THE NEWSLETTER OF THE MATHEMATICAL ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA Marcia P. Sward, March 1999 Executive Director, to Volume 19, Number 3 Leave MAA at Year's End Marcia Sward, who has served in the position of MAA Executive Director In This Issue since September 1989, informed the MAA's Board of Governors that she will 2 Cathleen step down at the end of 1999. "It is time Morawetz Re- for me to move on to new challenges," Marcia Sward, MAA Executive Director ceives National she said. "I have had wonderful oppor• ward to laying the foundation for some Medal of Science tunities at the MAA, as well as a variety of programs to deal with. In the remain• new and exciting directions for the ing year of my directorship, I look for- MAA of the future." 2 MAAAwards Sward continued on page 6 From San Anto- Focus on the Future: A nio New President Looks Ahead 3 Secretary's Tom Banchoff Report On the last day of the San Antonio meetings I symbolically crossed out the 4 Contributed suffix "-elect" on my name tag as I took Papers for on the role of MAA president for the Providence next two years. There is nothing like a national meeting to focus attention on the breadth of our organization, and 6 1999 Wolf to indicate challenges and opportuni• Tom Banchoff, MAA President Prize Award ties for the future. I am very happy to be able to attend sessions and commit• Winners share some of my excitement about the tee meetings that highlighted some of years ahead. the things I think are most important 10 New Stats Work- One of the comments I heard most of• for our Association and for our profes• ten at the national meeting was that sion. Anyone attending a different set shop Slated for of events would probably come up with Hope College there were just too many good things to go to. That's the kind of complaint his or her own list of favorite topics, but we like to hear. In those last few days I would like to share a few of mine. before I assumed office, I was lucky to So many things have changed over the past ten years that it is imperative that The Mathematical Association of America Postage paid at we bring this information up to date. 1529 Eighteenth St., NW Washington, DC and Fortunately, a number of excellent new additional mailing Washington, DC 20036 offices model programs have appeared, at the same time that there has been in• creased use of adjunct faculty, often in situations with little support, low pay, and minimal benefits. A joint MAA• AMS committee is hard at work to ad• dress current issues and concerns, and I applaud their efforts. (Please contact

President continued on page 9 FOCUS March 1999 Cathleen S. Morawetz Becomes First Woman to Re• FOCUS ceive National Medal of Science for Mathematics FOCUS is published by the Mathematical Cathleen Synge Morawetz, former Association of America in January, February, March, April, May/June,August! President of the American Mathemati• September, October, November, and cal Society and professor emerita at December. NYU's Courant Institute, has been awarded the National Medal of Science. Editor: Harry Waldman, MAA; She is the first woman to receive the [email protected] medal for work in mathematics, specifi• Managing Editor: Carol Baxter, MAA cally for her pioneering research in [email protected] partial differential equations and wave Please address advertising inquiries to: propogation applications for aerody• Carol Baxter, MAA; [email protected] namics, acoustics, and optics. She is one of nine scientists to receive the 1998 President: Thomas Banchoff, Brown award, the nation's highest scientific Cathleen Synge Morawetz University honor. First Vice-President: Anita Solow, dium. It provides the framework for Randolph-Macon Woman's College Her work in mathematics has allowed analyzing the many techniques for re• engineers to focus on what matters in mote sensing, including ultrasound and Second Vice-President: Ed Dubinsky, the design of airplane wings: the mini• radar. Georgia State University mizing of shock waves. In the late 1950s, Morawetz, 75, who was born in Canada Secretary: Martha Siegel, Towson she demonstrated that shock waves are and became a u.S. citizen in 1950, called University inevitable-and thus cannot be elimi• nated-if a plane moves close to the her award "an occasion of great mo• Treasurer: Gerald J. Porter, University of speed of sound, no matter how wings ment for me. I am filled with gratitude Pennsylvania are designed. to all those-and there were a great Executive Director: Marcia P. Sward many-who helped me over many Her mathematical work has also con• years." Her biggest wish is that her Associate Executive Director and Direc• tributed to the theory of scattering, award will motivate more women to tor of Publications and Electronic Ser• which deals with how waves interact study mathematics.• vices: Donald J. Albers with obstacles or changes in the me- Letters to the editor should be addressed to Harry Waldman, MAA, 1529 Eighteenth MAA Awards from San Antonio: Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036. Subscription and membership questions The List of Winners should be directed to the MAA Customer Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo David Kullman, Ohio Section Service Center, 800-331-1622; e-mail: Awards for Distinguished College or Marcellus Waddill, Southeastern [email protected]; (301) 617 -7800 (outside University Teaching of Mathematics: Section U.S. and Canada); fax: (301) 206-9789. FOCUS is a benefit of MAA membership. Joel V. Brawley, Clemson University The subscription price to individual Yueh-Gin Gung and Dr. Charles Y. Hu Robert W. Case, Northeastern members is $6.00, which is included in the Award for Distinguished Service to University annual dues. Mathematics: Joan Hutchinson, Macalester College Copyright © 1999 by the Mathematical Leonard Gillman Association of America (Incorporated). Chauvenet Priu: Educational institutions may reproduce AMS-MAA-SIAM Frank and Brennie Michael I. Rosen, Brown University, articles for their own use, but not for sale, Morgan Priu for Outstanding R£search in for "Niels Hendrik Abel and Equa• provided that the following citation is used: Mathematics by an Undergraduate tions of the Fifth Degree" in the "Reprinted with permission of FOCUS , the Student newsletter of the Mathematical Association American Mathematical Monthly 1995, of America (Incorporated)." pp. 495-505. Daniel Biss (winner) Periodicals postage paid at Washington, DC Certificates of Meritorious Service: Aaron Archer (honorable mention) and additional mailing offices. Billy E. Rhoades, Indiana Section JPBM Communications Award: Postmaster: Send address changes to the Charles Alexander, Louisiana• Ian Stewart MAA, P.O. Box 90973, Washington, DC Mississippi Section 20090-0973. JPBM Special Communications Award: Randall Heckman, Nebraska-South• ISSN: 0731-2040; Printed in the United east South Dakota Section John Lynch and Simon Singh States of America...... 4O

