Kentucky Section Newsletter

Winter Issue -- January 2000


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Table of Contents


FROM THE CHAIR

Happy New Millennium or Not: Whether you believe the new millennium began this past January 1or it will begin next January 1, I wish you a happy, productive, and rewarding New Year. One advantage to having a controversy is that we will have to celebrate New Year's Eve with equal fervor next year.

Our 2000 Meeting: Amy King of Eastern Kentucky University has been hard at work organizing our annual section meeting, which will take place on Eastern's campus on March 31and April 1. She assures me that plans are coming together and that we will have a great get-together. As the meeting draws near, I trust you are making plans to present your latest mathematical discoveries and teaching innovations to our section.

Students Are Welcome to Attend: I would like to invite you to bring your students and to encourage them to present papers at the meeting. Hopefully, we can continue with the level of student participation, which was evident at the University of Louisville last year. Lisa Elderbrock, the student chapter coordinator for our section, is planning an interesting program for the students.

Websites: The national MAA has a website at www.maa.org. Our KYMAA section website can be accessed from the national site or www4.wku.edu/~miller/KYMAA.homepage.html. Lyn Miller of Western Kentucky University maintains the KYMAA website. Finally, there is a website which gives details about our annual meeting. This year it is www.kymaa.eku.edu, at Eastern Kentucky University.

Ray Tennant

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A CALL FOR PAPERS

One of the main activities of each annual meeting is the presentation of papers by faculty and students. Please consider giving a talk at this year's meeting. Use this opportunity to share with colleagues mathematical ideas and insights, an interesting mathematical application or an effective teaching innovation. For students, consider reporting on an honor's project or a summer research project. A panel presentation on current mathematical issues is always interesting.

For both faculty and students, if you wish to make a presentation, fill out the Presentation Abstract Form and submit by February 14, 2000. A copy of the form is included in this newsletter. Make copies if needed. In general, talks are scheduled for 20-minute intervals. (Special presentations can be allocated if a longer time is necessary.) It is important to note any special needs and a time preference on the form. Submit the Abstract Form by either regular mail, e-mail, or fax. Addresses can be found on the registration form

David Shannon

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OUR INVITED TALKS

The short course on Friday afternoon will be conducted by Professor Paul Eakin and several of his colleagues from the University of Kentucky. For the past two years they have been experimenting with some fundamental ways to use technology to change (and hopefully enhance) the classroom experience -- both for low-level and upper-level math courses. Issues like virtual learning environments and distance learning will naturally be discussion issues that could be explored based on their presentations. They will share both their successes and their failures and will provide participants with demo CD-ROMs.

On Friday evening, the invited talk will be given by Professor Walter Mientka from the University of Nebraska. For many years, Professor Mientka was the Executive Director of the American Mathematical Competitions sponsored by the Mathematical Association of America. Currently he is helping to organize the effort of the United States to host the 2001 International Mathematical Olympiad. Dr. Mientka is a lively and entertaining speaker who will share his vast knowledge of elementary, interesting problems as well as some of the fascinating details of the International Mathematical Olympiad competitions.

The featured speaker on Saturday morning will be Professor Harriet Pollatsek from Mount Holyoke College. Dr. Pollatsek has a reputation as an outstanding teacher and speaker. Her research interests are in group theory and coding theory including the new field of quantum coding. Her talk will include an introduction to this new field of quantum coding. She has also been involved in several innovative undergraduate mathematics programs at Mount Holyoke and is more than willing to share with faculty the successes of these programs. Dr. Pollatsek is profiled in the recently published book Notable Women in Mathematics.

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ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER

The KYMAA Section Newsletter is now available via email. If you would prefer to receive your newsletter this way should send email to William Harris, the KYMAA Newsletter Editor (wharris@georgetowncollege.edu). Please follow these guidelines:

1. Your message should be entitled, "Electronic Newsletter."

2. You should include the email address at which you wish to receive the newsletter in the body of your message.

3. You need to indicate the format you wish to receive. Current options are plain text or Microsoft Word attachment.

If you choose to receive the electronic version of the newsletter, you will no longer receive the "hard" version through regular mail.

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INFORMATION ON LOCAL ARRANGEMENTS

Lodging:
Holiday Inn
100 Eastern By-Pass
Richmond, KY  40475
1-800-HOLIDAY
(606) 623-9220
Take I-75 Exit 87. There are non-smoking rooms available, and a full-service hot breakfast is included in the discounted price of $50 + 9.18% tax. Refer to KYMAA for this rate. If rooms are available, the price is good for the evenings of March 31 and April 1. Twenty rooms with this discounted price will be held until thirty days before the meeting.

Knights Inn
1688 Northgate Dr.
Richmond, KY  40475
1-800-441-1953
(606) 624-2612
Take I-75, Exit 90. Coffee is available, but not breakfast. However, there is a Cracker Barrel in this complex. Price is $32.95 + 9.18% tax. Refer to KYMAA for this rate. Twenty-five rooms have blocked off for the meeting.

A detailed map will be included in the Spring Newsletter. There are also several other motels in Richmond. The new Hampton Inn, 1-800-Hampton, 606-626-1002 has given is a discounted price of $69.00 with a deluxe continental breakfast. Please contact Amy C. King, e-mail: amyking@lex.infi.net, if you wish additional information.

Meals: This year, there will be no official breakfast meal at the meeting. For both the Friday banquet and the Saturday business luncheon, note there are vegetarian and non-vegetarian options.

