Fall Meeting of the Indiana MAA

Back Home Again in Indiana
October 3, 2020
To be held via Zoom

Plenary Speakers

• Dr. Jennifer Beineke
  
  • Western New England University
  • Great Moments of the Riemann Zeta Function
  • Movies have great moments and sports have great moments, but mathematics has the greatest moments of all. In this talk, we will explore moments of the Riemann zeta function (also known as mean values), and we will revisit the momentous discoveries of Hardy, Littlewood, and Ingham in the 1920s. We will also discuss memorable moments that today's number theorists have encountered as they work on open problems related to the Riemann Hypothesis.
• Dr. Amanda Harsy
  
  • Lewis University
  • Wouldn't It Be Nice?
  • When I was growing up, mathematics was not my best subject, but it was my favorite. I had a great short term memory and could memorize and apply mathematical procedures quickly and effectively. I didn’t care where these methods came from or why they worked, as long as I could carry out my steps and get the right answer. This turned out to be problematic for me when I was asked to apply mathematical methods to new problems and conduct research.
    
    Now as an educator, I see myself in my students. They see mathematics as a long list of seemingly disconnected methods and rules without seeing the creative problem-solving behind each technique.
    
    One of my goals for my students is for them to see the bigger picture of mathematics and appreciate the creativity that gave rise to the methods we use over and over again in mathematics. In this presentation, I will share one of my favorite problem-solving techniques, "wishful thinking," and how it can help connect the mathematics curriculum we teach and the problem-solving techniques used by mathematicians and scientists alike.
• Dr. Talitha Washington
  
  • Clark Atlanta University
  • Director of the Data Science Initiative, Atlanta University Center Consortium
  • Indiana: The Genesis of Black PhD Mathematicians
  • In 1925, Elbert Frank Cox became the first Black to earn a PhD in Mathematics. Cox was born in Evansville, Indiana and went on to earn his undergraduate degree in Mathematics from Indiana University in 1917. At a time when Indiana had erupting race riots and the Indiana Klan had risen to a peak of power, how did Cox circumvent the odds? Dr. Talitha Washington, an Evansville native, will tell the story of Cox, the racial struggles of Indiana, and how other Black mathematicians navigate through racial barriers.
• All three of our plenary speakers grew up and went to college in Indiana!

Additional Programming

• There will be parallel sessions for contributed talks from faculty, graduate, and undergraduate students. Additionally, the winners of the 2020 Distinguished Service and Teaching Awards will be recognized.

Registration and Call for Papers

• Registration is now open! Regular registration rates apply to everyone EXCEPT students (high school, undergraduate, and graduate), high school teachers, retired and unemployed participants, and non-mathematician guests. Regular registration is $10 until Saturday, September 19th. Late registration is $15 and will close on Wednesday, September 30th. Students (high school, undergraduate, and graduate), high school teachers, retired and unemployed participants, and non-mathematician guests receive free registration for the conference. All registered participants will receive a link to the Zoom meeting on October 1st.
  • Online Registration via EventBrite
  • Mail-In Registration Form
• The Call for Contributed Papers has closed.

Poster

• Click on the thumbnail image below to view a printable poster for the Fall 2020 meeting.