Proposals
Below are some proposals for talks from the past (and current). By clicking on the ID number, more details are shown. By default, these are sorted chronologically (recent first) and by then by last name. The data can be sorted by alternate means by using the links at the top right, each allowing ascending or descending orders.
Displaying 261-280 of 471 results.
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ID:
423
Year: 2015
Name: Matt Rissler
Institution: Loras College
Subject area(s): Sports Analytics
Title of Talk: Another College Football Ranking
Abstract: Anyone who has followed D1A college football in the last two decades is aware that there computer rankings and probably has opinions on them. In this talk we will discuss my ranking which is a tweak of the Colley Matrix method, one of the former BCS rankings. My ranking uses a little bit of discrete probability, linear algebra, graph theory, and stochastic systems to arrive at its results.
Year: 2015
Name: Matt Rissler
Institution: Loras College
Subject area(s): Sports Analytics
Title of Talk: Another College Football Ranking
Abstract: Anyone who has followed D1A college football in the last two decades is aware that there computer rankings and probably has opinions on them. In this talk we will discuss my ranking which is a tweak of the Colley Matrix method, one of the former BCS rankings. My ranking uses a little bit of discrete probability, linear algebra, graph theory, and stochastic systems to arrive at its results.
ID:
425
Year: 2015
Name: Jonas Meyer
Institution: Loras College
Subject area(s): Education, Math problem solving, Networking
Title of Talk: Starting a Math Teachers' Circle in Dubuque
Abstract: Math Teachers' Circles are "professional communities centered on mathematics," in which professors and middle school math teachers come together to solve mathematics problems, discuss teaching, and more. The presenter worked with colleagues in Dubuque to start a Math Teachers' Circle this year. He'll provide an overview of what MTCs are, then discuss our Circle, including what we've done so far, our hopes for the near future, and examples of some of the problems and activities we've done.
Year: 2015
Name: Jonas Meyer
Institution: Loras College
Subject area(s): Education, Math problem solving, Networking
Title of Talk: Starting a Math Teachers' Circle in Dubuque
Abstract: Math Teachers' Circles are "professional communities centered on mathematics," in which professors and middle school math teachers come together to solve mathematics problems, discuss teaching, and more. The presenter worked with colleagues in Dubuque to start a Math Teachers' Circle this year. He'll provide an overview of what MTCs are, then discuss our Circle, including what we've done so far, our hopes for the near future, and examples of some of the problems and activities we've done.
ID:
452
Year: 2016
Name: Susan Crook
Institution: Loras College
Subject area(s): Mathematics Education, IBL
Title of Talk: IBL Calculus I Assignments
Abstract: This talk will detail assignments and activities given in two sections of Calculus I in Fall 2016, totaling more than 50 students. Some activities have been used previously, but tweaked due to feedback and others were newly developed for this semester. The presentation will provide the prompts, worksheets, or assignments and samples of student responses. Anecdotal evidence of success or failure will be given when possible, along with discussion of how the materials will be changed in the future.
Year: 2016
Name: Susan Crook
Institution: Loras College
Subject area(s): Mathematics Education, IBL
Title of Talk: IBL Calculus I Assignments
Abstract: This talk will detail assignments and activities given in two sections of Calculus I in Fall 2016, totaling more than 50 students. Some activities have been used previously, but tweaked due to feedback and others were newly developed for this semester. The presentation will provide the prompts, worksheets, or assignments and samples of student responses. Anecdotal evidence of success or failure will be given when possible, along with discussion of how the materials will be changed in the future.
ID:
461
Year: 2016
Name: Matt Rissler
Institution: Loras College
Subject area(s):
Title of Talk: Sports Analytics in Lower Level Courses
Abstract: I'll provide examples from baseball and basketball of sports analytics problems I have done in lower level classes, from College Algebra to Calculus II.
Year: 2016
Name: Matt Rissler
Institution: Loras College
Subject area(s):
Title of Talk: Sports Analytics in Lower Level Courses
Abstract: I'll provide examples from baseball and basketball of sports analytics problems I have done in lower level classes, from College Algebra to Calculus II.
ID:
483
Year: 2017
Name: Matt Rissler
Institution: Loras College
Subject area(s): Linear Algebra, Sports Analytics, Computing
Title of Talk: Ranking teams, predicting outcomes, tuning parameters and getting stuck
Abstract: I have been ranking sports for the last couple years, using a combination of a Markov Chain for determining the quality of a win based on the margin of victory, and a Markov Chain for aggregating results across the network of games. From this information, I've started predicting the outcome of games, however, this raises an interesting eigenvector problem that I have yet to solve. In this talk, I'll describe my rankings, give some rankings/predictions, describe the problems I've run into, and describe the future plans for improving my rankings.
