Notices of the American Mathematical Society May 2011 Communications
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ISSISISSSSNN0 00000200202-99-999992020 of the American Mathematical Society May 2011 Volume 58, Number 5 Discrete Wavelet Transformations and Undergraduate Education page 656 Mathematical Intimidation: Driven by the Data page 667 Remembering Leon Ehrenpreis (1930–2010) page 674 How a Medieval Troubadour Became a Mathematical Figure page 682 Abouut thhe CoC vever:r Wava ellete s inin imamagege comomprprese sionon (sesee ppaagege 71717) “SORRY , THAT ’S NOT CORRECT .” “THAT ’S CORRECT .” TWO ONLINE HOMEWORK SYstEMS WENT HEAD TO HEAD. ONLY ONE MADE THE GRADE. What good is an online homework system if it can’t recognize right from wrong? Our sentiments exactly. Which is why we decided to compare WebAssign with the other leading homework system for math. The results were surprising. The other system failed to recognize correct answers to free response questions time and time again. That means students who were actually answering correctly were receiving failing grades. WebAssign, on the other hand, was designed to recognize and accept more iterations of a correct answer. In other words, WebAssign grades a lot more like a living, breathing professor and a lot less like, well, that other system. So, for those of you who thought that other system was the right answer for math, we respectfully say, “Sorry, that’s not correct.” 800.955.8275 webassign.net/math WA ad Notices.indd 1 10/1/10 11:57:36 AM QUANTITATIVE FINANCE RENAISSANCE TECHNOLOGIES, a quantitatively based financial management firm, has openings for research and programming positions at its Long Island, NY research center. Research & Programming Opportunities We are looking for highly trained professionals who are interested in applying advanced methods to the modeling of global financial markets. You would be joining a group of roughly one hundred fifty people, half of whom have Ph.D.s in scientific disciplines. We have a spectrum of opportunities for individuals with the right scientific and computing skills. Experience in finance is not required. The ideal research candidate will have: • A Ph.D. in Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics, or a related discipline • A demonstrated capacity to do first-class research • Computer programming skills • An intense interest in applying quantitative analysis to solve difficult problems The ideal programming candidate will have: • Strong analytical and programming skills • An In depth knowledge of software development in a C++ Unix environment Compensation is comprised of a base salary and a bonus tied to company-wide performance. Send a copy of your resume to: [email protected] No telephone inquiries. An equal opportunity employer. Notices of the American Mathematical Society May 2011 Communications 688 WHAT IS... an 674 Infra-nilmanifold Endomorphism? Karel Dekimpe 690 The Story of Gyrangle Reza Sarhangi 693 Report on 2009–2010 Academic Recruitment and Hiring James W. Maxwell and 697 690 Colleen Rose 704 Doceamus: Revitalizing the Features 1960 Mathematics Major Alan Tucker The May issue showcases diverse features of the mathemati- cal life. John Ewing, former executive director of the AMS and 706 JPBM Communications now president of Math for America, tells us of the dangers of Award value-added modeling. Michael Saclolo writes of a mathemati- 708 MAA Prizes Presented in cal analysis of the poetry of medieval troubadours. Catherine New Orleans Bénéteau and Patrick Van Fleet explain how wavelets can be used to augment undergraduate mathematics education. Finally, we AWM Awards Given in New 711 share memories of noted mathematician Leon Ehrenpreis. Orleans —Steven G. Krantz, Editor 713 2011 Mathematics Programs That Make a 656 Discrete Wavelet Transformations and Difference Undergraduate Education 716 2011 Award for an Exemplary Program Catherine Bénéteau and Patrick J. Van Fleet or Achievement in a Mathematics Department 667 Mathematical Intimidation: Driven by the Data 718 Arizona’s Math Center Wins AMS Award John Ewing Allyn Jackson 674 Remembering Leon Ehrenpreis (1930– 2010) Commentary Daniele C. Struppa, Hershel Farkas, Takahiro Kawai, 653 Letters to the Editor Peter Kuchment, Eric Todd Quinto, Shlomo Sternberg, Alan Taylor 697 At Home with André and Simone Weil— A Book Review 682 How a Medieval Troubadour Became a Reviewed by Michèle Audin Mathematical Figure 699 The Value of Nothing: A Michael P. Saclolo Review of The Quants Reviewed by David Steinsaltz Notices Departments of the American Mathematical Society About the Cover . 717 EDITOR: Steven G. Krantz Mathematics People . 