Winter 2007 Newsletter

From the Chair	A Call for Papers
The Governor's Corner	Nominations Needed
The Annual KYMAA Meeting	Hey Students!
The Invited Talks - including abstracts	KYMAA Section NExT !!!

From the Chair

As many of you know, each year the Joint Policy Board for Mathematics, a collaborative effort of the MAA, AMS, ASA and SIAM, makes a special effort to increase public understanding and appreciation of mathematics during the Mathematics Awareness Month of April.  This year the theme is Mathematics and the Brain.  Now I realize that our spring section meeting at Northern Kentucky University takes place on March 30 and 31 but I think it makes a wonderful lead into Math Awareness Month.  It would be great if anyone out there in the section could give a contributed talk related to the theme or to activities planned for the month. 

I look forward to seeing many of you at the meeting.  I especially want to urge newcomers in the section to come see what is happening in the KYMAA.  I also want to encourage you to make this the year that you get that abstract in to Tom Richmond well before the deadline.  While you are at it go ahead and register for the meeting.  You know you’re going to attend.  Register early and get the best hotel room.  Talk to your students now and get them excited about coming.  NKU will be the best place to get your math awareness cranked up for this spring. 

John Wilson at wilson@centre.edu
KYMAA Chair

The Governor's Corner

The Joint Meetings were in New Orleans this January. It was good to see a number of current (and former) KYMAA folks there. The city seems to be very slowly getting back on its feet. Once the Sugar Bowl crowds went home there was nobody in the French Quarter but mathematicians. The locals didn't know what to make of us!

The MAA is in good shape financially. In summary we have around $10 million in operating budget, $6 million in endowments and investments, $8 million in building and $6 million in grants. The renovated Carriage House behind MAA HQ will open officially this April, with a big celebration. All members are invited. Several workshops are scheduled there this summer. It is expected that the facility will earn a good deal of money for the MAA.

Membership is solid, around 23,000, but attention is being paid to convincing younger mathematicians of the value of being members. Your ideas for recruiting are welcome.

Mathfest this summer will be in San Jose, California, August 3-5. It should be a great meeting, but it is a bit of a trip for us here in the Commonwealth. The January meetings in 2008 will be in San Diego, California.

The MAA continues its Strategic Planning Process. There is a nice article about this in the current issue of Focus.

Be sure to check out MAA Online, and also all the excellent publications from MAA.

The MAA will be 100 years old in 2015. Plans are underway for a big celebration in Washington, DC, Our section is one of the oldest, two years younger than the MAA, I believe, so we should also be thinking of a celebration in 2017. Some sections are writing section histories, ours among them. There is an idea to pull them together into a history of the MAA. This task has tentatively been delegated to HOMSIGMAA, the MAA special interest group in the History of Mathematics (of which I am Chair.)

Be sure to look for opportunities to share your interests and ability, either by serving the KYMAA, or the national MAA.

Dan Curtin at curtin@nku.edu
KYMAA Governor

The Annual KYMAA Meeting

More information is provided below, including a description of the invited talks, a call for papers, a call for nominations and information for students. Information to facilitate your attendance of the meeting, including various forms for registration and talks, directions, lodging information, and meal information can be found on our 2007 Annual Meeting and 2007 Meeting Program webpages. Complete program details will appear in the next newsletter on March 12, 2007. Please note the following important dates for the KYMAA Annual Meeting:

• February 28 : Deadline for submitting abstracts for talks at the meeting AND nominations for officers.
• March 12 : Publication date of meeting program on this website.
• MARCH 16 : Registration Deadline. You Must register by this date if you would like to join us for meals at the meeting since the caterer needs a headcount by this date. At the very least e-mail our section secretary  Leanne Faulkner at LeanneF@kwc.edu . Payment for meals should be in regular mail by this date.
• March 30 - 31 : a grand celebration of Kentucky mathematics at NKU!

Finally, our schedule of hosts for future section meetings is:

March 30-31, 2007	Northern Kentucky University
2008	Western Kentucky University
2009	Any volunteers?

Please contact any officer of KYMAA if you would interested in hosting a future meeting; we're always on the look out for a good meeting site!

The Invited Talks

On Friday evening, the invited talk will be given by Professor Aparna Higgins of the University of Dayton. The title of her talk is Demonic Graphs and Undergraduate Research.

 Saturday morning will feature two invited speakers:

• Last year's recipient of the Kentucky Section's Distinguished Teaching Award, Professor Austin French of Georgetown College, will speak on Teaching:  How to Grow Better Instead of Bitter, How to Grow Better Instead of Burned Out.
   

• Our second invited speaker on Saturday morning is the Polya Lecturer Bernd Sturmfels of UC Berkeley, who will speak on The Joy of Solving Equations. 

 Abstracts and Bios

Aparna Higgins,  Demonic Graphs and Undergraduate Research.

