initiatives show promise. Panelists Dave Dwyer, University of Evansville; Stephen Davis, Davidson College; and Jim Fowler, The Ohio State University, will share experiences with introducing multivariate calculus topics earlier in the curriculum—in both traditional courses and in MOOCs—and the challenges of swimming against the calculus current.
Mathematics and the Sciences: Necessary Dialogue, organized by Martha J. Siegel, Towson University, and Peter Turner, Clarkson University; Monday, 1:00 p.m.– 2:20 p.m. Panelists are: Jenna Carpenter, Louisiana Tech University; Mark Green, UCLA; Sylvester James Gates, University of Maryland; and Kirk E. Jordan, IBM T.J. Watson Research Center. Recent events make this a promising time for a community-wide effort to take shape to make progress on courses, programs and teaching in the mathematical sciences at colleges and universities and to align them better with the needs of students from other STEM majors who take our courses. The 2012 PCAST report Engage to Excel; activities of the Transforming Post-Secondary Education in Mathematics (TPSE Math) group and the Common Vision 2025 group; recent significant reports and recommendations for undergraduate education from MAA, SIAM, and the American Statistical Association such as MAA’s once-in-a-decade 2015 Curriculum Guide, all point in this direction. How can the mathematics community most creatively and effectively support undergraduate scientific and STEM education? How can we attract more, and more diverse, students, and see them succeed? How can we better inform the mathematics and science communities about each other’s efforts and innovations? What new (and old) mathematics do our scientific siblings and science-based employers want our students to know, and when should they know it? How can we best work together? This panel session will include speakers from inside and outside our community. Sponsored by MAA Committee on the Undergraduate Program in Mathematics (CUPM)
Actuarial Science: What Faculty Need to Know, organized by Kevin Charlwood, Washburn University; Robert Buck, Slippery Rock University; Patrick Brewer, Lebanon Valley College; Bettye Anne Case, Florida State University Emerita; Steve Paris, Florida State University; Susan Staples, Texas Christian University; and the panel moderator, Michelle Guan, Indiana University Northwest: Monday, 5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. The panel features a diverse group of actuaries, publishers, and actuarial educators. The pace of change in actuarial science is faster than in most academic areas, and this session aims to help faculty adjust curriculum and activities to meet student needs and expectations. Susan Staples, representing actuarial science on the MAA Committee on the Undergraduate Program (CUPM), will present the group’s forthcoming recommendations. Bettye Anne Case will address some unique challenges of meeting the needs of international students in actuarial programs. Scott Merkord (USAA Property and Casualty, San Antonio) will give an industry perspective, noting in particular the changing landscape of actuarial internships. Mike Boa (Casualty Actuarial Society) will tell about CAS exam changes and other information. Stuart Klugman (Society of Actuaries; Drake University Emeritus) and Steve Paris (Florida State University) will introduce ideas from a lively Fall e-discussion on the SOA faculty list serve about topic assignment between SOA MF and MFE exams which was initiated by Klugman.
Mathematically Bent Theater, featuring Colin Adams and the Mobiusbandaid Players; Monday, 6:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. Why is it that math and humor are considered synonymous? Why do students laugh maniacally when they see their score on the calculus final? How did the Bernoulli Brothers bring down the house in their first comedy appearance? Who came up with the word “functor”? Who dented the bumper of my car at the Joint Meetings in Baltimore? These are just a few of the questions we will not answer in this theatrical presentation of several short mathematically inclined humorous pieces.
