Mathemati-Con
Events will take place on Saturday, January 13 between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm in a variety of locations at the JMM.
Some special presentations slated to be included in this program are the Who Wants to Be a Mathematician Championship, demonstrations of both Math Circles and Math Wrangles provided by the MAA SIGMAA on Math Circles for Students and Teachers, an Interactive Lecture for Teachers and Students presented by James Tanton, the 2018 Mathematical Art Exhibition, and much more, concluding with the MAA-AMS-SIAM Gerald and Judith Porter Public Lecture ?Political Geometry: Voting Districts, ?Compactness,? and Ideas About Fairness,? by Moon Duchin, Tufts University. All events on the Mathemati-Con program are open to the public.
MORNING
Mathematical Art Exhibition, 9:00 am - noon, organized by Robert Fathauer, Tessellations Company, Nathan Selikoff, Digital Awakening Studios and Elizabeth Whiteley, studio artist, Washington, DC, and supported by the Special Interest Group of the MAA for Mathematics and the Arts, and the Bridges Organization. A popular feature at the Joint Mathematics Meetings, this exhibition provides a break in your day. On display are works in various media by artists who are inspired by mathematics and by mathematicians who use visual art to express their findings. Topology, fractals, polyhedra, and tiling are some of the ideas at play here. Do not miss this unique opportunity for a different perspective on mathematics. The exhibition will be located inside the Joint Mathematics Exhibits and open during the same hours as them.
Interactive Lecture for Students and Teachers: Mathematics to the Rescue: How to Fold a Tie, 10:00 am - 10:50 am, organized by Elgin Johnston, Iowa State University. Presenter, James Tanton, MAA Mathematician at Large, welcomes students of all ages, and teachers, parents, mathematicians, and math enthusiasts of all ages. James Tanton explains: I have a personal problem. I travel a great deal and often have to pack a tie in my suitcase. I can?t lay the tie out flat in the case, nor can I fold the tie in half and lay out the folded tie, as the case is too short. Folding the tie into quarters leaves a crease mark later visible on my chest. Ideally, I should fold my tie into perfect thirds. How does one do that? Actually, years of careful data gathering shows that I tend to wear my ties with twenty-seven sixty-fourths of their length showing at front. Can I fold my tie at that position? Fortunately, brilliant mathematics can solve my personal tie folding problem. Let me show you how! (And can this mathematics solve other problems in my life too?) Sponsored by the MAA Council on Outreach.
Math Wrangle, 11:00 am ? 12:30 pm, organized by Ed Keppelmann, University of Nevada Reno, and Phil Yasskin, Texas A&M University, Saturday afternoon. The Math Wrangle 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. Sponsors for this event is SIGMAA for Math Circles for Students and Teachers (SIGMAA-MCST).
Showtime!, 11:00 am - 12:00 pm featuring:
Doodling in Math: Spirals, Fibonacci, and Being a Plant, 11:00 am - 11:10 am. Watch an entertaining, thought-provoking mathematics and music video by Vi Hart, that explains mathematical concepts through doodles. Hart is well known among the younger generation for videos, which include the series "Doodling in Math Class" and have an audience of millions.
Matt Parker: Stand-up Mathematician, 11:10 am - 12:00 pm. Matt Parker, stand-up comedian, author, and YouTube personality, will delight the audience with his two passions of mathematics and stand-up. Originally a math teacher in Australia, Matt is now the Public Engagement in Mathematics Fellow at Queen Mary University of London and works both as a stand-up comedian and a math communicator. He?ll sign autographs after his talk, starting around noon.
AFTERNOON
Math Circle Demonstration, 1:00 pm ? 2:30 pm, organized by Alessandra Pantano, University of California Irvine and Amanda Serenevy, Riverbend Community Math Center; Saturday morning. 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. The sponsor for this demonstration is SIGMAA MCST.
Who Wants to Be a Mathematician Championship, 1:00 pm - 2:45 pm, organized by Michael A. Breen, American Mathematical Society, and William T. Butterworth, DePaul University. Show your support for top high school students from the US, Canada, and the UK in the first international "Who Wants to Be a Mathematician" as they compete for a US$5,000 first prize for themselves and US$5,000 for their school?s math department. Semifinals are at 1:00 pm and finals are at 2:00 pm. Come match wits with the contestants and support their mathematical achievement.
MAA-AMS-SIAM Gerald and Judith Porter Public Lecture, 3:00 pm, Moon Duchin, Tufts University, Political Geometry: Voting districts, ?compactness,? and ideas about fairness, (MAA-AMS-SIAM Gerald and Judith Porter Public Lecture)