Fall 2008 Newsletter

From the Chair	Call for Adler Award Nominations
From the Chair-Elect	Call for KYMAA Nominations
From the Vice-Chair	The Annual KYMAA Meeting
From the Student Chapters Coordinator	MAA Launches Math Classifieds
The Governor's Corner
KYMAA Teaching Award	News from the Chapters!!!

From the Chair

It was a pleasure to see so many of you at the 2008 meeting at WKU. With about 155 registered participants, the meeting was well-attended. Thanks to all who contributed to the success of that meeting by attending or giving a presentation, and thanks to WKU site-coordinator Molly Dunkum and the WKU local arrangements committee.

Congratulations to Patrick Costello of EKU on receiving the 2008 KYMAA Distinguished Teaching Award. I look forward to hearing Pat speak at the 2009 meeting at Kentucky State University in Frankfort. Please consider nominating someone for the 2009 Distinguished Teaching Award. The deadline and other information are given below.

Congratulations also to Bill Fenton of Bellarmine University, who is starting a 3-year term as Governor of the Section. The Governor is the Section's main representative to the national MAA office.

Thanks to Humana, Inc. and Geoff Rulland from their DePere, WI office for sponsoring the t-shirt design contest. The winning entry was from the Lindsey Wilson College team of students Ricky New and Serena Bradbury.

We will have elections for three offices this year: Secretary, Student Chapters Coordinator, and Chair-Elect. If you are interested in serving or would like to nominate someone, please contact a member of the nominating committee listed below. The election will take place at the business luncheon of the March 2009 meeting.

I have recently returned from the September KYMAA Executive Committee meeting and site-visit to the 2009 meeting venue, Kentucky State University. The KSU facilities and organization are impressive, and Chair-Elect Will Harris has arranged an excellent slate of invited speakers. Together with your contributions, in the form of presentations, participation in panels, or just hallway conversations, the March 27-28, 2009 meeting promises to be an excellent event. It's not too early to mark your calendars!

Tom Richmond
Chair
tom.richmond@wku.edu

From the Chair-Elect

From the Vice-Chair

We will hold our second annual t-shirt design contest for undergraduates in the mathematical sciences. The winning design will be placed on t-shirts to be given to all undergraduate attendees to this year's KYMAA spring meeting to be held at Kentucky State University. Faculty, please encourage your students to enter and to attend the spring meeting. The entry deadline is February 9, 2009, and rules and submission requirements may be found on the KYMAA website http://www.maa.org/Kentucky .

As mentioned last year, the origami display by Duk Lee of Asbury College at the spring meeting was well received. So, I would again like to invite faculty to continue this practice. Should you wish to display your mathematically inspiring curios and designs at the KYMAA spring meeting, please contact me at dillerys@lindsey.edu.

Scott Dillery
Vice-Chair
dillerys@lindsey.edu

From the Student Chapters Coordinator

Hey Students!

My name is Mike Dobranski, and I'm the Student Chapters Coordinator for the KYMAA. I hope your fall term is going well so far.  If your institution does not have a student chapter or a math club, talk to your professors about starting one.  Chapter or club meetings are a great place to share summer research experiences with other students and faculty.  Here's a link to the MAA page with information on starting a student chapter at your school - http://www.maa.org/students/chapter_index.html.

Whether or not you have a chapter or club, there are several competitions you may want to attempt.  The first competition is the Virginia Tech Regional Mathematics Competition (VTRMC).  You need to have a faculty member who is willing to register your institution and proctor the exam.  Information is available from http://www.math.vt.edu/people/plinnell/Vtregional/.  Institutional registration is due by Wednesday, October 8, 2008, and the competition will take place on Saturday, November 1, 2008 at your institution.  The second competition is the Sixty-Ninth Annual William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition. Information is available from http://math.scu.edu/putnam/index.html.  The faculty advisor needs to request a registration packet as soon as possible in order to return the registration materials by October 14, 2008. The competition will take place at your institution on Saturday, December 6, 2008.

The final competition that I'll mention is the Mathematical Contest in Modeling (MCM) and the Interdisciplinary Contest in Modeling (ICM).  These are competitions that run for an entire weekend.  This year the competition starts on Thursday, February 5 and ends on Monday, February 9, 2009.  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/.

