What follows is a recap of my MAA Retiring President’s Address. It contains some slides, all the lessons, and hints at the proofs for identities. The drawings are my own. The title of my talk has its origins at a previous MathFest. Twenty years ago, I was invited to speak in Boulder, Colorado. This isContinue reading “August 9 Day 1249: Lessons That Really Count”
Category Archives: mathematics
August 8 Day 1248: MAA MathFest 2023
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 isContinue reading “August 8 Day 1248: MAA MathFest 2023”
June 4 Day 1183: NES/MAA Spring Recap
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 pickedContinue reading “June 4 Day 1183: NES/MAA Spring Recap”
May 19 Day 1167: Strategery Unlocked
The first day of the Spring Mathematical Association of America Board of Directors meeting was devoted to strategic planning—facilitated by Cara Parker of Cara Parker Consulting. We were engaged, focused, and productive. Sticky notes, flip charts, active meeting management. Time to think. Time to dream. Time to connect. Data, graphics, the works. It was everythingContinue reading “May 19 Day 1167: Strategery Unlocked”
May 13 Day 1161: A Festival of Fun
This morning, Tacoma Math hosted its second community math festival of the year. Our first was April 27 at Lincoln High School and today’s was on UW Tacoma’s campus in the new Milgard Building. Funded by the UW Tacoma Office of Community Partnerships, we recruited undergraduate students to create and facilitate math activities. There wasContinue reading “May 13 Day 1161: A Festival of Fun”
April 15 Day 1133: You Know You Are A Mathematician When…
…your license plate equals -1. …you road trip from Arizona, across New Mexico, to El Paso with your friends to present your results on a Saturday morning. And you are excited to hear your advisor talk afterwards. …the audience for your contributed talk is filled with former students now successfully teaching in the math community.Continue reading “April 15 Day 1133: You Know You Are A Mathematician When…”
April 14 Day 1132: Southwestern Style
Today’s Spring meeting was sponsored by the Southwestern Section of the MAA and the New Mexico Mathematical Association of Two Year Colleges. Geographically, the Southwestern MAA Section covers Arizona, New Mexico, and just a tiny part of Texas. The meeting was held at El Paso Community College—so Texas, here I am. Everything has been delightfulContinue reading “April 14 Day 1132: Southwestern Style”
March 27 Day 1114: Fresh Start
It’s the first day of Spring quarter 2023. So long Spring Break— I hardly knew you. All of the faculty colleagues I saw today looked exhausted. With less than a week between Winter grade submission and the start of this quarter, there really was no rest for the weary. I had an impressive To-Do listContinue reading “March 27 Day 1114: Fresh Start”
March 18 Day 1105: Just a Regular Member
This weekend was the MAA Pacific Northwest Section Spring Meeting at George Fox University in Newberg, OR. We enjoyed clear warm weather and uplifting mathematical talks. Usually at MAA Section meetings I have one or more obligations—whether giving a talk, participating on a panel, running a workshop, or attending executive committee meetings. Today, I hadContinue reading “March 18 Day 1105: Just a Regular Member”
March 9 Day 1096: Mathematical Relations
Yesterday afternoon, my #TacomaMath colleagues Jenn Crump, Ander Erickson, and I delivered a (virtual) professional development session for teachers in the Tacoma area. One of the activities was to graph our relationship to math over time. Some of the results are given below: Notice only one response had a wholly positive experience. Everyone else hadContinue reading “March 9 Day 1096: Mathematical Relations”
Math Belongs to All of Us 