I am pleased to report that the activities and programs of the Michigan Section
are operating in their usual good form. In this space, I want to thank a few
people and spotlight some opportunities available to us as individuals and as a
Section.
Although you may have read in the February Focus about the generous $3,000,000 gift from Paul and Virginia Halmos to the national MAA, it is appropriate to acknowledge the Michigan Section’s thanks in our Newsletter. The gift will be used to establish a Mathematical Sciences Conference Center in a renovated carriage house at the MAA complex in the Dupont Circle area of Washington, DC. Space will be provided for conferences for up to 60 people with additional space for smaller groups or individual work. We are particularly proud that among the several universities where Professor Halmos held positions, the University of Michigan was where he spent several years in the 1960’s.
Next, I would like to highlight a new program of the MAA, Preparing Mathematicians to Educate Teachers (PMET). The PMET program will have a three-pronged approach: faculty training, information and resources, mini-grants and regional networks. An announcement of four tentatively planned workshops appeared in the February Focus. The Web site http://www.maa.org/pmet now has application forms and other information. Deadlines are in early April, 2003.
Another opportunity of less immediacy, but of real importance and interest to the Section, is the continuing effort to host the MathFest in Michigan. It is my understanding that efforts in the past have almost achieved success. We should now redouble our efforts to bring the MathFest to Michigan. We have several appropriate sites. Any of our institutions ultimately named as the host institution should be assured of help from throughout the Michigan Section.
I also want to thank Norm Richert (Mathematical Reviews) and David Redman (Delta College) for their good work in their first year as Newletter Editor and MMPC Director, respectively.
I am looking forward to seeing you at SVSU for the annual meeting on May 2 and 3. Steve Schlicker (GVSU) and the other members of the Program Committe have a very good program planned for us.
John Mooningham, Chair