Students who are planning to go to graduate school in Fall 2009 should be preparing to apply.  Application deadlines may be as early as November for the most competitive programs.  Ask your professors for recommendation letters as soon as possible so they have time to write good letters.  If you'll still be an undergraduate in the 2009-2010 school year, you should consider applying for a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program for Summer 2009.  I'll provide more information on REUs in an upcoming newsletter.

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

The Governor's Corner

On July 30, 2008 at MathFest, I attended my first Governors' Board meeting. A great deal of business was accomplished in this seven hour session; here are some highlights.

FINANCIAL STATUS
The MAA continues to be fiscally sound. The total net assets are at their highest level ever. Gross income continues to comfortably exceed total expenses.

The treasurer's reports and other financial information will soon be available on the MAA website, in the "members only" section.

STRATEGIC PLANNING
This is ongoing. Some of the topics being examined by the working groups are: the American Mathematics Competitions, professional development, revenue, governance, periodicals and communications, membership, and students. The staff at national headquarters have been very responsive to the suggestions from the working groups.

Regarding governance, work is beginning on revisions to the bylaws of the MAA. The MAA has grown greatly in membership and finances since the current bylaws were written, and the working group has many recommendations for updates. Ultimately any changes to the bylaws must be approved by the general membership of the MAA.

COMMITTEES
The committees have been organized into eight councils. For instance, the Council on Education has 29 committees under it. A complete listing can be found at the MAA website under Organization in the "members only" section.

The MAA has many committees doing essential work for the Association. Additional members are highly desired for these committees, and I encourage anyone interested in participating to contact me.
 

KYMAA Teaching Award - Call for Nominations

Nominations for the Kentucky Section's 2009 Distinguished Teaching Award are now being accepted. The Kentucky Section Selection Committee will choose one of the nominees for the Section Award. The awardee will be honored at the KYMAA Annual Meeting in Spring 2009. The awardee will also be the official Kentucky Section candidate for the pool of teachers from which the national recipients of the MAA Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo Awards for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics will be selected, although the committee does also consider direct nominations from MAA members. More information on the award, past winners, and nomination instructions can be found on the national MAA website ate: http://www.maa.org/awards/haimo.html. Past winners of the KYMAA Distinguished Teaching Award can be found at: http://www.maa.org/kentucky/ (Click on the Service and Teaching Awards link.)

We urge you to submit a nomination of someone who is eligible and qualified in your department. Even if the nominee is not selected this year, it is an honor to be nominated. Your department will receive recognition for its commitment to excellence in teaching, and the work done in preparing a nomination folder for your candidate is not wasted, since your candidate can be nominated again in a future year. Self-nomination is not permitted.

Eligibility

• College or university teachers assigned at least halftime during the academic year to teaching a mathematical science in a public or private college or university (from two-year college teaching through teaching at the Ph.D. level) in the United States or Canada. Those on approved leave (sabbatical or other) during the academic year in which they are nominated qualify if they fulfilled the requirements in the previous year.
• At least five years teaching experience in a mathematical science.
• Membership in the Mathematical Association of America.

Guidelines for Nomination
The nominees should:

• be widely recognized as extraordinarily successful in their teaching*;
• have teaching effectiveness that can be documented;
• have had influence in their teaching beyond their own institutions**;
• foster curiosity and generate excitement about mathematics in their students.

* "teaching" is to be interpreted in its broadest sense, not necessarily limited to classroom teaching (it may include activities such as preparing students for mathematical competitions at the college level--for example, the Putnam Prize Competition or the Mathematical Contest in Modeling--or attracting students to become majors in a mathematical science or to become Ph.D. candidates).

** "influence beyond their own institutions" can take many forms, including: demonstrated lasting impact on alumni; influence on the profession through curricular revisions in college mathematics teaching with national impact; influential, innovative books on the teaching of college mathematics; etc.