For further details go to MAA OnLine f"J March 1999 FOCUS Secretary's Report: Much Ado at the MAA This Past Year Martha J. Siegel of the Executive and Finance Commit• the Baylor School in Chattanooga, TN tees. The revision of the Bylaws to re• to be Governor-at-Large, High School flect the merger will be presented to the Teachers-each for a term of three Board in July. This was recommended years. by an ad hoc committee chaired by Ri• We welcome Underwood Dudley to the chard Anderson. Board. He is Editor of The College Math• We welcome Titu Andreescu as Direc• ematics Journal. And we thank Bart tor of the American Mathematical Com• Braden for his work as editor, Board petitions (AMC) and thank Walter member, and Executive Committee This has been an exciting year for the Mientka for his accomplishments in the member. He turned out a beautiful MAA. There has been a lot of activity many years he served as director. Walter journal and worked hard for the Asso• in the projects, task forces, and com• has been given the title Director Emeri• ciation for the last five years. mittees that carry much of the tus of the AMC. He is now serving as Association's work. Reading the Sec• Committee Work the Executive Director of IMO USA tions' newsletters, I know that a similar 2001. Many committees are working to im• level of activity is taking place on the prove the relationship of the MAA to local level. And the staff at headquar• At its January meeting, the Board voted graduate students and part-time and ters helps to bring our many ideas to to add another test to the competitions adjunct faculty. A small ad hoc commit• fruition. specifically for 9th and 10th graders. tee had a session for department chairs, After a trial period of three years, the Marcia Sward has announced her inten• particularly for departments in liberal competition for 9th and 10th graders tion to step down as Executive Direc• arts colleges, comprehensive universi• will be reviewed. tor at the end of 1999. Her leadership ties, and two-year colleges. as Executive Director over the past ten The Committee on Industrial and Gov• More than fifty people attended and years, and as Associate Executive Direc• ernment Mathematicians, chaired by clamored for more sessions at both tor before that will have meant 15 years Michael Monticino of the University of summer and winter meetings. We are at the MAA. It is hard to imagine the North Texas, sponsored a very success• cooperating with the AMS in studying MAA without Marcia at the helm. ful reception at the San Antonio meet• the role of teaching assistants and part• ings. The committee's survey of nonaca• The Search Committee for a new Ex• time faculty (chaired by Suzanne demic members of the MAA is excel• ecutive Director, chaired by former Lenhart) and, again with the AMS, we lent and will be helpful as we consider President Kenneth A. Ross, met in San have a group working as part of a na• strategic plans for the next few years. Antonio, and by the time you read this tional study on Preparing Future Fac• the search process will be well under• There are several members of the ulty (chaired by Thomas Rishel). way. Board of Governors whose terms ex• Publications pired at the end of January. We thank Board of Governors Deborah Tepper Haimo, Former Presi• On the publications front, we thankJim The Board of Governors endorsed the dent; Manuel Berriozabal, Governor-at• Daniel, who has served six years as Chair formation of a group to study the pri• Large, Minority Interests; and Kathy of the Coordinating Council and Com• orities of the MAA for the start of the Layton, Governor-at-Large, High mittee on Publications. We recognize next millennium. President Tom Banchoff heads the group, which is expected to report to the Executive and Finance Committees at their May meet• ing and to the Board at its meeting in Providence inJuly. At the recommendation of the Board, the Bylaws were changed at the Busi• ness Meeting in San Antonio to allow the Chair of the Committee on Publi• cations to serve in place of one of the Bart Braden (I) and Woody Dudley at the three journal editors on the Executive Jim Daniel (r.) receiving an award from CMJ Editorial Dinner in San Antonio. Committee. All members of the Execu• MAA Director of Publications Don Albers tive Committee serve on the Board of in San Antonio in recognition of his out• School Teachers. The Board elected Governors. standing work as Chair ofthe Committee on William Yslas Velez of the University of Publications. The Board voted at its January meet• Arizona to be Governor-at-Large, Mi• ing to support "in principle" the merger nority Interests and Daniel Kennedy of Report continues on page 8 3 FOCUS March 1999 Contributed Paper Sessions at Mathfest 1999: Preliminary Announcement The Mathematical Association of are considered. which integrate mathematics with one America will hold its annual Mathfest or more partner disciplines. We are Rochelle Leibowitz* from Saturday, July 31, through Mon• particularly interested in applications Wheaton College day, August 2, in Providence, RI. that have been successful and which can Norton, MA 02766 be transported to curricula at other Please note that the days scheduled for Phone: (508) 286-3971 schools. Exam pIes may include, but are these sessions remain tentative. The Fax: (508)285-8278 not limited to: one activity; one class; organizers listed below solicit contrib• E-Mail: [email protected] one project; one section; one course; uted papers pertinent to their sessions; Connie Yu or an entire curriculum. We welcome proposals should be directed to the or• Penn State University participation of colleagues from part• ganizer whose name is followed by an Altoona College ner disciplines. asterisk (*). There will be a general con• tributed papers session at the Provi• Maya Kiehl * dence Mathfest. Department of Mathematical Sciences Great Theorems of United States Military Academy Sessions generally limit presentations to Mathematics West Point, New York 10996 ten minutes, but selected participants Phone: (914)938-2654 may extend their contributions up to Saturday and Sunday afternoons FAX: (914) 938-2409 twenty minutes. Each session room con• E-mail: [email protected] tains an overhead projector and screen; This session will feature expository talks black/white boards will not be available. on important theorems from a variety Ethan Berkove of mathematical disciplines. The talks U.S.M.A. might address history and applications Phone: (914)938-2500 Submission Procedures for Contrib• as time permits, but will primarily fo• E-mail: [email protected] uted Paper Proposals cus on showing a general mathematics audience the flavor of the proof (or Rich Marchand Mter you have selected a session for proofs) of the result. These talks should U.S.M.A. Phone: (914)938-4811 which you wish to contribute a paper, be in the spirit of "coffee room con• E-mail:[email protected] forward the name(s) and address(es) versations" where mathematicians from of the author(s), and a one-page sum• different fields discuss the most signifi• mary of your paper to the organizer (in• cant or interesting theorems in some dicated with an *) by April 12. area. Innovative Uses of Technology Do not forward summaries to the MAA. Doug Ensley* in the Teaching of Geometry Send them to the session organizer. Department of Mathematics and Computer Science Saturday afternoon Shippensburg University The teaching of geometry has been in• Shippensburg, PA 17257 fluenced by the introduction of inter• Computational Biology in the Phone: (717)532-1477 active and dynamic visualization. Vari• Undergraduate Discrete Math• Fax: (717)530-4009 ous software applications (such as Email:[email protected] ematics Curriculum Geometer's Sketchpad and Cam Geometry) Cheryl Olsen have made it possible to add an experi• Saturday afternoon Shippensburg University mentation component to traditional This session is intended for four-and geometry courses. This session two-year college faculty who are inter• invites presentations illustrating novel ways to use