Year: 2017
Name: Matt Rissler
Institution: Loras College
Subject area(s): Linear Algebra, Sports Analytics, Computing
Title of Talk: Ranking teams, predicting outcomes, tuning parameters and getting stuck
Abstract: I have been ranking sports for the last couple years, using a combination of a Markov Chain for determining the quality of a win based on the margin of victory, and a Markov Chain for aggregating results across the network of games. From this information, I've started predicting the outcome of games, however, this raises an interesting eigenvector problem that I have yet to solve. In this talk, I'll describe my rankings, give some rankings/predictions, describe the problems I've run into, and describe the future plans for improving my rankings.
ID:
484
Year: 2017
Name: Angela Kohlhaas
Institution: Loras College
Subject area(s):
Title of Talk: Math in Art and Music Revised and Revisited
Abstract: Last January term, I taught Math in Art and Music for a second time. In this talk, I will share some of the revisions I made and some of my favorite projects from the course. Highlights include using GeoGebra for spatial reasoning, creating axiomatic art, and constructing musical fractal compositions.
Year: 2017
Name: Angela Kohlhaas
Institution: Loras College
Subject area(s):
Title of Talk: Math in Art and Music Revised and Revisited
Abstract: Last January term, I taught Math in Art and Music for a second time. In this talk, I will share some of the revisions I made and some of my favorite projects from the course. Highlights include using GeoGebra for spatial reasoning, creating axiomatic art, and constructing musical fractal compositions.
ID:
487
Year: 2017
Name: Jacob Heidenreich
Institution: Loras College
Subject area(s): teaching college math
Title of Talk: Using Games in the Classroom
Abstract: In this talk, Dr. Heidenreich will be presenting several games he's developed to teach various concepts in his classroom. Included would be games usable in College Algebra, Pre-Calculus, and Calculus, involving the concepts of increasing and decreasing, concave up and concave down, limits and asymptotes. Attendees can get electronic versions of all the games shared at this talk.
Year: 2017
Name: Jacob Heidenreich
Institution: Loras College
Subject area(s): teaching college math
Title of Talk: Using Games in the Classroom
Abstract: In this talk, Dr. Heidenreich will be presenting several games he's developed to teach various concepts in his classroom. Included would be games usable in College Algebra, Pre-Calculus, and Calculus, involving the concepts of increasing and decreasing, concave up and concave down, limits and asymptotes. Attendees can get electronic versions of all the games shared at this talk.
ID:
232
Year: 2008
Name: Dan Willis
Institution: Loras College
Subject area(s): Preservice Teachers
Title of Talk: Math for Elementary Teachers
Abstract: The speaker will survey some of the available research on the mathematics content needs of elementary school teachers and future teachers. He will also discuss the impact this research has had on the development of a two-course 8-credit sequence "Math for Elementary Teachers I/II" at Loras College. This new two-course sequence is a program requirement for all Elementary Education majors at Loras College.
Year: 2008
Name: Dan Willis
Institution: Loras College
Subject area(s): Preservice Teachers
Title of Talk: Math for Elementary Teachers
Abstract: The speaker will survey some of the available research on the mathematics content needs of elementary school teachers and future teachers. He will also discuss the impact this research has had on the development of a two-course 8-credit sequence "Math for Elementary Teachers I/II" at Loras College. This new two-course sequence is a program requirement for all Elementary Education majors at Loras College.
ID:
488
Year: 2017
Name: Jacob Heidenreich
Institution: Loras College
Subject area(s): teaching college math
Title of Talk: Using Games in the Classroom
Abstract: In this talk, Dr. Heidenreich will demonstrate several games he's developed to teach various mathematical concepts. The games investigate the ideas of increasing and decreasing functions, concavity, asymptotes and limits, and would be suitable for College Algebra through Calculus I. Electronic versions of the games will be share with any attendee interested.
Year: 2017
Name: Jacob Heidenreich
Institution: Loras College
Subject area(s): teaching college math
Title of Talk: Using Games in the Classroom
Abstract: In this talk, Dr. Heidenreich will demonstrate several games he's developed to teach various mathematical concepts. The games investigate the ideas of increasing and decreasing functions, concavity, asymptotes and limits, and would be suitable for College Algebra through Calculus I. Electronic versions of the games will be share with any attendee interested.
