What a crazy, whirlwind end to the Spring quarter. Who thinks it’s a good idea to finish the last day of teaching with a red-eye to Boston in order to attend the Spring meeting of the Northeastern Section of the MAA? Apparently I did. And I still do.
Arriving Friday at 6:30 am, I picked up my rental car and promptly drove to Fitchburg, Massachusetts. I decided to take advantage of the dorm stay option because
- the price was very reasonable,
- it was conveniently located, and
- they arranged for me to check in early and grab a few hours of sleep before the festivities began.
It’s been a long time since sleeping on a dorm bed. They are not as comfortable as I remember but a vast improvement over a reclined airline seat.
It was a small but mighty conference. Most sessions were unopposed and there was a little something for everyone.
Joe Silverman drew the crowds with his clickbait worthy title “How Quantum Computers might destroy the internet and what mathematicians can do about it!”
This was followed by a Math Circle Hour facilitated by Hema Gopalakrishnan where we participated in teams to fold and cut paper into specified shapes (like isosceles triangles or the letter L) in a single straight line cut. It was fascinating to witness the hesitation of participants (myself included) not wanting to start in case our ideas were wrong. Taking a leap of faith to try something was critical. Sharing ideas became easier and more natural thereafter.
I rounded out the evening giving the after dinner Battles lecture, named for long time newsletter editor for the Northeastern section. It seemed like a good match to me since my MAA service included a stint as a newsletter editor of the Southern California Section.
Day two started with another talk from yours truly. Followed by a “Teaching Hour“ where presenters shared innovative assignments and asked probing questions. Lunch, an hour of concurrent sessions, and a final presentation by Marjorie Senechal on the exciting and timely “einstein” (aka the recent discovery of an aperiodic monotiling of the plane.)
I spent the evening in the company of Barbara Faires at her home in Boston. We caught up on family, friends, and all things MAA. Now it’s time for the long flight home and to write a final for my Spring semester course because I need to administer it tomorrow.
Math Belongs to All of Us 