technology in the teaching ested in using new teaching materials, Mathematics Across the which reflect current research in com• and learning of geometric concepts at putational molecular biology. The ses• Disciplines all levels of mathematics. Of particular sion invites papers, which (1) describe interest are experimental components modules that are motivated by the Saturday and Sunday afternoons to geometry courses, examples of in de• pendent and collaborative learning emerging research problems of compu• Over the last several years there has projects that utilize technology, and in• tational molecular biology like DNA been a growing interest in interdisci• teractive use of the Web in teaching sequencing and phylogenic tree build• plinary applications of mathematics. geometry courses. This session is orga• ing, (2) describe classroom teaching This has been demonstrated at a vari• nized on behalf of the MAA Commit• experiences using any such modules, or ety of levels ranging from interdiscipli• tee on Computers in Mathematics Edu• (3) report on models of how to connect nary projects and activities in the class• cation. teaching faculty with current research room to team teaching of entire development. Materials for any level of courses. This session invites papers de• Mary L. Platt* undergraduate discrete mathematics or scribing interdisciplinary activities Department of Mathematics introductory computer science courses 4 March 1999 FOCUS Salem State College Howard Lewis Penn* College of General Studies Salem MA 01970 Mathematics Department Division of Science and Mathematics Phone: (978)542-6928 572 Holloway Rd 871 Commonwealth Avenue Fax: (978)542-7175 U.S. Naval Academy Boston, MA 02215 E-mail: [email protected] Annapolis, MD 21402-5002 Phone: (617)353-2770 Phone: (410)293-6768 Fax: (617)353-5868 Fax: (410)293-4883 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Conversations About Math• ematics Education Research General Contributed Paper Session Sunday and Monday afternoons Distance Learning

Over the past few decades, interest in Monday afternoon Sunday afternoon research conducted in the field of Frank Ford* mathematics education has grown. As This session will focus on the use of Department of Mathematics this activity expands, the need to clarifY, technology and other strategies to pro• Providence College evaluate and apply this research be• vide effective mathematical instruction Providence, Rl 02918 comes increasingly more important. in a distance learning environment. Phone: (401)865-2635 This session invites papers addressing: This includes the use of video Fax: (401 )865 1438 research paradigms in mathematics conferencing and/ or the Internet and E-mail: [email protected] education, descriptions of ongoing other synchronous or asynchronous projects, how such research affects cur• formats. Jeffrey Hoag riculum design and the teaching of our Marcele Bessman* Providence College undergraduate core mathematics Department of Mathematics Liam Donohoe courses, history of research in math• Jacksonville University Providence College ematics education, current issues and 4417 Pt. Arthur Road trends in mathematics education re• Jacksonville, FL 32224-1839 search from an editor's point of view. E-mail: [email protected] Our focus will be on research con• ducted in the post-secondary arena. Richard Grassl* Department of Mathematical Sciences The Use of Creative Writing in A Manual for Principal University of Northern Colorado Teaching Mathematics Investigators on MAA Greeley, CO 80639 Phone: (970)351-2380 Monday afternoon Projects Explains All You E-mail: [email protected] Student comments such as "I can't do Need to Know Tabitha T.Y. Mingus the algebra but if you asked me to write As ofJanuary 1,1999, there were nine• Western Michigan University about the problem then I could do it" teen MAA programs funded by twenty• and "I'd rather write a story than solve nine grants. The granting agencies in• a bunch of math problems" have caused clude the National Science Foundation, many of us to consider how creative Exxon Educational Foundation, and The Use of Technology in the writing can be used to test the student's Carnegie. Over the years, the MAA staff Teaching of Applications in understanding of course concepts and and the two vice presidents, as mem• to demonstrate the student's problem Undergraduate Mathematics bers of the Subcommittee for Externally solving ability. In this session, present• Funded Projects (SEFP), have worked ers will discuss the assignments/ Sunday and Monday afternoons to develop a process for prospective PI's projects requiring creative writing that to follow. The use of computer programs and they have used, how these assignments calculators have made it much easier have helped/hindered the student in We now have the process written in the to study real world applications in demonstrating an understanding of form of a PI Manual. The goal of the courses ranging from precalculus mathematics, the difficulty of using manual is to give detailed information through senior level mathematics these assignments, the development/ about how to work with the MAA while courses. In these sessions, papers will assessment of writing assignments, and developing proposals and what to do highlight how the innovative use of the effect of writing assignments on the once the proposal is funded. technology can be used to aid in the student's attitude toward mathematics. teaching of applications. Papers may It is available at MAA Online cover applications to any subject as well Sarah L. Mabrouk* or from the MAA of• as any level mathematics course. Boston University fice. :~

5 FOCUS March 1999 Sward continued from page 1 Executive Director for ten years and member of the Joint Policy Board for have worked with her at the MAA for Mathematics (JPBM), the joint organi• A summa cum laude graduate of Vassar longer than that. It is difficult to imag• zation through which the MAA, AMS, College, Marcia received her doctorate ine the MAA without Marcia at the and SIAM carry out many of their pub• from the University of Illinois, writing helm." lic information and government rela• her dissertation on partial differential tions activities. She is currently serving equations. Growth of the MAA on the Board of Directors of the Coun• She first came to the MAA in 1980 to The MAA has grown considerably dur• cil of Engineering and Scientific Soci• fill the newly established position of ing Marcia's tenure and the nature of ety Executives .