ID:
493
Year: 2017
Name: Sarah Schoel
Institution: Loras College
Subject area(s):
Title of Talk: Fractal Sequence Analysis and Creation of Art and Music
Abstract: For my seminar project, I have been analyzing fractal sequences and using them to create images and to modify musical compositions. A fractal sequence has a pattern that repeats at all scales. One well-known sequence is the Thue-Morse Sequence. This sequence is created by translating the positive integers into base(2) and then adding the digits for each number and taking mod(2) of the result. This forms a pattern of zeroes and ones that continues infinitely. If consecutive numbers are put into groups of two, a unique characteristic about this sequence is revealed. When the first number of every set is kept and the second removed, the remaining numbers create the original pattern. I have shown that translating the integers into base(n) and summing digits mod(n) elicits a similar pattern. I will show how these sequences can then be translated into art and music and analyze the results.
Year: 2017
Name: Sarah Schoel
Institution: Loras College
Subject area(s):
Title of Talk: Fractal Sequence Analysis and Creation of Art and Music
Abstract: For my seminar project, I have been analyzing fractal sequences and using them to create images and to modify musical compositions. A fractal sequence has a pattern that repeats at all scales. One well-known sequence is the Thue-Morse Sequence. This sequence is created by translating the positive integers into base(2) and then adding the digits for each number and taking mod(2) of the result. This forms a pattern of zeroes and ones that continues infinitely. If consecutive numbers are put into groups of two, a unique characteristic about this sequence is revealed. When the first number of every set is kept and the second removed, the remaining numbers create the original pattern. I have shown that translating the integers into base(n) and summing digits mod(n) elicits a similar pattern. I will show how these sequences can then be translated into art and music and analyze the results.
ID:
495
Year: 2017
Name: Alli Ewald
Institution: Loras College
Subject area(s):
Title of Talk: Matrix Rankings as Predictors of IIAC Basketball
Abstract: The largest sports betting event of the year in the United States is during the March Madness tournament. For my research project we are looking at different methods to predict the outcomes of the tournament. In this talk, I will discuss several matrix-based methods that we have considered and compare the accuracy of the predictions for each method at the end of the regular season to the outcome of the tournament for men’s Basketball in the IIAC.
Year: 2017
Name: Alli Ewald
Institution: Loras College
Subject area(s):
Title of Talk: Matrix Rankings as Predictors of IIAC Basketball
Abstract: The largest sports betting event of the year in the United States is during the March Madness tournament. For my research project we are looking at different methods to predict the outcomes of the tournament. In this talk, I will discuss several matrix-based methods that we have considered and compare the accuracy of the predictions for each method at the end of the regular season to the outcome of the tournament for men’s Basketball in the IIAC.
ID:
289
Year: 2010
Name: Ruth Berger
Institution: Luther College
Subject area(s): Algebra, Group Theory
Title of Talk: Exploring Group Theory with FGB
Abstract: Finite Group Behavior (FGB) is a free windows-based program that gives beginning group theory students a chance to explore abstract group theory concepts in a very concrete setting. The heart of the software is an extensive collection of Cayley tables of groups: Cyclic groups, Dihedral groups, and groups whose structure is not immediately recognizable. Students can explore relations among the elements of a group, determine the order of each element, and even make subgroups generated by selected elements of the group. This easy to use program also includes features that allow for the investigation of isomorphisms of groups, and it gives a nice visualization of how Cosets are formed. I will share some of the worksheets that I wrote for my Abstract Algebra students to gain some hands-on experience with these otherwise abstract concepts.
Year: 2010
Name: Ruth Berger
Institution: Luther College
Subject area(s): Algebra, Group Theory
Title of Talk: Exploring Group Theory with FGB
Abstract: Finite Group Behavior (FGB) is a free windows-based program that gives beginning group theory students a chance to explore abstract group theory concepts in a very concrete setting. The heart of the software is an extensive collection of Cayley tables of groups: Cyclic groups, Dihedral groups, and groups whose structure is not immediately recognizable. Students can explore relations among the elements of a group, determine the order of each element, and even make subgroups generated by selected elements of the group. This easy to use program also includes features that allow for the investigation of isomorphisms of groups, and it gives a nice visualization of how Cosets are formed. I will share some of the worksheets that I wrote for my Abstract Algebra students to gain some hands-on experience with these otherwise abstract concepts.