Nominations must include the appropriate "Evidence of Extraordinary Success in Teaching," the first page of which is the "Nomination Form." Please follow the instructions on that form precisely to assure uniformity in the selection process both at the Section and National level. The form and instructions can be obtained at the MAA website: http://www.maa.org/sections/teachingawards.htm or via the following links:  

Evidence of Extraordinary Success in Teaching (word)
Nomination Form (word)

If the Nomination Form is received by the Section Secretary by November 7, 2008, the Secretary will ask the nominee's Department Chair to work with the nominator in supplying the additional required materials. Ultimately, a complete nomination must also include Evidence of Success in Teaching as described on the back of the nomination form. Final deadline for receipt of all materials is December 1, 2008. If the file on the Section's awardee significantly exceeds the limits prescribed, it will not be considered for a national award and will be returned to the Section. Please send one copy of all materials to the Section Secretary (electronic submissions preferred):

Leanne Faulkner at LeanneF@kwc.edu
Department of Mathematics
Kentucky Wesleyan College
3000 Frederica St.
Owensboro, KY 42301

We look forward to your participation in this exciting MAA venture of taking substantive action to honor extraordinarily successful teaching. We want to see such teaching recognized at all post-secondary school levels. We depend on you to help us identify those who merit such recognition.

This year the Teaching Award Committee members are

• Alex McAllister, Chair (alex.mcallister@centre.edu)
• Pat Costello (pat.costello@eku.edu)
• Rob Donnelly (rob.donnelly@murraystate.edu)
• Andy Long (longa@nku.edu)
• Christine Leverenz (Christine_Leverenz@georgetowncollege.edu)

Henry L. Alder Award for Distinguished Teaching

In January 2003 the MAA established the Henry L. Alder Award for Distinguished Teaching by a Beginning College or University Mathematics Faculty Member to honor beginning college or university faculty whose teaching has been extraordinarily successful and whose effectiveness in teaching undergraduate mathematics is shown to have influence beyond their own classrooms. An awardee must have taught full time in a mathematical science in the United States or Canada for at least two, but not more than seven, years since receiving the Ph.D. Each year at most three college or university teachers are to be honored with this national award and are to receive a $1,000 award and a certificate of recognition from the MAA. Award recipients will be expected to make a presentation at one of the national meetings of the MAA.

Nominations for the award may be made by any member of the MAA.

For more information, see http://www.maa.org/awards/alder_award.html. Note that this year, the deadline for nominations is October 1, 2008.

Call for KYMAA Nominations

This spring we will be holding elections for Student Chapters Coordinator, Secretary, and Chair-Elect. All new officers will begin their terms at the Executive Committee Meeting immediately following the Annual Business Meeting in the spring. The new Student Chapters Coordinator and Secretary 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.

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.

• Mike Dobranski is our current Student Chapters Coordinator and can be contacted at m.dobranski@moreheadstate.edu.
• Leanne Faulkner is our current Secretary and can be contacted at LeanneF@kwc.edu.
• Will Harris is our current Chair-Elect and can be contacted at wharris@georgetowncollege.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. Self-nominations are entirely appropriate.

This year the members of the Nominating Committee are

• Steven Wilkinson, Chair (wilkinson@nku.edu)
• Robin Blankenship (r.blankenshi@morehead-st.edu)
• Paul Eakin (paul@ms.uky.edu)
• John H. Wilson (john.wilson@centre.edu)

The Annual KYMAA Meeting

Some of the relevant dates and deadlines:

Our schedule for future section meetings is

Please contact any officer of KYMAA if you would be interested in hosting a future meeting.

MAA Launches Math Classifieds

The MAA has unveiled its new tool for both job seekers and prospective employers, mathclassifieds.org.  The already popular "Math Jobs" section of MAA Online has added a number of features that make it easier for job seekers to find that perfect fit, and likewise for institutions and companies seeking candidates for their mathematical positions. At Math Classifieds you can:

Create an Employer Account- Employers can post jobs, update and edit job announcements, search for candidates, and contact potential candidates.

View Resumes - Employers can check out resumes and pay only for the ones that interest them.

Create a Job Seeker Account- A personal job seeker account allows members to find jobs, manage resumes, and set up job alerts.

Post a Resume - Job seekers now have the ability to post their resume online.  Whether actively or passively seeking work, an online resume is your ticket to great job offers.