• Associate Director, after teaching for the position of the Executive Director more than a decade at Trinity College has changed as well. It has been a time in Washington, D.C. During the subse• of maturation for the Association and Search for aNew Executive Director quent five years, she launched the Marcia has led the Washington staff in The MAA's Board of Governors will be MAA's newsletter, FOCUS, established such changes as the introduction and asked to approve the choice of a new the Greater MAA Fund, and supported conversion of computer systems for Executive Director, based on the rec• various MAA programs such as Women membership, publications manage• ommendation of the newly formed & Mathematics and the Placement Test ment, financial operations, and pro• Search Committee appointed by the Program. grams. President. The Search Committee is In 1982, she also assumed the part-time Marcia introduced the Visiting Math• chaired by former president Kenneth role of Administrative Officer of the ematicians Program in the Washington Ross. Other members are Gerald Conference Board of the Mathematical office. The program was extremely suc• Alexanderson, Wade Ellis, Jr., Gerald Sciences (CBMS). CBMS developed the cessful, attracting dedicated and hard• Porter, Martha Siegel, Christine concept of a national board for math• working members to Headquarters for Stevens, and David Stone. The commit• ematics education and approached the as much as a year. Some of those who tee hopes to conduct interviews this National Academy of Sciences about have held the position are: Andy spring. sponsoring it. The Academy accepted Sterrett, Christine Stevens, Anita Solow, this challenge, and Marcia became its Frederick Rickey, Jon Scott, Robert first Executive Director in September Eslinger, and Victor Katz. Many former 1985. Visiting Mathematicians work tirelessly for the MAA long after their term at Starting with a small planning grant 1999 Wolf Prize Headquarters is over. from the Academy, Marcia raised over Awarded to Laszlo $5.5 million over the next four years in In addition to the phenomenal growth grants from government agencies and of the publications program of the As• Lovasz & Elias M. Stein private foundations. These funds were sociation, we have seen the concomi• used to inform the public about the tant surge in the number of programs The 1999 Wolf Prize in Mathematics is importance of improving mathematics offered to members, a commitment to to be shared by Yale University profes• education in the United States, and to the young members of the profession sor, Laszlo Lovasz, 50, "for his outstand• support various national symposia and through Project NExT, and support of ing contributions to combinatorics, publications (e.g., Everybody Counts and the SUMMA program and other initia• theoretical computer science and com• Calculus for a New Century). tives to increase the presence of minori• binatorial optimization"; and Princeton ties and women in the mathematical University professor, Elias M. Stein, 68, Marcia returned to the MAA in 1989 sciences. Millions of dollars have been "for his contributions to classical and when Alfred Willcox retired after 22 raised from Federal agencies and pri• Euclidean Fourier analysis and for his years as MAA Executive Director. Since vate foundations, as well as from friends exceptional impact on a new genera• then she has served under five presi• and members of the MAA through the tion of analysts through his eloquent dents: Lida Barrett, Deborah Tepper Greater MAA Fund and Planned Giv• teaching and writing." Haimo, Donald Kreider, Kenneth Ross, ing, to support these programs. and Gerald Alexanderson. She will be Lovasz's groundbreaking results in dis• working with President Thomas Marcia played a key role in develop• crete mathematics have had very signifi• Banchoff for the first year of his term ment of the Association's strategic plan can t applications to other areas of pure in office. When former presidents were in 1994, and is once again a driving and applied mathematics as well as to asked about working with Marcia, they force in the MAA's new strategic plan• theoretical computer science. He all reported the most cordial and ben• ning project, A New Agenda for the 21st solved several outstanding problems in eficial relationship, making the MAA Century. For many years, Marcia has the field by introducing deep math• an organization that encourages the served as an important resource to the ematical methods which rely on geo• best in its officers and staff. Executive & Finance Committees and metric, polyhedral and topological Board. She has consistently advocated techniques. Lovasz also developed im• At the Joint Meetings in San Antonio increased cooperation with other scien• portant algorithmic ideas which later in January, MAA President Gerald tific and mathematical societies. served to advance applications in com- Alexanderson said, "We have enjoyed the wonderful leadership of Marcia as Since 1989, she has been an active Wolf prize continued on page 8 6 March 1999 FOCUS Five NSF-CBMS Research Conferences NSF Workshop at Slated for Summer 1999 Cornell to Concentrate on Teaching Under• The NSF has funded five NSF-CBMS Combinatorial Optimization: Packing Regional Research Conferences to be and Covering graduate Geometry held in the summer o£1999. (These five Gerard P. Cornuejols This workshop, which will run June 1- will bring to 272 the total number of May 24-28 University of Kentucky 7, is intended for college and univer• such conferences since the NSF-CBMS Jon Lee, Michael Jacobson, Carl Lee, sity faculty who teach (or soon will Regional Research Conference Series Kristina Vuskovic, Andre Kezdy, teach) an undergraduate geometry began in 1969.) andJeno Lehel, organizers. course, such as the courses typically at• These conferences are intended to 606-257-3336 tended by future or in-service teachers. stimulate interest and activity in math• [email protected] The leaders of the workshop will be ematical research. Each five day confer• www.ms.uky.edu/-jlee/cbms.html David Henderson (Cornell University), ence features a distinguished lecturer Kelly Gaddis (Buffalo State College), Generalized Linear Mixed Models and who delivers ten lectures on a topic of Jane Lo (Ithaca College/Cornell Uni• Related Topics important current research in one versity), and Avery Solomon (Cornell sharply focused area of the mathemati• Charles E. McCulloch, lecturer University). In addition, it is expected cal sciences. The lecturer subsequently June 8-12 University of Florida that two previous participants will serve prepares an expository monograph James G. Booth, organizer as mentors who will share their recent based upon these lectures, which is 352-392-1941 geometry teaching experiences and normally published as a part of a re• [email protected] provide support throughout the week. gional conference series. www.stat.ufl.edu In the mornings, participants will ex• Depending upon the conference topic, Mathematical Analysis of Viscoelastic perience a learning and teaching envi• the monograph is published by the Flows ronment that is innovative both in American Mathematical Society, the terms of content and in terms of teach• Michael Renardy, lecturer Society for Industrial and Applied ing methods. The content will be the June 19-23 University of Delaware Mathematics, or jointly by the Ameri• integration of geometries on plane, David Olagunju and Yuriko Renardy, can Statistical Association and the In• o. sphere and other surfaces - presented organizers stitute of Mathematical Statistics. through problems which emphasize 302-831-1875 experiencing the meanings in the ge• Support for about 30 participants is [email protected] ometry. Student investigations, small provided and the conference organizer [email protected] group learning, and writing assign• invites both established researchers and www.math.udel.edu ments will be explored. interested newcomers, including Statistical Inference from Genetic Data postdoctoral fellows and graduate stu• In the afternoons, there will be semi• on Pedigrees dents, to attend. nars and presentations on topics related Elizabeth A. Thompson, lecturer to the workshop theme, including: "Us• Information about an individual con• July 19-23 Michigan Technological ing Writing in Mathematics", "Using ference may be obtained by contacting University Computer Technology in Geometry", the conference organizer. Information Jianping Dong and Anant Godbole, "Non-test-based Assessments", "Includ• about