Annual Meeting of the Pacific Northwest Section of the Mathematical Association of America June 19-21, 2008 Carroll College in Helena, MT.

Registration	Schedule	Project NExT
Keynote Speakers	Minicourses	Call for Papers
Transportation and Lodging Information	Program Committee	Things to do in Helena and Montana

Chris Hallstrom at University of Portland (hallstro@up.edu), is the primary contact for the contributed papers.

The deadline for contributed papers is May 15th, 2008.

We encourage papers on mathematics, the teaching of mathematics, student projects, etc.

We would especially like to encourage student presentations on summer research, REUs, senior projects, the modeling contest, and other projects. Work presented need not be original research. Titles and abstracts can be submitted as with other contributed papers; there will be a session for student papers.

If you would like to present your work at this meeting, please submit the following information to: hallstro@up.edu no later than May 15, 2008.

1. Name
2. Affiliation
3. Title of talk
4. Brief abstract
5. Desired special session (if any), listed in the subject line (as well as the body)
6. Technology needs (overhead projector, computer projection, blackboard)
7. Status: undergraduate, graduate student, faculty, or "other" (please specify)

All talks are 15 minutes, which includes time for questions.

Titles and descriptions of special sessions appear below. Please do not submit your requests to the session organizers.

Sessions in the meeting:

1. Issues and Challenges in Applied Mathematics
   Organizers: Marie Vanisko (Carroll College) and John Scharf (Carroll College)

   Mathematics is a wondrous area of study and is unique because it is both a discipline by itself and one of a few “gateway” areas of knowledge. A basic understanding of mathematics is required in all other areas of scientific inquiry, and mathematics frequently provides the basis for advances within scientific and technological disciplines. In the past, we have observed this close connection with physics and engineering, but now we are on the threshold of breakthroughs in biology, chemistry, geology, materials sciences, and even sociology, political science, psychology, etc., thanks to new advances in these fields that provide new opportunities for applications of mathematical analysis and modeling techniques. The applied practitioner must not only be a competent mathematician, but must also be knowledgeable in the area to which mathematics is being applied and concerned with the construction and interpretation of appropriate models. This new era in applied mathematics requires fresh new perspectives as well as effective communication and cooperation among all those involved.

2. Outreach Programs for Underrepresented Populations in Mathematics
   Organizers: Marie Vanisko (Carroll College) and Viji Sundar (California State University Stanislaus)

   Many young people make career choices early in their lives, frequently in middle school or high school, that lead them towards non-technical career paths. This is especially true in the case of young women and in the case of American Indians. Numerous outreach programs exist that are designed to give young people in these underrepresented groups more self-confidence in their own skill levels and to plant the seeds that can steer them down a career path that involves mathematics and science. This session will feature some of these outreach programs.

3. Special Topics Courses for Undergraduates
   Organizers: Nick Willis (Whitworth University) and Donna Pierce (Whitworth University)

   This special session will focus on the pedagogy, methods, and strategies for teaching an undergraduate special topics course in Mathematics. Particular emphasis will be placed on the challenges for both students and faculty in topics courses held during the shorted terms between semesters or over a summer. This session will provide a opportunity for discussion about what courses various universities are offering, how professors format the in-class time and out of class assignments for their students, and other positives and negatives of the classroom experience.

4. Action Research in Mathematics Education
   Organizer: Elizabeth Burroughs (Montana State University) and David Yopp (Montana State University

   Action research is a process by which a researcher identifies a problem in her or his classroom, develops a plan to address the problem, implements the plan, and reflects on the outcomes. In some cases the process is iterative. Action research is common in capstone projects that accompany some master's programs and is the model often employed (knowingly or unknowingly) by university faculty in their own redesign of curriculum. This session will highlight the supervision and facilitation of action research in mathematics classrooms, as well as provide a forum for the presentation of results of action research projects, enacted in secondary school, community college, and university settings.

5. Junior Faculty Research Talks

   This session is designed to give junior faculty an opportunity to introduce themselves and their research to the section. As such, a talk in this session is intended to be an introduction to the kinds of problems in which the speaker is interested rather than a detailed presentation of theorem and their proofs. This can be an excellent way for those new to the section to find others who may have similar areas of interest for possible collaborations. Furthermore, it gives junior faculty an opportunity to meet others who are in the same position as they are.

6. Research Talks

   The purpose of this session is for mathematicians to give talks about their current mathematics research. It is open to all fields.

7. Student Papers and Undergraduate Research Projects

   Students are strongly encouraged to present their work at this session. We would especially like to encourage student presentations on summer research, REUs, senior projects, the modeling contest, and other projects. Work presented need not be original research.

   Students are expected to spend 1-3 minutes out of their 15-minute talk explaining the motivation behind the project.

8. General Contributed Papers

   Papers are invited on topics outside of the special sessions as well. If your talk does not fit into one of the special sessions above, please submit your information under the "General Contributed Papers Session."

Chris Hallstrom (hallstro@up.edu)

Return to PNWMAA 2008 Meeting Page