Sign up for personal job alerts- Job Alerts allow new jobs that match a seeker's search criteria to be emailed directly to them.   

MAA Math Classifieds provides a unique service that pairs job seekers with degrees at the bachelor's, master's, and Ph.D. levels with potential employers eager to hire candidates with a math background.

To access Math Classifieds, simply click on the link at the top-right portion of the MAA Homepage, or just type www.mathclassifieds.org into your browser.  Take a look around, and remember that Math Classifieds is the new home for all of your mathematical employment needs. 

News from the Chapters

Bellarmine University, reported by Bill Fenton (wfenton@bellarmine.edu)

Daylene Zielinski is on sabbatical this fall. Her travels have included attending the Bridges conference in Escher's home town of Leeuwarden, the Netherlands.

Adam Molnar won the national Stat Bowl competition at the American Statistical Association meeting in Denver this summer. (Adam was eligible to participate because he is technically still a graduate student at Chicago)

Jennifer Ackerman has joined us for a year while we conduct a search for an added position.

Centre College, reported by John Wilson (john.wilson@centre.edu)

We have two new faculty members in the math program at Centre this year. Shawn Clift and Lesley Wiglesworth join us as Visiting Assistant Professors. Shawn received his BS and MS at Eastern Kentucky University and finished his Ph.D. at the University of Kentucky last spring. Lesley is a graduate of Transylvania University and received her Master's and Ph.D. from the University of Louisville last spring.

Jeff Heath continues with us this year in a tenure-track position. Alex McAllister is taking a research leave this fall to work on his second book project. During that time Christine Shannon will be assuming the duties of Math Program Chair. John Wilson begins serving a three year term as the Chair of the Science and Mathematics Division. Lesley Wiglesworth and Jeff Heath were selected as Project NExT fellows.

Last spring we installed a chapter of Pi Mu Epsilon and inducted ten students and five faculty members. Students have selected new officers for the student MAA club and for the student chapter of AWM. The officers for the math club are President Allison Perkins, Vice-presidents Sara Haque and Brian Bowles, Treasurer Chris Dobbs, and Secretary Jessica Szweda. The officers for the student AWM chapter are President Leah Campbell, Vice-president Maggie Vo, Treasurer Yanni Yang, and Secretary Jessica Szweda. A full slate of activities are being planned.

The math program continues to grow at Centre with a second straight year of 20 newly declared math majors. The college has approved a search to fill a new tenure-track position in mathematics. Please see our ad in the EIMS.

Eastern Kentucky University, reported by Dirk Schlingmann (Dirk.Schlingmann@EKU.edu)

Eastern Kentucky welcomes the following visitors and new faculty:

• Zvi Arad, Wilson Endowed Chair, visiting in spring 2009, Professor of Mathematics, Bar-Ilan University, Israel; Tel-Aviv University, Israel; PhD
  

  Professor Arad is an internationally known mathematician who has published a wide variety of papers of mathematics. Professor Arad will collaborate with EKU faculty on problems of mutual interest, and invite/support scholars for extended visits to EKU to present their research and to collaborate with EKU faculty.

• Cheryll Crowe; Assistant Professor; University of Kentucky; PhD
• Michelle DePoy Smith; Assistant Professor; Morehead State, Miami University, University of Kentucky; PhD
• Michael Osborne; one-year lecturer; Eastern Kentucky University, MS
• Donald Poynter; one-year lecturer; Eastern Kentucky University, MS

Morehead State University, reported by Kathy Lewis (k.lewis@moreheadstate.edu)

Two members of the Morehead State University Department of Mathematics and Computer Science received promotions or new assignments within the past year. Chris Schroeder was granted tenure and promoted from Assistant to Associate Professor of Mathematics. Duane Skaggs, previously Technology Coordinator for the department, completed his Ph.D. degree (mathematics, University of South Africa (Unisa)) in 2007 and is now an Assistant Professor of Mathematics. Also, one member of the department, Rodger Hammons, has moved from half-time to full-time retirement.

