Illinois Section of the MAA

The 1999 Annual Meeting of the Illinois Section of the MAA

The Seventy-Eighth Annual Meeting of the Illinois Section of the Mathematical Association of America will take place on the campus of Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois on April 9 and 10, 1999.

The program includes a Mini Course by Stefanos Gialamas of the Illinois Institute of Art and addresses by Robert Foote of Wabash College, John Selfridge of Northern Illinois University, and Miriah Birgen of Wartburg College. Robert Meggison of the University of Michigan will give the after dinner talk at the banquet. In addition a special Project NExT program will be held in conjunction with the ISMAA meeting.

Outline of Meeting Activities

[ ISMAA Home Page ]

April 3, 1999

Session Schedule

All meeting sessions will be held in the F.W. Olin Technology Center.

Friday, April 9, 1999
9:00 a.m. Minicourse
Olin 202
A Tour of >Knot Theory
Presenter: Stefanos Gialamas, Illinois Institute of Art
1:00 p.m. Registration
Olin, First Floor Lobby
1:20 p.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks
Olin Auditorium
Speaker: Dr. J. Thomas Tredway, President, Augustana College
Presider: Robert Hathway, ISMAA Chair, Illinois State University
1:30 p.m. Opening Address
Olin Auditorium
Planimeters and Isoperimetric Inequalities
Speaker: Robert Foote, Wabash College
Presider: Robert Hathway, ISMAA Chair
2:30 p.m. Break
Olin, Second Floor
3:00 p.m. Concurrent Sessions I
3:00 p.m. Student Mathematics Contest
Olin Auditorium
Arranged by: John Haverhals, Bradley University, ISMAA Student Chapter Coordinator
4:15 p.m. Annual Business Meeting
Olin, Room 306
Presider: Robert Hathway, ISMAA Chair
4:30 p.m. Solutions to the Student Mathematics Contest Problems
Olin Auditorium
Presenters: Members of the Contest Problem Committee
6:00 p.m. Reception and Social Hour
Collge Center, Board Room
6:30 p.m. Student Pizza Party
College Center, Dahl Room
7:00 p.m. ISMAA Annual Banquet
College Center, Wilson Center
  • Presentation of Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics and Distinguished Service to ISMAA
  • After Dinner Talk: Native American Mathematics
    Speaker: Robert Megginson, University of Michigan
Presider: Melvyn Jeter, ISMAA Chair
Saturday, April 10, 1999
8:30 a.m. Invited Address
Olin Auditorium
Travels with Selfridge
Speaker: John Selfridge, Northern Illinois University
Presider: Claire Krukenberg, Eastern Illinois University
9:30 p.m. Break
Olin, Second Floor
9:45 a.m. Concurrent Sessions II
10:50 a.m. Concurrent Sessions III
12:00 noon Closing Address
Olin Auditorium
Multicultural Education and College Professors
Speaker: Mariah Birgen, Wartburg College
Presider: Robert Hathaway, ISMAA Chair
1:00p.m. Concluding Remarks
Olin Auditorium
Presider: Melvyn Jeter, ISMAA Chair

[ Outline of Meeting Events ] [ ISMAA Home Page ]

Mini Course

A mini course, titled A Tour in Knot Theory, will be presented by Stefanos Gialamas, Professor of Mathematics and Associate Dean of Education at the Illinois Institute of Art.

The mini course is designed for participants who are not expert in knot theory and its applications to science. Introduces concepts such as mathematical knots, links, knot equivalence, writhe number, linking number, Conway polynomial, and Jones polynomial. An introduction to the application of knot theory in DNA research will be included.

Participants will learn how to assign numbers and polynomials to knots and use them to distinguish different knots. They will be able to use mathematical tools to solve knot puzzles and also learn how to make fascinating knots using wires, pipe cleaners and strings.

The presentation is enhanced with slides, drawings, sculptures, animations, and creation of knots using lasers and mirrors.