the series and guidelines for sub• organizers ing All Students by Encouraging Di• mitting proposals for future confer• 906-487-2928 verse Ideas", "Curriculum Develop• ences may be obtained by writing or [email protected]; ments in School Geometry", "Student calling the Conference Board of the [email protected] Affects and Beliefs Surrounding Inno• Mathematical Sciences. www.math.mtu.edu/-jdong/ vative Programs", and "The 8 Under• CBMS cbms.html graduate Geometry Courses at 1529 18th St. NW Cornell." In addition, there will be Mathematical Control Theory of Washington DC 20036-1385 ample free time for informal discus• Coupled Systems of Partial Differential Phone: (202) 293-1170 sions and enjoyment of the geometry Equations Fax: (202) 265-2384 of nature in and around Ithaca. Email: [email protected] Irena Lasiecka, lecturer Much of the housing and food expenses or [email protected] August 5-9 University of Nebraska will be covered by the NSF for all par• http://www.maa.org/ cbms/ cbms.html Richard Rebarber, organizer ticipants. There may also be very lim• 402-472-7235 ited NSF funds available to support [email protected] travel costs for participating faculty www.math.unl.edu/Dept/Confer• from institutions with limited resources. ences/CBMS/ • The NSF will also support follow-up activities by the participants after the workshop including local workshops, 7 FOCUS March 1999 exchange of related classroom materi• Report continued from page 3 als, and communication of experiences and ideas. The workshop will begin with an evening reception at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday June 1 and end at 4:30 p.m. on Monday,June 7, with a free day on Saturday. Housing will be provided for participants wishing to stay through Tuesday, June 8 .• For more information and application procedures contact: Professor Elias Stein Bill Watkins (/.), nl'7L1 Chair of thf Commit• WWW - http://math.comell.edu/ 19th century French mathematician, tee on Publirations, talking shop with Don -dwh J.BJ Fourier. Stein developed math• Albers and Woody Dudlry in San Antonio. ematical tools in harmonic analysis or (if you have no WWW access): all he has done to keep the many books, which proved of great import to both e-mail: [email protected] journals, notes, magazines, and news• mathematicians and physicists. His stu• or write or fax to: letters in excellent shape. Best of luck dents, who significantly advanced devel• UFE Geometry Workshop to Bill Watkins who will continue the opments in mathematical analysis, are Department of Mathematics fine work as Chair. Publications con• today world leaders in the field. Cornell University tinue to be the jewels in our crown! Ithaca, NY 14853-790 l. Born in Belgium, Elias Stein received San Antonio Meeting Fax: 607-255-7149. his BA and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, where he was a professor The meetings in San Antonio were won• until 1963. For the past 25 years, he has derful, largely due to the hard work of Wolf Prize rontinuedlrom page 6 been on the faculty of Princeton Uni• our A"sociate Secretary, Jim Tattersall, versity. Stein was also a member of and the Program Committees who se• Princeton's highly prestigious Institute lected stellar speakers for Invited Ad• for Advanced Study. • dresses. The presence of the NExT Fel• lows continues to energize the Associa• Photograph ofLaszw /.lmasz by Michael Marsland, Yale University Office ofPublic Affairs. Photograph ofElia., tion. A" usual, there were so many good Stein, courtesy of Princeton University Office of Public things on the program that choices Affairs. were hard to make!

The Wolf Prize for Outstanding Achievement Professor I_aszlo Lovasz The Wolf Prize was established in 1978, by the late German-born Ricardo Wolf. puter science, cryptography and infor• A resident of Cuba for many years, he mation theory. became Fidel Castro's ambassador to His area of research was deeply affected Israel, which became his home, until by another famous Hungarian math• his death in 1981. The Israel-based ematician, Professor Paul Erdos, 1983 Wolf Prize is awarded to outstanding Wolf Prize Laureate, whom Lovasz met scientists and artists, "for achievement in his youth. His encounter with Erdos, in the in terest of mankind and friendly The Student PostfT Session in San Antonio coupled with the latter's articles, were relations among peoples." The annual attracted many student presentfrs and visi• to determine Lovasz's future direction prizes, of $100,000 in each area, are tors. in mathematics. given in four out of five scientific fields, in rotation: Agriculture, Chemistry, Mathfest '99 Hungarian-born Lovasz received his Mathematics, Medicine and Physics. In Ph.D. in mathematics from the Math• the Arts, the Prize rotates among Ar• Exciting plans for Mathfest in Provi• ematical Institute of the Hungarian chitecture, Music, Painting and Sculp• dence (July 3 I-August 2) should make Academy of Sciences. He was affiliated ture. the 1999 Mathfest a "must" for all MAA with a number of universities in Hun• members. Other meetings approved by gary prior to joining Yale University's Wolf Prize Laureates to date number the Board are: Washington, D.C. - Department of Computer Science, in 181 Laureates from 19 countries. January 19-22,2000 (AMS-MAA-SIAM 1993. The 1999 Wolf Prizes will be conferred Joint Meeting); Mathfest 2000 in Los Professor Elias Stein has made many key by the president of the State of Israel, Angeles at UCLA -August 3-5, 2000; fundamental contributions to math• Mr. Ezer Weizman, at a special cer• New Orleans, LA -January 10-13, ematical and harmonic analysis-the lat• emony, at the Knesset (parliament), on 2001; and San Diego, (A-January 6- ter, in continuation to the work of noted Sunday May 2, 1999. 9,2002. Be there!!! • 8 March 1999 FOCUS President continued from page 1 the MAA has a special opportunity to appreciate hearing your reactions and stay on top of developments and chal• suggestions. Once you are on line, you Suzanne Lehnart at the University of lenges. Gene Klotz at Swarthmore and will easily find ways of posting your ideas Tennessee or Teri Jo Murphy at the Earl Fife from Calvin College put to• to the editor, Fernando Gouvea. University of Illinois if you have some gether a very stimulating panel on the Teaching assistants and part-time in• specific input to give as they shape this topic, and they always appreciate hear• project.) structors carry out a large part of the ing about new developments and sug• teaching in our two-year colleges, four• gestions. San Antonio Meeting year colleges and universities. Thirteen At several committees, I reported on years ago I participated in a three-year Any number of sessions and talks in San the progress of another electronic ef• effort which surveyed the ways in which Antonio centered on the use of tech• fort, Communications in Visual Mathemat• these instructors were selected, trained, nology in mathematics education, an ics, drawing attention to a new proto• supervised, evaluated, and rewarded. issue that has concerned me through• type version accessible at MAA We produced two MAA Notes volumes Online.This is only one out my teaching career. The Internet, with surveyed results and models to suit in particular, offers great possibilities of many features on our MAA web page, a variety of institutions. and I encourage everyone to check out for enhancing teaching and research, Already this past year I have attended the wealth of information and services especially