Abstract: My work with undergraduates on mathematical research has been one of the most satisfying aspects of my teaching career. This talk will highlight some of the beauty and depth of the research done by my former undergraduate students on line graphs and pebbling on graphs. We will consider iterated line graphs, some pioneering results in pebbling graphs, and pebbling numbers of line graphs. The results of some of the later students built on work done by the earlier ones, and have spawned some of my own recent research.

Biographical Information: Dr. Aparna Higgins received a B.Sc. in mathematics from the University of Bombay in 1978 and a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Notre Dame in 1983. Her dissertation was in universal algebra, and her current research interests are in graph theory. She has taught at the University of Dayton, Ohio, since 1984. Although Dr. Higgins enjoys teaching the usual collection of undergraduate courses and an occasional graduate course, her most fulfilling experiences as a teacher have come from directing undergraduates in mathematical research. She has advised eleven undergraduate Honors theses; she has co-directed an NSF-sponsored Research Experiences for Undergraduates program. Dr. Higgins has been the recipient of four teaching awards--from the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Dayton, the Alumni Award (a University-wide award), the Ohio Section of the MAA, and in 2005, the Deborah and Tepper Haimo Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching, which is the MAA’s most prestigious award for teaching. Dr. Higgins has chaired the MAA Committee on Student Chapters and is co-director of Project NExT.

Austin French,  Teaching:  How to Grow Better Instead of Bitter, How to Grow Better Instead of Burned Out

Abstract: 45 minutes of  one sentences that I have learned, any one of which can drastically make things better for teacher and student.  How to have enjoyable, briefer prep time and paper grading time.  How to enjoy teaching the lowest level courses.  How to overcome in the area of campus politics and the competition of class time with pledging.  Substitutionary burden bearing by a wisdom system.  Minimality measure for math excellence.  Quagmireism vs. clear\conciseism in education.  Dependence reinforcing help vs. transformation help for students. An option to having a battle of the wills with non-star performers….and much more.

Biographical Information: Austin French received his Ph.D. in mathematics from Auburn University, an M.S. in computer science from UK, and has subsequently held positions at David Lipscomb, Louisiana State, UK, and, since 1976, Georgetown College. He has consulted for Toyota, Proctor and Gamble, and IBM. His excellence in teaching has been recognized at Georgetown on five occasions. Since 2002, he has published seven books and accompanying DVDs and CDs. Additionally, he has papers in three academic disciplines.

Bernd Sturmfels,  The Joy of Solving Equations

Abstract: Grobner bases are a fun method for solving algebraic equations.  See how it works, why it is useful, and what you should do with the coins in your pocket.

Biographical Information:  Bernd Sturmfels received doctoral degrees in Mathematics in 1987 from the University of Washington, Seattle, and the Technical University Darmstadt, Germany. After two postdoctoral years at the Insitute for Mathematics and its Applications, Minneapolis, and the Research Institute for Symbolic Computation, Linz, Austria, he taught at Cornell University, before joining UC Berkeley in 1995, where he is Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science. His honors include a National Young Investigator Fellowship, a Sloan Fellowship, and a David and Lucile Packard Fellowship. Sturmfels served as von Neumann Professor at TU Munich in Summer 2002, as the Hewlett-Packard Research Professor at MSRI Berkeley in 2003/04, and he was a Clay Senior Scholar in 2004. A leading experimentalist among mathematicians, Sturmfels has authored or edited 13 books and about 150 research articles, in the areas of combinatorics, algebraic geometry, symbolic computation and their applications. He currently works on algebraic methods in statistics and computational biology.

A Call for Papers

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

Tom Richmond
Department of Mathematics
Western Kentucky University
1906 College Heights Blvd #11078
Bowling Green, KY 42101-1078
e-mail: tom.richmond@wku.edu
fon: 270 - 745 - 6219
fax: 270 - 745 - 3699

Nominations Needed

This spring we will be holding elections for Vice-Chair, Chair Elect, Newsletter Editor, and Treasurer.  All new officers will begin their terms at the Executive Committee Meeting immediately following the Annual Business Meeting in the spring.  The new Vice-Chair and Newsletter Editor will serve three-year terms.  The Chair Elect will serve for four years, two as Chair Elect and then two years as the Chair of the section.  The new Treasurer will serve for four years simply to balance out the future election schedule.  Subsequently the Treasurer’s term of office will be three years.      

If you have any questions about these positions, please feel free to contact the current people in these positions or read the “job descriptions” in our bylaws.

• Kathy Lewis is our current Vice-Chair and can be contacted at: k.lewis@morehead-st.edu  
• Tom Richmond is our current Chair Elect and can be contacted at tom.richmond@wku.edu
• Doug Chatham is our current Newsletter Editor-Webmaster and can be contacted at: d.chatham@morehead-st.edu

Please forward the name and affiliation of any Section member you would like to nominate for one of these offices to any member of the Nominating Committee by February 28. Self-nominations are entirely appropriate.

