Selected Events at the 2011 Joint Mathematics Meetings

Providence, RI: Over 6000 mathematicians will attend the annual meetings of the American Mathematical Society (AMS) and Mathematical Association of America (MAA) at the New Orleans Marriott and Sheraton New Orleans January 6-9. Researchers will present a record number of papers--over 2000--from all specialties of mathematics.

The Press Room will be on the fifth floor of the Sheraton New Orleans, in the Rampart Room across from the Main Lecture Room, offering free wireless access, the book of abstracts, and a place to conduct interviews. Hours: Thursday, January 6 through Friday, January 8, 7:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m., and Sunday, January 9, 7:30 a.m. to noon. Registration for the press is free.

The annual math meetings provide an opportunity for mathematicians in all fields of mathematics to present talks and participate in panels on topics ranging from theoretical research to recent applications of math to significant issues such as the BP Oil spill, health and medicine, the economy, encouraging participation of underrepresented groups, and education.


Four events are open to the general public:

National Math Contest: Who Wants to Be a Mathematician, AMS Special Presentation: National High School Math Contest with nearly $30,000 in prizes. Friday, January 7, 9:30-11:00 a.m., Marriott, Mardi Gras EFGH (3rd floor).

Mathematical Art Exhibition: Fascinating works, including origami, sculpture, painting, digital prints, and crochet. Thursday, January 6, 12:15-5:30 p.m., Friday, January 7 and Saturday, January 8, 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., and Sunday, January 9, 9:00 a.m.-noon, Marriott Mardi Gras A (3rd floor).

AMS-MAA Gerald and Judith Porter Public Lecture: From Flapping Birds to Space Telescopes: The mathematics of origami, Robert J. Lang, Robert J. Lang Origami.  Sunday, January 9, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Sheraton Great Ballroom A-C (5th floor).

AMS Josiah Willard Gibbs Lecture: Mathematical problems in Systemic Risk, George Papanicolaou, Stanford University. Thursday, January 6, 8:30-9:30 p.m, Sheraton, Great Ballroom A-C (5th Floor).

Topics of selected sessions and talks include:

The Environment

The BP Oil Discharge, Energy and the Environment, SIGMAA Session on Environmental Mathematics. Saturday, January 8, 1:00-4:10 p.m., Sheraton Rhythms II and II (2nd floor).

Startling Parallels: Macondo/BP in 2011 and Bhopal/UC in 1984, Charles Hadlock, Bentley College. SIGMAA on Environmental Mathematics Guest Lecture. Friday, January 7, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Sheraton Great Ballroom E (5th floor).

Using Calculus to Model Aspects of the 2010 Gulf Oil Spill, Melanie A. Pivarski, Roosevelt University. Friday, January 7, 2:45-3:00 p.m., JW Marriott, St. Claude (3rd Floor).

Role of Computational Science in Protecting the Environment: Geological Storage of CO2, Mary Fanett Wheeler, University of Texas at Austin. Saturday, January 8, 2:00-2:30 p.m., Sheraton, Bayside A (4th floor).

Mathematical Modeling in Environmental Economics, AMS Special Session. Thursday, January 6, 8:00-10:50 a.m. and 2:15-5:00 p.m., Sheraton, Napoleon D3 (3rd floor).

Mathematical Methods for Modeling of Lightning and Thunderstorm Electrification, Beyza C. Aslan. University of North Florida. Saturday, January 8, 5:00-5:30 p.m., JW Marriott, Conde (3rd floor).

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Biology and Ecology

Mathematical Biology and Ecology, AMS Session. Thursday, January 6, 9:15-10:55 a.m., JW Marriott, Rosalie (3rd floor); Friday, January 7, 1:00-3:40 p.m., Sheraton, Bayside B (4th floor); Saturday, January 8, 8:00-10:55 a.m. and 1:00-5:55 p.m., Sheraton, Bayside B (4th floor).

Applications of Difference and Differential Equations in Ecology and Epidemiology, SIAM Minisymposium. Thursday, January 6, 8:00-10:55 a.m., and 2:15-6:00 p.m., Sheraton, Bayside A (4th floor).

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Fighting Disease

Statistical Modeling of Methylation Patterns in Ovarian Carcinomas, Michelle R. Lacey, Tulane University. Friday, January 7, 3:30-4:00 p.m., Sheraton, Maurepas (3rd floor).

The Evolution of Spatio-Temporal Models of Tumor Angiogenesis, Trachette L. Jackson, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Saturday, January 8, 3:00-3:30 p.m., Marriott, La Galerie 1 (2nd floor).

Optimal Control of a Cholera Model by Vaccination, Peng Zhong, University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Friday, January 7, 2:30-2:45 p.m., Sheraton, Bayside B (4th floor).

The U.S. Blood Supply, Bioterrorism and Mathematics, Sonja Sandberg, Framingham State University. Saturday, January 8, 9:00-9:20 a.m., Marriott, Mardi Gras BC (3rd floor).

Economic Analysis of the Use of Facemasks During Pandemic (H1N1) 2009, Samantha M. Tracht, Los Alamos National Laboratory and University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Saturday, January 8, 5:00-5:15 p.m., Sheraton, Southdown (4th floor).

Dynamics of the SAIQR Influenza Model, Ana Luz Vivas, New Mexico State University. Saturday, January 8, 5:15-5:30 p.m., Sheraton, Southdown Room (4th floor).

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Education

Harnessing Mobile Communications Devices and Online Communication Tools forMathematics Education, MAA Session. Thursday, January 6, 7:40-10:55 a.m., Sheraton, Grand Couteau (5th floor), and 2:15-3:10 p.m., Sheraton, Rhythms II and III (2nd floor).