in introducing new modes of meetings of the Joint Policy Board for available there. communication between students and Mathematics, which brings together instructors. More and more we will be depending officers from the MAA, AMS, and SIAM on this electronic medium for commu• It is easy to predict that this will revolu• to address issues that affect the whole tionize large parts of our profession and nication among members, and we all profession, primarily involving the gov• ernment and the funding agencies. Danny Goroff, the new director of that Five Reasons to Visit MAA Online board, and April Burke of the Lewis• Fernando Q. Gouvea Burke Agency described ways in which all of our organizations can cooperate usually reviewing a book within a few Web sites are continually changing. months of publication. We also try hard to represent the interest., of mathemat• Even the lead time between the writ• ics, and it seems that this activity will be to unearth interesting books that are ing of this article and the publication related to mathematics. For example, more and more important. of FOCUS is long enough for many have you noticed that mathematicians things to have changed in MAA Online. Before I became a member ofJPBM, I have been turning up as characters in Nevertheless, here are five reasons you did not appreciate how important these novels lately? We've reviewed lain Pears' might want to come to http:/ / efforts were, and I now see this as one An Instance of the Fingerpost, and there www.maa.org and spend some time with of the most significant things we do are more to come. us. from our national MAA headquarters. Your ideas and comments help us in all 4) Is math becoming cool?-With math• 1) News--MAA Online carries news of these activities. ematicians showing up in popular nov• about the activities of the Association els and films and mathematical biogra• and also about what's going on in the There are many other areas that I could phies showing up on the best seller lists, world of mathematics, from the auction talk about, for example, the excellent could it possibly be that math is now of the Archimedes manuscript at work done by Walter Mientka and Titu considered cool? Keith Devlin consid• Christie's to the latest decisions by the Andreescu of the University of Ne• ered this question at the end oflast year MAA Board of Governors. braska on the American Mathematical in his Devlin's Anglecolumn; you'll need Competitions and the International 2) VISUalize the mathematics-There to come and see what he concluded. Mathematical Olympiad, and the activi• are some things the web can do better of the newly formed Association for 5) Think before you teach-If you're ties than any printed journal. From MAA like me, you are tempted to teach on Research in Undergraduate Mathemat• Online, you can check out Communica• ics Education (ARUME), spearheaded autopilot, doing it the way you did it tions in Visual Mathematics, the newest by our Second Vice-President Ed last time. I find Annie andJohn Selden's journal of the MAA, dedicated to ex• Dubinsky. Research Sampler to be quite effective at plaining mathematics in ways that just jolting me out of my complacency and can't be done on paper. Or visit Alex I expect to write more about both of giving me ideas I can use. You can find Bogomolny's Cut the Knot column to see these efforts in messages in FOCUS in it in our Teaching and Learning section. how with a littleJava programming geo• issues to come. metric theorems can come to life. There's more, of course ... In fact, there's so much that we're furiously Member Survey 3) Read those books-Just because working on creating a "site map" to help we're online doesn't mean we don't like you find all the goodies. I'll tell you all What about the immediate future? books; in fact, like most mathemati• about it next time. During the next month, six hundred cians, we can't have enough of them. MAA members, chosen randomly, will So our book review column is quick, See you online! ~ 9 FOCUS March 1999 be invited to participate in a carefully The Leitzel Lecture Next STATS Workshop designed MAA Member Needs Survey. Slated for Hope College We have a thriving association with a One invitation I received in connection crucial mission. with the Mathfest is giving me a lot of Supported by the National Science We always have to be looking for ways thought. I was deeply honored to re• Foundation, the Mathematical Associa• to improve the MAA and to attract new ceive the invitation to give the first tion of America is conducting a series members and supporters. The six hun• Leitzel Lecture, a memorial to our col• of faculty development workshops de• dred interview subjects will have the league who did so much for the MAA, signed for mathematicians who teach chance to respond to telephone inter• particularly in the first years of the courses in introductory statistics but views, covering participation in sec• NExT program. have little formal training in the sub• ject. Goals of the workshops-called tional and national meetings, MAA That effort has been so successful in journals and other publications, pro• "Statistical Thinking with Active Teach• reaching and supporting young math• ing Strategies"-are to help faculty par• grams and pr~jects at the local and na• ematics faculty that we are now seek• ticipants to: tionallevels, including MAA Online. ing ways to expand its influence • teach statistical thinking with more The data from these interviews, and the throughout the country. My topic, data and concepts, less theory and report~ of all the MAA committees and "Teaching Stages," leads me to recon• fewer recipes councils that have been considering sider all my preconceptions about our these same topics, will be the primary profession, and the ways things have • explore active learning alternatives to material for a planning retreat I will be changed for me over the course of the the lecture method in their teaching chairing at the end of March. Our last thirty-five years. of statistics agenda is straightforward: we want to Each of us has his or her stories, and I • make effective use of technology in identify the directions we should be hope that more of them will show up their statistics courses going in as we enter the next century. here in FOCUS and MAA Online. One • use authentic assessment practices in Five years ago the MAA developed a of my duties at the San Antonio meet• evaluating the work of their statistics strategic plan with input from many of ing was to introduce the winners of our students us. A dozen of us will be reviewing that national teaching award, the Deborah • discover a myriad of print and elec• plan and coming up with a new one. and Franklin Tepper Haimo Prize, as tronic resources for teaching statis• During the weekend session we aim to they gave their presentations. tics produce a document that will guide I am encouraging each of them to write • engender lasting collegial relation• further MAA deliberations, at the sum• up a report on their teaching experi• ships among mathematicians who mer meeting and beyond. ences for our newsletter, and I have teach statistics If you don't happen to be one of the asked for the report~ of past winners to Workshop participants are expected to six hundred, you can still make your be featured in a section ofMAA Online. cover their own travel costs and to have priorities known by contacting our Ex• Look for this new feature soon. e-mail accounts. The grant will cover ecutive Director Marcia Sward