UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT ACTIVITIES
MAA/PI MU EPSILON STUDENT RECEPTION
Wednesday, August 9, 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
MATH JEOPARDY
Mike Berry, University of Tennessee
John Harris, Furman University
Michael Mossinghoff, Davidson College
Wednesday, August 9, 5:30 pm – 7:15 pm
STUDENT HOSPITALITY CENTER
Richard and Araceli Neal, American Society for the Communication of Mathematics
Thursday, August 10, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Friday, August 11, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Saturday, August 12, 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
The Student Hospitality Center (SHC) provides a place for students and other MathFest attendees to meet for informal conversation, refreshments, and mathematical diversions. The SHC also provides programs for the MAA and Pi Mu Epsilon student paper sessions, packets for the MAA student presenters, and information on MathFest activities of interest to students.
MAA STUDENT LECTURE
Promoting Students' Appreciation for Math through Applications to Very Cool Activities
Richard Tapia, Rice University
Thursday, August 10, 1:00 pm – 1:50 pm
For many years the speaker was involved in BMX bicycle racing as a supportive father for his son Richard and also for many years he has been involved in car show activity. In the first part of this talk the speaker uses several lively videos to identify and illustrate what he calls the Curse of Lane 8 or The Fair Lane Assignment Problem in BMX bicycle racing. He then uses his mathematical training to formulate the problem as a mathematical problem and with the aid of a Rice student he solves this problem using a computer and mathematics. This solution technique will be described. In the second part of the talk the speaker will show and describe the making of an exciting video that was made with the assistance of a Rice undergraduate art-math major to accompany the showing of his 1970 Chevelle Malibu SS at various car shows across the country. Both the car and video are entitled "Heavy Metal". The video attempts to depict the time period of the late1960's and early 1970's in terms of muscle cars, heavy metal music, and unrestlessness and rebellion. The psychedelic video images are constructed entirely using mathematics. Numerical simulations of fluid flow in and around the car are obtained using numerical methods to solve the Navier-Stokes partial differential equations that govern fluid flow. By being creative with the mathematical parameters and solution techniques some very interesting images and patterns are obtained. In this way the video demonstrates that mathematics can take us places where physics can't. The video sound track consists of Heavy Metal music and adds to the excitement of the video.
MAA STUDENT PAPER SESSIONS
Edward C. Keppelmann, University of Nevada
J. Lyn Miller, Slippery Rock University
Thursday, August 10, 2:00 pm - 6:15 pm
Friday, August 11, 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
PI MU EPSILON STUDENT PAPER SESSIONS
Angela Spalsbury, Youngstown State University
Thursday, August 10, 2:00 pm - 6:15 pm
Friday, August 11, 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
MAA UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT ACTIVITIES SESSION
WEIRD MULTIPLICATION AND WEIRD WAYS TO MULTIPLY
James Tanton, St. Mark’s Institute of Mathematics/St. Mark’s School
Friday, August 11, 1:00 pm – 1:50 pm
What’s four times three? Twelve you might think – but no more! In a new fun-filled action-packed system of arithmetic worthy of much mathematical investigation four times three is eighteen, the square root of 100 is six, and two times five is ten. (Hang on. That’s not weird!) Let’s spend an hour working out 5716 x 8945 together five different ways. What could be more fun?
PME-MAA STUDENT BANQUET AND AWARDS CEREMONY
Friday, August 11, 6:15 pm - 7:45 pm
All undergraduate students and their mentors are welcome. See the registration form for more information on this ticketed event.
PME J. SUTHERLAND FRAME LECTURE
ELLIPSES AND CIRCLES? TO UNDERSTAND VOTING PROBLEMS??!
Donald Saari, University of California at Irvine
Friday, August 11, 8:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Why is it that whenever we put forth a carefully considered proposal, somebody can put forth an "improvement?" Sure. Yet, attend any meeting, even the MAA business meetings, and it happens on a regular basis. Why? Insight is possible by using just the geometry of circles. And then, to introduce a new game theoretic solution concept, I will use the geometry of ellipses.
STUDENT PROBLEM SOLVING COMPETITION
Richard Neal, American Society for the Communication of Mathematics
Saturday, August 12, 1:00 pm – 2:15 pm
This is the finals of the Problem Solving Competition. Universities and colleges that participate monthly on their own campuses by holding problem solving contests are invited to send two contestants. Each contestant will be required to solve a series of mathematical problems. Based upon the outcome a champion and a runner up will be named.
MATH HORIZONS SPECIAL SESSION
Arthur T. Benjamin, Harvey Mudd College
Jennifer Quinn, Association for Women in Mathematics
Saturday, August 12, 2:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Meet the editors of Math Horizons. It is the MAA's magazine for students, filled with intriguing articles, profiles, problems, humor, and contests. We are interested in your suggestions and we will be looking for students to join our Student Advisory Group.
MAA MATHEMATICAL CONTEST IN MODELING (MCM) WINNERS
Ben Fusaro, Florida State University
Saturday, August 12, 3:15 pm - 4:30 pm
About 450 teams, each consisting of three undergraduates, took part in the 2006 MCM in February. The contest consists of two real(istic) scenarios (one discrete, one continuous) that call for analysis and resolution. The teams have four days to deal with the challenge during which time they may use or consult anything inanimate -- computers, libraries, the Web, etc. MAA judges choose one continuous and one discrete winner from the top contenders. The MAA subsidizes the teams' travel to MathFest, where they will present the results of their four-day challenge.
Special information for students can be found at MAA Online at www.maa.organd www.pme-math.org. |