Participants will receive a booklet (55 pages) titled A tour in Knot Theory. The booklet includes theory, problems, applications, and suggestions for more than 50 projects involving knots in every day life.

[ Outline of Meeting Events ] [ ISMAA Home Page ]

Banquet

The banquet will be held Friday evening at 7:00 in the Wilson Room of College Center. After dinner festivities include presentation of the annual ISMAA Distinguished Service Award, presentation of the Distinguished College or University Teaching Award, and a talk by Robert Megginson of the Univesity Michigan. The title of Prof. Megginson's talk is Native American Mathematicsk.

The cost of the dinner is $24.00. Banquet tickets must be purchased in advance. Please specify your choice of Roast Beef, Chicken Wellington, or Vegetarian Wellington. All dinners inlcude beverage, rasberry binaigrette salad, green beens, carrots, parlsey buttered new potatoes, white and wheat rolls, butter, and plain New York cheescake with cherry or blueberry toppings.

[ Outline of Meeting Events ] [ ISMAA Home Page ]

Student Activities

A number of activities of particular interest to Mathematics Students are scheduled including a mathematics contest Friday afternoon, a Friday evening Pizza Party, and student presentations Saturday morning.

Students are particularly to encouraged to attend the Opening Address by Prof. Foote and the after dinner talk by Prof. Megginson at the Banquet.

For information on participating in the math contest or presenting a paper, see the Call for Student Participation.

Limited, low cost, lodging may be available for students. Contact

Robert Johnson
Department of Mathematics
Augustana College
Rock Island, IL
(309) 794-7492
mjohnson@augustana.edu

for information regarding student accommodations on the Augustana College campus.

[ Outline of Meeting Events ] [ ISMAA Home Page ]

Rock Island Area Information

Meeting Location

Rock Island, Illinois is located just north of the confluence of the Mississippi and Rock rivers. I-80, I-88, I-74, U.S. 150, U.S. 67, U.S. 6, IL-5, and IL-92 are the main road leading to the area.

Augustana College is located at 7th Avenue (which runs east and west) and 38th Street (which runs north and south) in Rock Island. The Quad Cities map shows the location of the College relative to the main roads into the area.

Note that Moline, which is immediately to the east of Rock Island, has a similarly labeled collection of streets and avenues, so be sure you are in Rock Island before you start looking for 38th street or 7th avenue. The Directions to Augustana from the Augustana Website should help you get the correct 38th Street.

The ISMAA sessions will be held in the F.W. Olin Technology Center. The Friday Banquet and Saturday Breakfasts will be in the College Center. The location of these buildings is shown on the Augustana College Campus Map.

Parking Lot E at the intersection of 7th Avenue and 38th Street is recommended, though any lot shown on the map may be used. It is a short walk on campus to the Olin Center.

Additional Local Information

ISMAA specific local information, including directions to Augustana, campus and area maps, and motel/hotel information, is available directly from Augustana's Website. (If your browser does not support HTML frames, you can go directly to the contents page.) Jon Clauss of Augustana College is supplying this information.

More general local information is available Augustana's Quad Cities Links page or from the Quad Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau.

[ Outline of Meeting Events ] [ ISMAA Home Page ]

Motel and Hotels

Participants are responsible for making their own hotel/motel reservations. No hotel/motel is within walking distance of campus.

For information on student campus housing contact Robert Johnson at Augustana College.

Blocks of rooms have been reserved at the several motels and hotels. Identify yourself as an ISMAA participant when making reservations. The approximate location of the motels and hotels is shown on the Quad Cities map. The Plaza One Hotel is in downtown Rock Island, and the Radisson On John Deere Common is in downtown Moline. The others are near the Airport which is on the south side of Moline near the I-280/I-74 interchange.