Friday banquet:

Option I--Vegetarian: ($10.50) 	Option II: ($12.00)
Layered Salad			Layered Salad
Pasta Primavera Alfredo		Spoonbread
Italian Breadsticks		Chicken Breast w/ Champagne Mushroom Sauce
Gourmet Cheesecake		Wild Rice Blend	
				Steamed Broccoli
				Gourmet Cheesecake
Saturday Luncheon:
Option I--Vegetarian: ($8.50)   	Option II:  ($9.00)
Garden Salad w/ Assorted Dressings	Classic Club Sandwich
French Onion Soup			Potato Salad
Garlic Bread				Assorted Relishes
Fresh Fruit Medley			Fresh Fruit Medley

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KY SECTION MAA MEETING FACULTY REGISTRATION FORM

March 31-April 1, 2000
Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond


Name		_______________________________________________

School		_______________________________________________

Address		_______________________________________________
		
		_______________________________________________

		_______________________________________________

Phone		_______________________________________________

E-mail		_______________________________________________

Check all that apply.

____	1.  Conference Registration/Dues		      	$13.00

____	2.  Short Course  (Friday afternoon)			No Charge
			
____	3.  Friday Banquet Option I 	(Vegetarian)		$10.50

____	4.  Friday Banquet Option II				$12.00	

____	5.  Friday Invited Address  				No Charge

____	6.  Aftermath  (Friday evening)				No Charge

____	7.  Saturday Invited Address				No Charge

____	8.  Saturday Bus. Luncheon Option I (Vegetarian)	$8.50	

____	9.  Saturday Bus. Luncheon Option II			$9.00
							----------------------

						TOTAL ENCLOSED	$__________
Deadline for advance registration is Friday, March 17, 2000. Make checks payable to KY Section--MAA and remit to: Karin Chess, Department of Mathematics, Owensboro Community College, 4800 New Hartford Road, Owensboro, KY 42303.

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KY SECTION MAA MEETING PRESENTATION ABSTRACT FORM

March 31-April 1, 2000
Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond


Name		_______________________________________________

School		_______________________________________________

Address		_______________________________________________
		
		_______________________________________________

		_______________________________________________

Phone		_______________________________________________

E-mail		_______________________________________________

Title of Presentation	_______________________________________

Time Preference	(    ) Fri. afternoon	(    ) Sat. morning	(    ) no preference

I am:		(    ) faculty 	(    ) undergraduate	(    ) grad student

Avoid conflict with short course?	(    )   Yes		(    )   No

Abstract of talk:
.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

This form must be received by Monday, February 14, 2000. Submit to: David Shannon, Department of Mathematics, Transylvania University, 300 N. Broadway, Lexington, Kentucky 40508-1797. Phone: (606) 233-8185 Fax: (606) 233-8171. E-mail submissions are encouraged! Send to: dshannon@transy.edu .

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KY SECTION MAA MEETING STUDENT REGISTRATION FORM

March 31-April 1, 2000
Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond


Name		_______________________________________________


School		_______________________________________________


E-mail		_______________________________________________


Classification (circle one):   	Fr	So	Jr	Sr	Gr


Check all that apply.

1.  I would like to join the group for dinner on Friday evening.		____

2.  I could use some help finding a place to sleep				____

3.  I would like to give a talk on Friday afternoon.				____

4.  I would like to give a talk on Saturday morning.				____

5.  I will attend the MAA business luncheon on Saturday afternoon, and 
am enclosing $8.50 (Option I - Vegetarian) or $9.00 (Option II) payable 
to the KY Section MAA.                                                          ____

Circle your lunch choice:	        Option I		Option II

If you wish to give a talk at the meeting, please indicate this by submitting the Presentation Abstract Form as well. Please note that the abstract form is to be received by David Shannon at Transylvania University by February 14. Please direct any questions you have to Lisa Elderbrock (elderbrockl@nku.edu). Mail this form to Lisa Elderbrock, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, KY 41099. It must be submitted by Friday, March 17, 2000.

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KENTUCKY SECTION OFFICERS 1999-2000



Governor (1999-2002)			Chair (1999-2001)
Donald Bennett				Ray Tennant   
Dept. of Math. & Statistics		Dept. of Math., Stat. & Comp. Sci
P.O. Box 9				Eastern Kentucky University
Murray State University			Richmond, KY  40475
Murray, KY  42071			tennant@acs.eku.edu
dbennett@mursuky.edu				
			

Chair Elect (1999-2001) and 
AHSME Coordinator(1997-2000)		Vice-Chair (1998-2001)
David Shannon				J. Lyn Miller
Dept. of Mathematics	 		Department of Mathematics
Transylvania University			Western Kentucky University
Lexington, KY  40508-1797		Bowling Green, KY  42101
dshannon@transy.edu			lyn.miller@wku.edu
			

Secretary/Treasurer (1997-2000)		Newsletter Editor (1997-2000)
Karin Chess				William Harris
Department of Mathematics		Dept. of Math, Physics & Comp. Sci.
Owensboro Community College		Georgetown College  Box 234
4800 New Hartford Road			400 E. College St.
Owensboro, KY  42303			Georgetown, KY  40324
karin.chess@kctcs.net			wharris@georgetowncollege.edu


Stud. Chapters Coord. (1998-2001)	2000 Meeting Coordinator
Lisa Elderbrock				Amy C. King
Dept. of Math. and Comp. Sci.		1228 Tates Creek Road
Northern Kentucky University		Lexington, KY  40502
Highland Heights, KY  41099		amyking@lex.infi.net
elderbrockl@nku.edu