ID:
52
Year: 2004
Name: Ruth Berger
Institution: Luther College
Subject area(s): algebra
Title of Talk: Fun & Games with Permutation groups
Abstract: This talk will give an introduction to the
Year: 2004
Name: Ruth Berger
Institution: Luther College
Subject area(s): algebra
Title of Talk: Fun & Games with Permutation groups
Abstract: This talk will give an introduction to the
ID:
310
Year: 2011
Name: Ruth Berger
Institution: Luther College
Subject area(s): Calculus (special session 1)
Title of Talk: Calculus at Luther College
Abstract: Calculus at Luther College: Over the past two decades Calculus instruction at Luther has slowly moved from Reform Calculus back towards a more traditional approach. Several aspects of Reform Calculus, especially the use of technology, have been retained as essential components to teaching Calculus in the modern age. The main reason we moved back to a more traditional way of teaching Calculus was that we found we needed a more intellectually challenging course with sound theoretical foundations for our math majors.
Year: 2011
Name: Ruth Berger
Institution: Luther College
Subject area(s): Calculus (special session 1)
Title of Talk: Calculus at Luther College
Abstract: Calculus at Luther College: Over the past two decades Calculus instruction at Luther has slowly moved from Reform Calculus back towards a more traditional approach. Several aspects of Reform Calculus, especially the use of technology, have been retained as essential components to teaching Calculus in the modern age. The main reason we moved back to a more traditional way of teaching Calculus was that we found we needed a more intellectually challenging course with sound theoretical foundations for our math majors.
ID:
333
Year: 2012
Name: Ruth Berger
Institution: Luther College
Subject area(s): Geometry
Title of Talk: A line need not be straight!
Abstract: In Geometry a line is an undefined term, governed only by whatever axioms you want to impose on it. Students have a hard time with proofs in non-Euclidean Geometries, because their Euclidean intuition about straight lines keeps interfering with their logical thinking. I try to have my students develop non-Euclidean intuition by introducing them to different worlds: The Green Jello World, inhabited by fish, consists of Jello that is less dense in one direction, but infinitely dense at the end of the world. Escher's World is as a disk populated by inhabitants in which everything shrinks towards the outside. By thinking like inhabitants of these worlds, students realize that you can get from A to B with fewer steps/flipper strokes by not necessarily following a Euclidean line. They naturally come up with the fact that lines (interpreted as shortest paths) can be curved looking paths! Having this hyperbolic intuition makes it much easier for students to write formal proofs in hyperbolic geometry.
Year: 2012
Name: Ruth Berger
Institution: Luther College
Subject area(s): Geometry
Title of Talk: A line need not be straight!
Abstract: In Geometry a line is an undefined term, governed only by whatever axioms you want to impose on it. Students have a hard time with proofs in non-Euclidean Geometries, because their Euclidean intuition about straight lines keeps interfering with their logical thinking. I try to have my students develop non-Euclidean intuition by introducing them to different worlds: The Green Jello World, inhabited by fish, consists of Jello that is less dense in one direction, but infinitely dense at the end of the world. Escher's World is as a disk populated by inhabitants in which everything shrinks towards the outside. By thinking like inhabitants of these worlds, students realize that you can get from A to B with fewer steps/flipper strokes by not necessarily following a Euclidean line. They naturally come up with the fact that lines (interpreted as shortest paths) can be curved looking paths! Having this hyperbolic intuition makes it much easier for students to write formal proofs in hyperbolic geometry.
ID:
367
Year: 2013
Name: Ruth Berger
Institution: Luther College
Subject area(s): Geometry
Title of Talk: Taxicab Geometry
Abstract: Making a small change in how distance is measured has a huge effect on the geometry of the plane. Circles now look like squares, Pi is an integer, and many other familiar objects have very unfamiliar shapes. Tilting a segment changes its size! Working in this geometry reinforces important skills that every math major needs to have: carefully read definitions and not make any assumptions based on intuition or previous experience. In this talk I will present some of the findings that my geometry students are expected to come up with.
Year: 2013
Name: Ruth Berger
Institution: Luther College
Subject area(s): Geometry
Title of Talk: Taxicab Geometry
Abstract: Making a small change in how distance is measured has a huge effect on the geometry of the plane. Circles now look like squares, Pi is an integer, and many other familiar objects have very unfamiliar shapes. Tilting a segment changes its size! Working in this geometry reinforces important skills that every math major needs to have: carefully read definitions and not make any assumptions based on intuition or previous experience. In this talk I will present some of the findings that my geometry students are expected to come up with.