or me, We have a wealth of experience in the room & board for the summer work• preferably by the middle of March. Why MAA, and a great deal of enthusiasm, shops and will also provide participants not do it today? especially among those just entering with a variety of teaching resources. our profession. Let's all work to make A week-long STATS workshop will be Mathfest '99 the MAA as effective as possible. Please held at Hope CoIlege in Holland, tell your colleagues about what we are Michigan fromJune 13-19,1999. The This provides a segue to the summer trying to do. application deadline is April 23, 1999. meeting, Mathfest 1999 in Providence, For more information and for applica• RI. What a good time we are going to Making the MAA More Effective tion forms, please check the WWW site have. Our Associate Secretary Jim Tat• at http://www.dickinson.edu/ tersall from Providence College has We hope that many more of them will -rossman/STATS/ or contact: worked with local committees to set up be joining our ranks. MAA Institutional Maureen Callanan an outstanding program, which will be membership is a great way for depart• featured in the April issue of FOCUS. STATS Project Registrar ments to show their support for our Mathematical Association of America Some of you may have seen views of our efforts. Encourage your own depart• 1529 Eighteenth Street NW revitalized city on the recent television ment to join if it hasn't already. show "Providence." Washington, DC 20036-1385 Finally, let me know what you think phone 202-387-5200 It really is an attractive setting, and we about the MAA. We appreciate all the fax 202-483-5450 hope to have any number of events, at help we can get. We all have a lot to [email protected] Brown University and at the AMS head• look forward to .• quarters among other places. There will You may also direct questions to project be much to see and do. directors Allan Rossman ([email protected]) and Tom Short ([email protected]) .• 10 March 1999 FOCUS courses and to an applicant who can demon• EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES Personnel Office strated the ability to contribute to other sta• Lee College (:AI.lH>R:,\[A tistical tasks for the university. Experience in P.O. Box 818 computer use in teaching is also desirable. MIRACOSTA COMMUNI1Y COLLEGE Baytown, Texas 77522-0818 Letter of application addressing position quali• MiraCosta Community College, in North San Telephone: 281/425-6875 fications, vita, teaching evaluations, official Diego County, invites applications for a full• FAX: 281/425-6568 transcripts and name, address, and phone time, tenure-track Mathematics Instructor, be• numbers of three references should be sub• ginning August 1999. Minimum qualifications: mitted to: Office of Human Resources, South• EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY Master's degree in mathematics or applied west State University, 1501 State Street, Department of Mathematics, MS-32 mathematics, OR Bachelor's in mathematics Marshall, MN 56258. Review ofthe applica• Cheney, WA 99004-2431 or applied mathematics and Master's in phys• tions will begin on March 25, 1999 and will Graduate Instructorships in the Master's pro• ics, mathematics education, or statistics, OR continue until position is filled. SOUTHWEST gram only are available starting on 20 Septem• appropriate California teaching credential, OR STATE UNIVERSfIYISANEQUALOPPOR• ber 1999, with tuition waivers and about equivalent. Closing date: March 17, 1999. TUNfIYEDUCATORAND EMPLOYER.AP• $ll,OOO yearly stipends. The program can Request application materials: e-mail PLICANTS MUST BE ABLE TO LAWFULLY document its graduates employment success [email protected] or call the job line ACCEPT EMPLOYMENT IN THE UNITED in academia, government, and industry. Re• 760-757-2121, ext. 6868 (toll free 1-888-201- STATES. quest application forms at the above address 8480, ext. 6868). Website or through \[email protected]. www.miracosta.cc.ca.us. MiraCosta is a high• TEX.\S tech, high-touch college noteworthy for its LEE COLLEGE computer infrastructure and for the number The Math, Engineering and Sciences Division VITERBO COLLEGE of computers available to staff and students. of Lee College, a public 2-year Community Applications are invited for a new tenure-track MiraCosta College, One Barnard Drive, College, located in Baytown, 20 miles east of assistant professor position, effective late Au• Oceanside CA 92056. AA/EOE. Houston, Texas, invites applications for a regu• gust 1999. A doctorate in the mathematical \11:,\:\ ESOTA lar contract appointment in Geology/Math. sciences is required. This is the fourth posi• The successful candidate will have at least a tion in a department that offers mathematics SOUTHWEST STATE UNIVERSI1Y Master's Degree in Geology or related field and math education (secondary teaching) Mathematics and adequate credits to teach developmental majors, as well as several minors. A strong com• Southwest State University invites applications and/ or college math. Preference will be given mitment to teaching is essential; demonstrated for a probationary full time AssistantiAssoci• to candidates with 18 graduate hours in geog• successful college teaching experience is re• ate Professor of Mathematics to begin August raphy, teaching experience at the community quired. Applicants should be able to teach a 18, 1999. The faculty member will teach a full college level, a background in GIS, and a wide range of courses, and should show a will• range of statistics/mathematics courses and strong demonstrated commitment to field ge• ingness to play an active role in the organiza• participate in department and university ac• ology as an instructional tool. Teaching re• tional life of the college. Viterbo College is a tivities including, but not limited to, curricu• sponsibilities include physical, historical, en• Catholic, coeducational liberal arts college, lum development, program review and out• vironmental, introductory geology and devel• with about 1500 students in on-campus pro• reach. Responsibilities may also include devel• opmental or college mathematics. Off cam• grams. Viterbo College encourages application oping and directing a regional polling service pus, night and weekend sections may be as• by women and members of other under-rep• and/or other statistical application tasks for signed. The starting salary range will be resented groups. The selection process will be• the university. Doctorate in Statistics preferred. $31,947 to $38,611, depending upon degrees gin 15 March 1999. Apply with (I) Vita, (2) Completion of doctorate required by Septem• and experience. Excellent college benefits will graduate transcript, (3) three letters of rec• ber 1 ofthe tenure application year. Success• accrue with this position. Qualified candidates ommendation (at least two of which address ful college teaching and research and a strong must submit a current resume, cover letter, teaching ability), and (4) a statement of edu• commitment to working with students at the copies of applicable transcripts or evaluation cational philosophy, to: Dr. Mary Hassinger, undergraduate level is highly desirable. Pref• of foreign transcripts (official transcripts re• Dean, School of Letters and Sciences, Viterbo erence will be given to an applicant able to quired upon employment) and contact infor• College, 815 S. 9th St., La Crosse, WI 54601. teach a breadth of statistics and mathematics mation on 3 professional references to: Website: www.viterbo.edu.