The first meeting of the Math and Computer Science Club at Morehead State University for this fall included a meal and a math-and-CS-themed scavenger hunt. Many students attended, and there were several newcomers. Plans for the coming year include creating a T-shirt and holding fundraising events to make contributions toward a student award and toward expenses related to student travel to conferences.

Murray State University, reported by Donald Bennett (donald.bennett@murraystate.edu)

Dr. Rob Donnelly and Dr. Maeve McCarthy have been promoted to professor.

Dr. Dubravko Ivansic is on sabbatical leave for the 08-09 academic year.

Dr. Renee Fister, one of three international faculty members elected to the Board of the Society for Mathematical Biology.

Dr. Maeve McCarthy has been selected as the executive director of the Association of Women in Mathematics (AWM). She will combine duties as a professor of mathematics with her new position at AWM.

Dr. Wayne Bell (1976-2004) completed his post retirement one-half time contract with Murray State University.

Mr. Craig Collins is a new lecturer. He received an M.S. degree from Murray State University in May 2008.

Dr. Donald Adongo is a new assistant professor. He received a Ph. D degree from Kansas State University, August 2008, with a specialty in Numerical Analysis

Dr. Tim Schroeder is a new assistant professor. He received a Ph.D. degree from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee May 2008, with a specialty in Combinatorics.

Dr. Renee Fister is the PI on a $100,000 RUI grant from the National Science Foundation.

Northern Kentucky University, reported by Steve Rankin (rankin@nku.edu)

Northern Kentucky welcomes many new faculty members:

• Chrystal Culbertson, Lecturer, with an MA in Mathematics from Miami University.
• Joseph R. Nolan, Assistant Professor, with a PhD in Statistics from Purdue University.
• Jacqueline R. Wroughton, Assistant Professor, with a PhD in Statistics from the University of Nebraska.
• Laura Urbanski, Lecturer, with an MS in Mathematics from Cleveland State University.
• Shashi Sathe, Lecturer, with an MA in Mathematics from the University of South Florida.
• Teri J. Murphy, Associate Professor, with a PhD in Mathematics Education from the University of Illinois, who will join the department in January, 2009.

Gina Foletta and Steve Wilkinson were promoted to Professor, and Carl Miller was promoted to Associate Professor.

Kirsty Fleming has accepted the position of Executive Director of the Kentucky Center for Mathematics (KCM). The Kentucky Center for Mathematics supports diverse teacher and student populations across the Commonwealth by facilitating the development of mathematical proficiency, power for future success, and enjoyment of teaching and learning mathematics.

During 2008-2009 Gail Mackin will continue to serve as Interim Chair for the Department of Mathematics.

Dan Curtin is serving as the interim Director of CINSAM for the 2008/2009 year.

Gina Foletta is on sabbatical for the 2008-09 academic year.  She is collaborating with the mathematics education research group at Penn State University.  They will be collecting data on first year high school mathematics teachers with a focus on how they use and implement mathematical processes both in their personal mathematics and in the classroom. 

Frank Dietrich retired at the end of the spring, 2008 semester after teaching statistics in the department since 1979.  He was instrumental in the design and implementation of the successful statistics program at the university, and served the department as an assistant chair for several years.

Linda Sheffield retired at the end of the spring, 2008 semester after teaching in the education and mathematics departments since 1983.  She had a great impact on the teaching of mathematics, especially at the middle school level, for the last twenty-five years.

Chris Christensen received Northern Kentucky University's 2008 Faculty Excellence Award for Sustained Excellence in Teaching.

Chris Christensen was awarded the 2008 Carl B. Allendoerfer Award for the article "Polish Mathematicians Finding Patterns in Enigma Messages" Mathematics Magazine, vol. 80, no. 4, October 2007, pp. 247-273.

Chris is also the invited speaker for the Midwest History of Mathematics Conference at Viterbo University, La Crosse WI, October 3-4, 2008.

Brad Fox of Transylvania University, Amber Rogers of NKU, and Zachary Vance of UC participated in the REU along with students from Taylor University, University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin, and University of Texas.

Five problems were explored by the REU participants:  the KeeLoq cipher (used for remote access to automobiles), SMS4 (a Chinese wi-fi cipher), and X^2 ( a proposed hidden field equations [HFE] cipher) were attacked; algebraic attacks on DES and S-AES were explored; and the bijectivity of the polynomials used in HFE was examined.