728 ASSOCIATE EDITORS: Butcher Receives Inaugural Jones Medal, Polterovich Awarded Coxeter- Krishnaswami Alladi, David Bailey, Jonathan Borwein, James Prize, Scholze Awarded 2011 Clay Research Fellowship, Susanne C. Brenner, Bill Casselman (Graphics Editor), Robert J. Daverman, Susan Friedlander, Robion Kirby, Mazzucato Awarded Michler Prize, Spohn Awarded Heineman Prize, Rafe Mazzeo, Harold Parks, Lisette de Pillis, Peter National Academy of Engineering Elections. Sarnak, Mark Saul, Edward Spitznagel, John Swallow . SENIOR WRITER and DEPUTY EDITOR: Mathematics Opportunities 729 Allyn Jackson NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowships, International Mathematics MANAGING EDITOR: Sandra Frost Competition for University Students. CONTRIBUTING WRITER: Elaine Kehoe Inside the AMS . 730 CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: Randi D. Ruden EDITORIAL ASSISTANT: David M. Collins Epsilon Awards for 2010, AMS Holds Workshop for Department Chairs, PRODUCTION: Kyle Antonevich, Anna Hattoy, From the AMS Public Awareness Office, Deaths of AMS Members, Teresa Levy, Mary Medeiros, Stephen Moye, Erin Correction. Murphy, Lori Nero, Karen Ouellette, Donna Salter, Deborah Smith, Peter Sykes, Patricia Zinni Reference and Book List . 732 ADVERTISING SALES: Anne Newcomb SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION: Subscription prices Mathematics Calendar . 739 for Volume 58 (2011) are US$510 list; US$408 insti- tutional member; US$306 individual member; US$459 Classified Advertisements . 745 corporate member. (The subscription price for mem- bers is included in the annual dues.) A late charge of New Publications Offered by the AMS . 746 10% of the subscription price will be imposed upon orders received from nonmembers after January 1 of the subscription year. Add for postage: Surface Meetings and Conferences of the AMS . 750 delivery outside the United States and India—US$27; in India—US$40; expedited delivery to destinations Meetings and Conferences Table of Contents . 759 in North America—US$35; elsewhere—US$120. Subscriptions and orders for AMS publications should be addressed to the American Mathematical Society, P.O. Box 845904, Boston, MA 02284-5904 USA. All orders must be prepaid. ADVERTISING: Notices publishes situations wanted and classified advertising, and display advertising for publishers and academic or scientific organizations. Advertising material or questions may be sent to [email protected] (classified ads) or notices-ads@ From the ams.org (display ads). SUBMISSIONS: Articles and letters may be sent to the editor by email at [email protected], by AMS Secretary fax at 314-935-6839, or by postal mail at Department of Mathematics, Washington University in St. Louis, Campus Box 1146, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO American Mathematical Society—Contributions . 723 63130. Email is preferred. Correspondence with the managing editor may be sent to [email protected]. For more information, see the section “Reference and Officers of the Society 2010 and 2011 Updates . 735 Book List”. NOTICES ON THE AMS WEBSITE: Supported by the Call for Nominations for the George David Birkhoff, Frank AMS membership, most of this publication is freely Nelson Cole, and Levi L. Conant Prizes . 736 available electronically through the AMS website, the Society’s resource for delivering electronic prod- ucts and services. Use the URL http://www.ams. Call for Nominations for the Albert Leon Whiteman Memorial org/notices/ to access the Notices on the website. Prize and the AMS Distinguished Public Service Award . 737 [Notices of the American Mathematical Society (ISSN 0002- 9920) is published monthly except bimonthly in June/July by the American Mathemati cal Society at 201 Charles Street, Call for Nominations for the 2012 Frank and Brennie Morgan Providence, RI 02904-2294 USA, GST No. 12189 2046 RT****. AMS-MAA-SIAM Prize . 738 Periodicals postage paid at Providence, RI, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change notices to Notices of the American Mathematical Society, P.O. Box 6248, Providence, RI 02940-6248 USA.] Publication here of the Society’s street address and the other information in brackets above is a technical requirement of the U.S. Postal Service. Tel: 401-455-4000, email: [email protected]. © Copyright 2011 by the American Mathematical Society. I thank Randi D. Ruden for her splendid editorial work, and All rights reserved. for helping to assemble this issue. She is essential to everything Printed in the United States of America. The paper used in this journal is acid-free and falls within the guidelines that I do. established to ensure permanence and durability. —Steven G. Krantz Opinions expressed in signed Notices articles are those of Editor the authors and do not necessarily reflect opinions of the editors or policies of the American Mathematical Society. Letters to the Editor New Bias Discovered: Proc. AMS AMS Rescues Commutative Honoring Professor Chern: Favors Commutative Rings to Algebra—Is Geometry Next? A Bridge Builder between Astronomy My article is meant to confront