National Meetings Kansas March 26-27, 1999, Kansas State University Northeastern June 11-12, 1999, Colby College, Waterville, ME Kentucky March 2~27, 1999, University of July 3 I-August 2, 1999, MathFest, Providence, Rl Louisville, Louisville, KY Ohio March 2~27, 1999, University of Dayton, January 19-22, 2000 83,d Annual Meeting, MD-DC-VA April 9-10, 1999,James Madison Dayton,OH Washington, DC; Board of GovernorsJanuary 18, University, Harrisonburg, VA Oklahoma-Arkansas March 2~27, 1999, Southern 2000 Metropolitan New York May I, 1999, Hofstra Nazarene University, Bethany, OK Section Meetings University, Hempstead, NY Rocky Mountain April 30-May I, 1999, Adams State College, Alamosa, CO Allegheny Mountain April 9-10, 1999, Allegheny Michigan May 7-8, 1999, Eastern Michigan College, Meadville, PA University, Ypsilanti, MI Seaway April 23-24, 1999, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY Eastern PA & Delaware April 10, 1999, Villanova Missouri April 8-10, 1999, Rockhurst College, University, Villanova, PA Kansas City, MO Southwestern April 9-10, 1999, Western New Mexico University, Silver City, NM Dlinois April 9-10, 1999, Augustana College, Rock Nebraska-Southeast South Dakota April 9-10 1999, Island,IL Hastings College, Hastings, NE Texas April 8-10, 1999, Southwest Texas State University, San Marcos, TX Indiana March 2~27, 1999 Indiana University, New Jersey April 10, 1999, College of New Jersey, Bloomington, IN Trenton, NJ Wisconsin April 23-24, 1999, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, ViI IowaAprill~17,1999, Universityoflowa, North Central Aprill~17, 1999 Carleton College, Iowa City, IA Northfield, MN 11 FOCUS March 1999 Professional Development Calendar Contact: Tina Straley, (770) 423-6738 Contact: Richard Patterson, (317) 274-6933 [email protected] [email protected] May,1999 Web: http://science.kennesaw.edu/ Web: http://matc.siam.org/workshop4 May 22-23: DlMACS Center, Rutgers -mburke/ partnerships July 11-16,1999; Indiana University University, Piscataway, NJ June 20-July 10: Park City, UT Bloomington, IN Recoonec:ting Two-Year College Faculty to Park City Mathematics Institute: Arithmetic Partnerships: Business, Economics, F1nance the Mathematical Sciences Enterprise Algebraic Geometry and Mathematics Contact: Elaine Foley, (732) 445-4631 Contact: (800) 726-4427 Contact: Brian Winkel, (914) 938-3200 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Web: http://dimacs.rutgers.edu/twoday/ Web: http://www.ias.edu/park.htm Web: http://science.kennesaw.edu/ 1999 June 21-24: Allegheny College -mburke/partnerships June, 1999 Meadville, PA July 12-17: Frisco, CO June 1-5: University of Tennessee Teaching Dynamical Systems Across the Rocky Mountain Mathematica Knoxville, TN Curriculum Contact: Ed Packel, (847) 735-5155 Barrett Lectures: Succcessful Strategies for Contact: George Bradley [email protected] the Use of Technology in the Teacbing of [email protected] Web: http://math.lfc.edu/ Mathematics June 23-25: Miami University, Oxford, OH Rock_Mtn_Mathematica Contact: Harry Row, (423) 974-4323 The Mathematics of the Perfect Shuffle July 28-30: Providence, Rl [email protected] Contact: Bob Dieffenbach, (513) 727-3238 Project NExT 1999 Workshop Web: http://archives.math.utk.edu/barrett/ [email protected] Contact: T. Christine Stevens June 1-7: Cornell University Web: http://miavx3.mid.muohio.edu/ (314) 977-2444, [email protected] Teaching Undergraduate Geometry -rdieffenbach/shortcourse.htm Web: http://archives.math.utk.edu/ Contact: David Henderson June 27-July 2: Duck, NC projnext/ about/index.html [email protected] Teaching in Context August, 1999 Web: http://math.comell.edu/-dwh Contact: Es Laughbaum, (614) 292-7223 August 4-7: Central Michigan University June &-18,1999; Georgia State University [email protected] Mt. Pleasant,MI Atlanta, GA July, 1999 Innovative Programs Using Technology in CLUME: Cooperative Learning in Under• July &-16: DlMACS Center Mathematics Service Counes graduate Mathematics Education Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ Contact: Susan Lenker, (517) 774-6520 Contact:Jakki Gaither, (404) 651-0658 Reconnecting Teaching Faculty to the [email protected] [email protected]. Mathematical Sciences Enterprise September, 1999 Web http://www.maa.org/pfdev/ Contact: Elaine Foley, (732) 445-4631, clume99.html September 1&-19: Radisson Hotel O'Hare [email protected] Chicago, Illinois June 14-18: Messiah College, Grantham, PA Web: http://dimacs.rutgers.edu/reconnect! Fourth Annual Conference on Research in J in the Math Clll&!ll"OOm: Visualization, 1999 Number Theory and Linear Algebra Undergraduate Mathematics Education Contact: Marvin Brubaker, 717-766-2511 July 9-10: Indiana University Contact: Mickey McDonald, (323) 259-2504 x7283, [email protected] Bloomington, IN [email protected] Improving the Teaching of Mathematics Web: http://galois.oxy.edu/mickey/ June 19-26: Carroll College, Helena, MT Across the Undergraduate Disciplines rume99.html Partnerships: Physics and Mathematics For additional information on professional opportunities please check out the MAAs rm:bsite at www.maa.arg. f"J