The REU will continue for two more summers.  The application process is expected to begin in October.  Students who are interested may contact christensen@nku.edu for information.

Sehnert Lecture 2008

The lecture this year will be given by J.M. Cushing, Professor of Applied Mathematics at the University of Arizona:

Chaos From Simplicity

Thursday, November 6, 2008 at 7:30 p.m.

Otto Budig Theatre (University Center)

Join us for Dinner before the lecture in the University Ballroom at 6:00 pm.

For more information visit our website 2008 Sehnert Memorial Lecture  or contact the department at 859-572-5377.

Abstract: Scholars have remarked that the chaos theory ranks in the top ten scientific discoveries of the 20th century. Some have said it lies in the top three. What is chaos theory? And why is it considered so important? Why did it disturb and reshape the thinking of many scientists from virtually all disciplines? One fundamental reason (of several) is that mathematical chaos is an example of how complexity - indeed extreme complexity - can result from quite simple rules and mechanisms. We'll have a quick look at the history of chaos theory and at some of the basic concepts and mathematics involved. Using a decade long, inter-disciplinary biomathematics/experimental research project (involving the dynamics of cannibalistic beetles!) as a context, we'll explore some of the mysteries and surprises of chaos. And we'll ponder whether chaos is a good thing or a bad thing, and whether it is a troublesome problem or can be put to good use.

Owensboro Community & Technical College, reported by Karin Chess (karin.chess@kctcs.edu)

Teresa Collins has been accepted as one of 24 AMATYC Project ACCCESS Fellows for 2008. AMATYC Project ACCCESS (Advancing Community College Careers: Education, Scholarship, and Service) is a professional development and mentoring program for two-year college mathematics faculty in the first three years of their full-time professional careers. The goal of the project is to facilitate current and continued professional growth for a cadre of two-year college mathematics faculty who will become the leaders of their profession. Teresa is the first Kentucky Project ACCCESS Fellow. Project ACCCESS began as a joint project with the MAA.

University of Kentucky, reported by Carl Lee (lee@ms.uky.edu)

Professor Adib Bagh will begin a joint appointment with the Department of Mathematics and the Department of Economics in the fall of 2008. Bagh holds Ph.D. degrees in Mathematics and Economics. His research is in game theory. Bagh's duties will include working with students in the Mathematical Economics program.

Dr. Katherine Ott, a doctoral graduate of the University of Virginia, will visit the University of Kentucky for three academic years beginning in the Fall of 2008. Dr. Ott is supported by National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship; her postdoctoral is Professor Russell Brown, and she will be working with members of the Partial Differential Equations Research Group including Professors Russell Brown, John Lewis, and Zhongwei Shen.

In July of 2008, Chris Vancil retired after 32 years of service to the Department of Mathematics as an instructor and Departmental Budget Officer, succeeding his mentor Cliff Swauger and working with twelve Department Chairs during his tenure as Budget Officer. The Department presented Chris with a gift card for Lowe's which, Chris writes, is "my favorite store" Chris writes: "It's been a great ride! I've really enjoyed my work and being a part of a Math Department for 32 years. I just hope that I'm ready for the next adventure." We are very grateful to Chris for his many years of service, his outstanding teaching, and his conscientious and effective service as caretaker of the Departments fiscal affairs.

Chris is succeeded by Lyn LeMieux, who worked with three chairs as Assistant to the Chair and Head of Staff. Lyn brings her extensive experience in the department and its operations to bear on a new position: we wish her well and we are grateful for her continued service.