• Christine Leverenz at cleveren@georgetowncollege.edu
• Steven Wilkinson at wilkinson@nku.edu
• Dora Ahmadi at d.ahmadi@morehead-st.edu
• Scott Dillery at dillerys@lindsey.edu
• John Wilson at john.wilson@centre.edu

Hey Students!

I hope your fall term went well.  Seniors who are planning to go to graduate school are busy applying to graduate programs – and working hard to finish their undergraduate studies strong!  If you will still be an undergraduate in the Fall Semester of 2007, then you should consider participating in a summer REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates).  Check out http://www.maa.org/students/undergrad/research.html for more information.  Faculty members can help you determine which REUs you would like best, and they can help you apply.  Depending on the REU, the application deadline may be any time from the end of January through late March.

Don’t forget the Mathematical Contest in Modeling (MCM) and the Interdisciplinary Contest in Modeling (ICM).  These are four day competitions that start at 8pm on Thursday, February 8 and end at 8pm on Monday, February 12. This competition is for three-student teams. Your institution may have more than one team, but a student may be on only one team and each team works on only one problem. More information is available from http://www.comap.com/undergraduate/contests/mcm/.  The registration deadline is 2pm on Thursday, February 8. 

April is Mathematics Awareness Month. This year's theme is Mathematics and the Brain. For information concerning activities and to download a poster, check out http://www.mathaware.org/. Encourage your math/computer science clubs to organize activities during the month of April. You can also kick off the 2007 Mathematics Awareness Month celebration by organizing a trip to attend the Annual KYMAA Section Meeting, March 30-31, 2007 at Northern Kentucky University.

The KYMAA Section Meeting is a great opportunity for students to give a talk to a friendly audience. Twenty undergraduate students presented papers at the 2006 meeting. Start thinking about a presentation, discuss it with a professor at your institution and get ready. Here are some ideas: Discuss your team’s work in the MCM or ICM.  If there is a mathematics or computer science topic you would like to investigate, do the work, then share what you learned at the section meeting. This activity makes your resume more attractive. Student presenters will have a choice of a free one-year subscription to the Mathematical Association of America, which includes a monthly publication of the student's choice, or a book.

When you register for the meeting, register for the Friday evening banquet, too. Meals for students will again be at a discounted price. Students who have attended the banquet in the past have truly enjoyed it. Don’t miss it!

I will be writing a newsletter to be included with the registration packet at the section meeting, and I need your help providing highlights of your activities. Please have one of your club members send a brief summary to m.dobranski@moreheadstate.edu. Your responses are highly appreciated.

If you have any questions about the information above, please feel free to contact me.

Mike Dobranski at m.dobranski@moreheadstate.edu
KYMAA Student Chapters Coordinator

KYMAA Section NExT

Modeled after the National Project NExT, the mission of the Kentucky Section NExT (New Experiences in Teaching), is to support soon-to-be, newly-minted, and recent-but-untenured Ph.D.s in the mathematical sciences (including all areas of mathematics, statistics, operations research, and mathematics education) in their role as mathematics faculty. In particular, the goal of KY-NExT is to foster and enhance all aspects of an academic career: high-quality teaching and learning of mathematics, productive research and scholarship, and meaningful professional activities.

The KY-NExT program will immediately precede the annual KYMAA spring meeting, beginning the evening before and ending just as the KYMAA meeting commences. This year’s program includes inspiring presentations by award winning faculty from Kentucky and beyond, as well as panel discussions on discovering one’s teaching style and balancing responsibilities and activities beyond teaching.

To these ends, KY-NExT seeks applications from any and all untenured mathematics faculty and mathematics graduate students who anticipate graduating with a Ph.D. by Fall 2008. KY-NExT is intended to be a two-year program, so selection will favor applicants who are able to demonstrate a two-year commitment.

Please submit applications to Anne Collins at collins@centre.edu by February 23rd.
We anticipate that review of applications will be completed no later than February 28th.

A complete application will include:

• A brief personal statement (two-page maximum, one-page preferred) describing your approach to teaching and learning mathematics, and what you expect to gain from participating in KY-NExT.
   
• A short (one-page) vitae, which should include contact information, education and employment history, teaching experience, and research interests.
   
• A statement of support from your chair or dean indicating a willingness to:
   
  • Support or coordinate your release from teaching and other responsibilities on March 30, 2007 as well as the as-yet-undetermined Friday of the 2008 KYMAA meeting.
     
  • Pay for registration, Friday night lodging, and Friday evening and Saturday morning meals for the KYMAA Annual Meeting in Spring 2007 at Northern Kentucky University and in Spring 2008 at (tentatively) Western Kentucky University, estimated to be $100 to $150 per meeting. Note that KY-NExT funds will cover all costs of attending the KY-NExT program, including the Thursday evening Ice Cream Social, Thursday night lodging, and breakfast and lunch on Friday.