ID:
123
Year: 2005
Name: Ruth Berger
Institution: Luther College
Subject area(s): Geometry
Title of Talk: Escher's World and Green Jello World - A Concrete Introduction to Hyperbolic Geometry
Abstract: Understanding theorems in non-Euclidean Geometry can be challenging to people who live in a Euclidean World. Since we do live on a sphere, Elliptic geometry makes some sense, but Hyperbolic geometry completely defies all our intuition. I will present two concrete examples of Poincare's models, which in class I refer to as "Escher's World" and the "Green Jello World". Thinking about what the inhabitants of these worlds might consider to be a straight line and other geometric concepts lets students accept the fact that Hyperbolic geometry is in fact just as natural as Euclidean Geometry.
Year: 2005
Name: Ruth Berger
Institution: Luther College
Subject area(s): Geometry
Title of Talk: Escher's World and Green Jello World - A Concrete Introduction to Hyperbolic Geometry
Abstract: Understanding theorems in non-Euclidean Geometry can be challenging to people who live in a Euclidean World. Since we do live on a sphere, Elliptic geometry makes some sense, but Hyperbolic geometry completely defies all our intuition. I will present two concrete examples of Poincare's models, which in class I refer to as "Escher's World" and the "Green Jello World". Thinking about what the inhabitants of these worlds might consider to be a straight line and other geometric concepts lets students accept the fact that Hyperbolic geometry is in fact just as natural as Euclidean Geometry.
ID:
405
Year: 2014
Name: Ruth Berger
Institution: Luther College
Subject area(s): Geometry
Title of Talk: Conic Sections in Grid City
Abstract: I will present some word problems that can be used at the high school level, or with pre-service teachers, to make students think about the definition of distance and the definitions of the figures known as conic sections in Euclidean Geometry. These real-world problems about distance measurement on a city grid introduce students to Taxicab geometry, an easily accessible topic that can lead to thought provoking questions at many different levels.
Year: 2014
Name: Ruth Berger
Institution: Luther College
Subject area(s): Geometry
Title of Talk: Conic Sections in Grid City
Abstract: I will present some word problems that can be used at the high school level, or with pre-service teachers, to make students think about the definition of distance and the definitions of the figures known as conic sections in Euclidean Geometry. These real-world problems about distance measurement on a city grid introduce students to Taxicab geometry, an easily accessible topic that can lead to thought provoking questions at many different levels.
ID:
406
Year: 2014
Name: Mike Johnson
Institution: Luther College
Subject area(s):
Title of Talk: Missing Avalanche Sizes in the 1 dimensional sandpile model
Abstract: The one-dimensional sandpile model has many interesting connections with number theory. When looking at the size of sandpile avalanches, powers of 2 seem to be mysteriously absent. Using a trough model, we classify avalanches into two categories. The size of each type can be described as either a sum of consecutive integers or a product of two integers with controlled sum. Since powers of two cannot be written as a sum of two or more consecutive positive integers, this explains why powers of two are not common avalanche sizes. We then estimate the minimal sandpile length required to find an avalanche of a given size.
Year: 2014
Name: Mike Johnson
Institution: Luther College
Subject area(s):
Title of Talk: Missing Avalanche Sizes in the 1 dimensional sandpile model
Abstract: The one-dimensional sandpile model has many interesting connections with number theory. When looking at the size of sandpile avalanches, powers of 2 seem to be mysteriously absent. Using a trough model, we classify avalanches into two categories. The size of each type can be described as either a sum of consecutive integers or a product of two integers with controlled sum. Since powers of two cannot be written as a sum of two or more consecutive positive integers, this explains why powers of two are not common avalanche sizes. We then estimate the minimal sandpile length required to find an avalanche of a given size.
ID:
171
Year: 2006
Name: Reginald Laursen
Institution: Luther College
Subject area(s): Real Analysis
Title of Talk: Classroom Capsule: Teaching Challenge-Response Arguments
Abstract: The forward-backward method is a fundamental proof technique for helping students understand how to construct proofs. I will describe my latest variation in the application of this technique for addressing challenge-response arguments in a Real Analysis class. Using this variation my lower ability students have had greater success.
Year: 2006
Name: Reginald Laursen
Institution: Luther College
Subject area(s): Real Analysis
Title of Talk: Classroom Capsule: Teaching Challenge-Response Arguments
Abstract: The forward-backward method is a fundamental proof technique for helping students understand how to construct proofs. I will describe my latest variation in the application of this technique for addressing challenge-response arguments in a Real Analysis class. Using this variation my lower ability students have had greater success.