Continuing with activities related to UK's Appalachian Mathematical Sciences Partnership, University of Kentucky faculty Paul Eakin, Ken Kubota, Carl Eberhart, and Avinash Sathaye continue to produce instructional tools and software to advance the teaching of Mathematics throughout and beyond the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Professor Sathaye's free College Algebra text was used in the University of Kentucky's College Algebra course (MA 109) in Fall 2007 and will be used again in Fall 2008. This text, together with the University of Kentucky's internally developed WHS (Web Homework System) reduce the text cost from $90 to less than $20 for about 200 students. The same text is used in the Access to Algebra program for high school students taking MA 109. Professor Sathaye has also authored the open source course Precalculus with Geometry and Trigonometry which was used for precalculus at UK in Fall 2007 and will be revised and used again in Fall 2007. Other continuing Mathematics Outreach activities include the Kentucky Partnership System, a major software system developed by Ken Kubota that supports the Kentucky Early Mathematics Testing Program (a tool that allows high school students to assess their readiness for College level mathematics) and the Kentucky Online Testing (a statewide placement exam system). Interested readers can view the online presentation at https://www.mathclass.org/WebPages/Pages/174/MaSciSp08.pdf or visit www.mathclass.org.

UK is a member of the National Science Foundation ACCLAIM Center for Learning and Teaching (ACCLAIM = Appalachian Collaborative Center for Learning, Assessment and Instruction in Mathematics). In Summer 2007 we, together with the University of Tennessee, the University of Louisville, Ohio University, and West Virginia University, welcomed our third cohort of 17 doctoral students in Mathematics Education. They arrived on WVU's campus from as far away as Anchorage, Alaska, and Chincoteague, Virginia, for an intensive five week course taking/bonding by fire experience. They began taking their academic year courses online, starting with a Curriculum course offered by Dr. Margaret Mohr in UK's Department of Curriculum and Instruction, and a Geometry course offered by me, both in Fall 2007. These courses were taught using the asynchronous course platform called "Moodle" and the synchronous meeting software called "Adobe Connect."

They all returned for the Barrett Lectures at the University of Tennessee in April 2008, and Carl met with them their (and also participated in a panel on Issues with Beginning Math Majors). The ACCLAIM students will take at least two more courses through UK, and we are hoping to bring them here for their Summer 2009 session.

In the spring of 2010, the University of Kentucky will host two regional mathematics meetings. The Kentucky Section of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) will hold its annual meeting on the 26 and 27 March 2010 and the American Mathematics Society (AMS) will hold the 2010 Spring Southeastern Sectional meeting on 27 and 28 March. By holding these meetings in the same location, we hope to help strengthen ties between the Kentucky mathematics community and mathematicians from outside the state.

West Kentucky Community & Technical College, reported by Rhonda Adkins (Rhonda.Adkins@kctcs.edu)

Julie Thompson joined the WKCTC math department in 2008. Prior to becoming a full time mathematics instructor, she has served as an adjunct faculty member for several years. Julie received her master's degree from Southern Illinois University. Julie currently teaches both transfer and technical mathematics courses.

Gene Evans has retired at the rank of Associate Professor.

Western Kentucky University, reported by Mark Robinson (mark.robinson@wku.edu)

New tenure-track Assistant Professors this year are Travis Olson (M.S., Western Illinois University; A.B.D., University of Missouri) and Richard Schugart (Ph.D., North Carolina State University).

We also have two new visiting faculty this year. John Armstrong (Ph.D., Yale University) is a Visiting Assistant Professor and David Almand (M.S., Western Kentucky University) is a Visiting Instructor.

This year the Mathematics Department and Computer Science Department have merged to form the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science. Peter Hamburger is serving as the Department Head for the new combined department. Mark Robinson has been appointed Assistant to the Department Head for Mathematics and Uta Ziegler has been appointed Assistant to the Department Head for Computer Science.

Lan Nguyen has been granted tenure.

Robert Crawford has rejoined the Mathematics program after many years on the faculty of the Computer Science program.

Claus Ernst is on sabbatical leave during the 2008-2009 academic year.

The 28th Annual Mathematics Symposium at Western Kentucky University will be on October 31 and November 1, 2008.

The invited speakers are Peter Lax (Courant Institute), recipient of the National Medal of Science in 1986, the Wolf Prize in 1987, and the Abel Prize in 2005; and Jonathan Wellons (Vanderbilt University). The theme of the Symposium is "New Approaches to Familiar Mathematics",
but any talks on mathematics related topics are welcome!

The deadline for submitting an abstract is October 21, 2008. The participation is free. We have funds available for student travel. More information can be found at www.mathsymposium.com.