August 8 Day 1248: MAA MathFest 2023

Posted byJenny QuinnPosted inMAA, mathematics, travelTags:, , , , , ,

I was so preoccupied during the recent MAA MathFest that I did not take time to write a post in the moment. Consider this a recap of the entire last week.

If you have read any of my previous posts, you likely know that I love the Mathematical Association of America (the MAA). MathFest is its annual meeting— full of invited lectures, workshops, panels, celebrations, mathematics, and friends. This one was particularly special to me as I gave my Retiring President’s Address.

The week started with meetings of the Board of Directors on Tuesday and the MAA Congress on Wednesday. Important items on both agendas were strategic planning and bylaws revisions.

MAA Board of Directors Meeting
How many MAA leaders fit in one elevator?
MAA Congress ice-breaker. Did I hear Russ Goodman say something about dancing?

The location was a challenge for many MAA members. Florida. I am grateful for those that attended and I respect those that chose not to attend. MAA worked to make the meeting safe and welcoming. I was particularly impressed by Tampa’s mayor, Jane Castor, who personally welcomed us to her city. She is the first woman and first openly gay person to serve as Chief of Police of the Tampa Police Department (from 2009 to 2015) and the first openly gay person to be elected Mayor of Tampa. As she said in her opening remarks, “I’ve seen a lot of dangerous things in my time in law enforcement and drag queens aren’t one of them.”

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor.

Thursday morning kicked off with an AWM panel on mental health organized by Jeanette Shakalli and Janet Fierson. It was well attended (especially for 8 am in the morning) and featured panelists Vinodh Chellamuthu, Adriana Salerno, Alicia Prieto Langarica, and me. I could only speak for myself and don’t feel like I have any particular wisdom. I assume was invited to participate because of the openness of this blog. The experience called into focused the need for life balance (and none of the participants were particularly good about that.)

After that everything becomes a bit of a blur. I always like the invited addresses—whether they are in my field or not, the talks by teaching award winners (both Alder and Haimo), and talks by my friends. I’ll recap in the photo gallery below:

Fern Hunt’s Falconer Lecture was introduced by Naiomi Cameron.
Mary Lou Zeeman at the first of her two Hedricks Lectures.
Jason Brown rocks the house with a back-up band.
From Jason Brown’s presentation.
Dan Zaharapol brings a fresh perspective on math students from 6-16.
From Dan Zaharapol’s presentation
Caroline Colijn connects new mathematics to the pandemic.
Lara Pudwell tells a great story of permutation patterns (based on this talk at MoMath).
Me, Lara, and Tom Edgar (Editor of Math Horizons). She won the Trevor Evans Award for her article on permutation patterns in MAA’s Math Horizons.
More editors. Tammy Lakins (editor elect of the College Math Journal), Dominic Klyve (Editor of College Math Journal), and Susan Staples (past chair of the Council on Publications).
Alder Award winner Alison Lynch.
Alder Award winner Abe Edwards.
Alder Award winner Andrea Arauza Rivera.
Victor Piercey involves the attendees in his discussion on Undergraduate research and equity.
Celebrating Dave Kung and his 9 years as director of Project NExT.
Ricardo Cortez gives the Darden Lecture on biological fluid dynamics.
I gave my Retiring President’s Address.
Ron Buckmire, a colleague from early years at Occidental, gave the NAM Blackwell Lecture.
Su Doree presents on student and instructor confidence, engagement, and authority.
Haimo Award winner and past MAA VP Carol Schumacher.
Carol and her undergraduate role mentor Rob Eslinger.
Expert teachers all: Judy Holdener. Su Doree, Rob Eslinger, and Carol Schumacher.
Rob Eslinger watching Carol Schumacher as she presents a slide praising Rob Eslinger.
Carol’s brother Bruce takes of photo of Carol as she closes with her daughter Sarah’s class rules.
Haimo Award winner and MAA VP Adriana Salerno.
Haimo Award winner and Math Corps evangelist Sarah Koch.
Closing slide from Sarah’s presentation.

Then there were the social events and the exhibit hall.

Math Happens optical illusion with me,
MAA Executive Director Michael Pearson,
and UW Tacoma math graduate 2023 Yoshiriro Yagi.
Greg Foley displays his new textbook.
Finally meeting BEAM CEO Dan Zaharapol for the first time IRL.
Backgammon and puzzles in the MAA Pavilion.
Art Benjamin in his element. (Photo credit: Jeanette Shakalli.)
Arriving at the Columbia (in Ybor) for dinner.
What do these friends all share in common? They each received a Haimo award (2019, 2000, 2007, and 2023.)
Yoshi meets Carol. He used her book Closer and Closer in his senior year at UW Tacoma.
Puppy break in the MAA Pavilion.
SPCA visit sponsored by Hudson River Trading.
And Puppies.
And Puppies. (Actually only 3 puppies but they were a hit with the crowd.)
Power-up before the USA Math Olympiad celebration. Sweets and t-shirts from Citadel.
When it is hot and humid, the time to walk along the river is in the evening, See here a tiki boat and the University of Tampa.
Families with kids playing in the park at 9:30 pm. It was still hot but there was a nice breeze.

I loved every minute of MAA’s MathFest 2023. Next, I will post specifically about my own address. I worked really hard on it (okay, I was obsessed and tinkered, revised, and practiced until the very last minute.) It was worth it because the MAA is so important to me.

Published by Jenny Quinn

Mathematician. Mother. Wife. Leader. I am the Executive Director of Seattle Universal Math Museum after many years working as a professor of mathematics at the University of Washington Tacoma. Mother of Anson and Zachary. Wife to Mark. President of the Mathematical Association of America 2021-2022. Past-President of MAA 2023.

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