A Positive Feedback Loop? Impact of Mathematics Education Research and K–12 Instructional Changes on Our Teaching of Undergraduate Mathematics, organized by Ben Ford, Sonoma State University, and Klay Kruczek, Southern Connecticut State University; Tuesday, 8:00 a.m.–9:20 a.m. The field of mathematics education research (K–12 and undergraduate) is developing rapidly, at the same time as K–12 mathematics instruction is experiencing major change. What do these forces imply for our teaching of undergraduate mathematics, especially for future teachers? What research findings hold across all ages; which are age-specific? Will our incoming students have different mindsets, skills, and understanding? What will be required (mathematically) of our graduates who become teachers, and how can they develop those abilities while in our classes? Panelists include Chris Rasmussen, San Diego State University; Klay Kruczek, Southern Connecticut State University; and Elise Lockwood, Oregon State University. Sponsored by the MAA Committee on the Mathematical Education of Teachers (COMET)
Creating a Course in Mathematical Modeling, organizeed by Dan Teague, North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics; Tuesday, 8:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m. Applied mathematics, with mathematical modeling at its core, is growing in importance in the mathematics curriculum. Modeling offers student a vision of mathematics and an opportunity to engage in mathematical creativity that is largely absent from the standard mathematics major coursework. A modeling course invites creative students into the major who currently choose other disciplines which offer more interesting challenges to their creativity and ingenuity, particularly early in their college career. This workshop will discuss the structure and share materials from a modeling course taught at the NC School of Science and Mathematics since 1985. Students in the course have written eleven Outstanding Winner papers in the Mathematical Contest in Modeling (MCM and ICM), capturing two INFORMS Prize papers, two SIAM Prize papers, and this year’s MAA Prize paper in the process. Information on the mathematical modeling competitions available to university students (MCM, ICM) and to high school students (HiMCM, Moody’s) will also be shared. Sponsored by SIGMAA TAHSM and the MAA Council on Outreach
Out in Mathematics: LGBTQ Mathematicians in the Workplace, organized by David Crombecque, University of Southern California, and Ron Buckmire, Occidental College; Tuesday, 9:35 a.m.–10:55 a.m. We will discuss questions such as: Should I be out to my Ph.D. advisor? Should I mention anything on my CV, or during a job interview, for a postdoc, for a tenure-track position, etc.? And if so, what are the ways to be out in these circumstances? Panelists Andrew Bernoff, Harvey Mudd College; Mike Hill, University of Virginia; and Lily Khadjavi, Loyola Marymount University, will discuss these and many more questions relevant to the well-being and inclusion of future successful LGBTQ mathematicians.
“Poster Plus 5” Session on Open Source Resources in Mathematics, organized by Stan Yoshinobu, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo; Thomas Judson, Stephen F. Austin State University; and Yousuf George, Nazareth College. Tuesday, 8:00 a.m.–10:55 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. (Note: 2nd session, 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. CANCELLED) The availability of high-quality, open source resources that support teaching and research in mathematics is changing opportunities and pedagogical options for mathematics educators. In this hybrid contributed paper/poster session, we invite presentations on the effective use of available open-source resources in the classroom. Each speaker will present for 5 minutes on his/her topic, and then the session will break into an interactive poster session in which speakers enter into active dialogues with session attendees to provide additional details and information. Applicants should send a poster abstract to the organizer, Stan Yoshinobu, styoshin@calpoly.edu. The deadline for receiving applications is December 15, 2014. Sponsored by the MAA Committee on Professional Development
The New Mathways Project’s STEM Prep Initiative: A Re-Conceptualized Pathway to Calculus, organized by Frank Savina, University of Texas at Austin, and Stuart Boersma, Central Washington University; Tuesday, 1:00 p.m.–2:20 p.m. The Charles A. Dana Center’s New Mathways Project has begun the work of designing a STEM Prep Pathway serving students from developmental math to calculus. For the past year two teams of leading researchers and educators have been gleaning promising practices from the field and synthesizing them to determine the content and structure of this re-conceptualized pathway to calculus. The goal of this workshop is to share the work of the design teams in a manner that will be useful to mathematics faculty and departments. In this hands-on workshop participants will be given an overview of the guiding principles of the curriculum at the New Mathways Project, will join in an interactive discussion on the challenges of preparing students for calculus, will have the opportunity to look over drafts of the curriculum, and be provided an overview of the findings from the research on promising practices from the design teams.
A Common Vision for the Undergraduate Mathematics Program in 2025, organized by Karen Saxe, Macalester College, and Linda Braddy, Mathematical Association of America (MAA); Tuesday, 1:00 – 2:20 p.m. Panelists are: John Bailer, Miami University and American Statistical Association; Tara Holm, Cornell University and AMS Committee on Education, Karen Saxe, Macalester College and MAA; Uri Treisman, University of Texas at Austin; and Peter Turner, Clarkson University. The Mathematical Association of America (MAA) is partnering with other professional associations in the mathematical sciences to consider how we might modernize our programs to better prepare students for the demands of the 21st century workplace. We aim to catalyze widespread adoption of curricula and pedagogies that are (1) geared toward developing a broad base of intellectual skills and competencies to better prepare students for the workforce and (2) simultaneously endorsed by a broad cross-section of the mathematical sciences community. Funded by the NSF, “A Common Vision for the Undergraduate Mathematics Program in 2025” will take stock of the curricular guides endorsed by the various associations, identify and articulate common themes, and lay a foundation for future work. Panelists representing the MAA, the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (AMATYC), the American Mathematical Society (AMS), the American Statistical Association (ASA), and the Society of Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) will update the community on the project.