  1. Plaza One Hotel
    1 Plaza Square (3rd Avenue & 17th Street
    Rock Island, Illinois 61201
    (309) 794-1212
    Rate: $55.00 plus tax
    Additional Information: Indoor pool
  2. Radisson on John Deere Common
    1415 River Drive
    Moline, Illinois 61265
    (309) 764-1000
    Rate: $70.00 plus tax
    Additional Information: Indoor pool; "Deluxe" Continental Breakfast included
  3. Hampton Inn of Moline
    6920 27th Street
    Moline, Illinois 61265
    (309) 762-1711
    Rate: $57.00 plus tax
    Additional Information: Continental Breakfast included
  4. Holiday Inn of Moline
    6902 27th Street
    Moline, Illinois 61265
    (309) 762-8811
    Rate: $64.00 plus tax
    Additional Information: Indoor pool
  5. Holiday Inn Express of Moline
    6910 27th Street
    Moline, Illinois 61265
    (309) 762-8300
    Rate: $57.00 plus tax
    Additional Information: May use Holiday Inn's pool HI-Exp
  6. Best Western Airport Inn
    2550 52nd Avenue
    Moline, Illinois 61265
    (309) 762-9191
    Rate: $64.95 plus tax (1 bed), $69.95 plus tax (2 beds)
    Additional Information: Indoor pool; Continental Breakfast included; Talk to DeAnna when asking for the ISMAA rate
  7. Excel Inn of Moline
    2501 52nd Avenue
    Moline, Illinois 61265
    Rate: $41.99 plus tax (1 person, 1 bed), $44.99 plus tax (2 people, 1 bed), $50.99 plus tax (2 people, 2 beds)
    Additional Information: Continental Breakfast included
  8. LaQuinta Inns & Suites
    5450 27th Street Moline, Illinois 61265
    (309) 762-9008
    Rate: $50.00 plus tax
    Additional Information: Continental Breakfast included; identify yourself as part of Block #03259 when asking for the ISMAA rate

[ Outline of Meeting Events ] [ ISMAA Home Page ]

Registration

The registration fee is $24.00 ($9.00 for student or retired members). The cost of the Friday morning Minicourse is $30.00. The cost of the Friday evening Banquet is $24.00 and there is a choice of Roast Beef, Chicken Wellington, or Vegetarian Wellington.

The meeting registration fee may be paid at the meeting; however, advanced registration is required for the Minicourse and the Friday evening banquet. Banquet tickets will not be available on-site. No advance registration or payment is necessary for the Saturday morning breakfast; however, it would be helpful if you indicate on the registration form if you are interested.

At the conclusion of the conference, box lunches priced at $5.75 will be available. These need to be pre-ordered. The box lunches include a choice of Croissant of Smoked Turkey, Ham or Vegitarianand, choice of beverage (16 oz. bottled water or 20 oz. bottle of Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Mountain Dew, etc.), cole slaw, 2 cookies, mozzarella stick, chips, condiments, and napkins. Theses box lunches will be brought to the Olin Center at the end of the closing session.

Please print and fill out the registration form and send it along with your check made payable to the ISMAA by March 19, 1999 to 

                         Jon L. Johnson
                         Mathematics Department
                         Elmhurst College
                         190 Prospect
                         Elmhurst, IL  60126

[ Outline of Meeting Events ] [ ISMAA Home Page ]

Other

ISMAA Board Meeting
There will be a ISMAA Board of Directors meeting at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, April 8, 1999 in the Board Room of the College Center.
Project Next
There will be a special Project Next program in conjuction with this meeting.
Breakfast
A breakfast will be available in the College Center Dining room Friday morning from 7:00-8:00 a.m. and Saturday Morning from 7:30-8:20 a.m.. Pay at the time - no advance reservation or payment is required for these breakfasts. On Saturday morning the Wilson, Dahl, and Board rooms have been reserved for Department Liasons, Women in Mathematics, and Department Chairs to meet.
2000 Annual Meeting
The 2000 ISMAA Annual Meeting will be held at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois. The meeting is tentatively scheduled for March 31 and April 1, 2000.

[ Outline of Meeting Events ] [ ISMAA Home Page ]