Assessment of Learning in an Age of Technology, MAA Committee on Technologies in Mathematics and Education/WEB SIGMAA Panel Discussion. Friday, January 7, 1:00-2:20 p.m., Marriott, La Galerie 2 (2nd floor).

The Mathematical Education of Teachers and the Common Core, Association for Women in Mathematics Hay Minisymposium and Panel Discussion. Saturday, January 8, 8:00-11:00 a.m., Marriott, La Galerie 1 (2nd floor).

Teaching Elementary Math Is Not Elementary: How mathematicians can help and why?, AMS Committee on Education Panel Discussion. Sunday, January 9, 8:30-10:00 a.m., Marriott, Balcony M (4th floor).

Mathematics Education, AMS Session. Thursday, January 6, 8:30-10:55 a.m., and 2:15-3:55 p.m., Sheraton, Cornet Room (8th floor).

Fostering, Supporting, and Propagating Math Circles for Students and Teachers, MAA Session. Thursday, January 6, 8:00-10:55 a.m. and Saturday, January 8, 8:00-10:55 a.m., JW Marriott, St. Jerome (3rd floor).

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The Economy

Did Mathematics Cause the Subprime Mortgage Disaster?, Steven E. Shreve, Carnegie Mellon University. Sunday, January 9, 8:00-9:00 a.m., Sheraton, Bayside A (4th floor). In Pursuit of the Salesman: Mathematics at the Limits of Computation, William Cook, Georgia Tech. SIAM Invited Address. Friday, January 7, 11:10-noon, Sheraton, Great Ballroom A-C (5th floor).

Mathematics Experiences in Business, Industry, and Government, MAA Session. Saturday, January 8, 8:00-10:55 a.m., Marriott, Mardi Gras BC (3rd floor). An Agent-Based Modeling Approach to Financial Markets, William K. Brayer, George Mason University. Friday, January 7, 11:00-11:15 a.m., Sheraton, Cornet Room (8th floor).

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The Arts

From Flapping Birds to Space Telescopes: The mathematics of origami, Robert J. Lang, Robert J. Lang Origami. AMS-MAA Gerald and Judith Porter Public Lecture. Sunday, January 9, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Followed by the award-winning film Between the Folds, about 10 origami artists, AMS-MAA Special Presentation. 4:30-5:30, both in Sheraton Great Ballroom A-C (5th floor).

How Mathematics Is Changing Hollywood, Tony DeRose, Pixar Animation Studios. SIGMAA on Mathematicians in Business, Industry, and Government Guest Lecture. Saturday, January 8, 5:00-5:45 p.m., Sheraton, Rhythms II and III (2nd floor). New and Continuing Connections between Math and the Arts, MAA Session. Saturday, January 8, 8:00-10:55 a.m., Sheraton, Rhythms I (2nd floor) and Sunday, January 9, 8:00-10:55 a.m., Sheraton, Grand Chenier (5th floor).

Digital Snowflakes, Janko Gravner, University of California, Davis. Thursday, January 6, 3:30-4:00 p.m., Sheraton, Rhythms II and III (2nd floor).

Mathematical Techniques in Musical Analysis, AMS Special Session. Thursday, January 6, 8:00-10:50 a.m. and 2:15-6:05 p.m., Napoleon B3 (3rd floor).

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Underrepresented Groups

Increasing the Pool of Underrepresented Mathematicians, Robert Bozeman, Morehouse College. National Association of Mathematicians Cox-Talbot Address. Saturday, January 8, 7:30-8:15 p.m., Sheraton, Waterbury Ballroom (2nd floor).

National Association of Mathematicians Honors the Life of Dr. David Blackwell, NAM Panel Discussion. Sunday, January 9, 9:00-9:50 a.m., Sheraton, Oak Valley Room (4th floor).

The Role of Mentoring in Undergraduate Mathematics: Promising recruitment and retention strategies, MAA Committee on Minority Participation-Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science-National Association of Mathematicians Panel Discussion. Saturday, January 8, Marriott, La Galerie 2 (2nd floor).

Synopsis of a Program Promoting Mathematics and Science Studies among Hispanics and Other Minorities, Firooz Khosraviyani, Texas A&M International University. Thursday, January 6, 9:00-9:15 a.m., Sheraton, Cornet Room (8th floor).

Women in the Mathematical Sciences: Looking back, looking forward, Joint Committee on Women in the Mathematical Sciences Panel Discussion. Friday, January 7, 1:00-2:30 p.m., Sheraton, Oak Valley Room (4th floor).

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Sports and Games

The Mathematics of Games and Puzzles, MAA Session. Thursday, January 6, 2:15-6:10 p.m. and Friday, January 7, 1:00-3:55 p.m., Sheraton, Grand Chenier (5th floor).

ACCUV College Football Ranking Model, William W. Miles, Stetson University. Saturday, January 8, 1:30-1:45 p.m., JW Marriott, Orleans (3rd floor).

Video Game Design = Mathematics, Paul Raymond Bouthellier, University of Pittsburgh-Titusville. Saturday, January 8, 2:00-2:15 p.m., JW Marriott, Orleans (3rd floor).

A Nim-type Game Played on the Complete Graph, Lindsay Anne Merchant, North Dakota State University. Thursday, January 6, 5:15-5:30 p.m., JW Marriott, St. Jerome (3rd floor).

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History

Tales from the Underground: Polish Mathematics during World War II, Emelie A. Kenney, Siena College. Saturday, January 8, 2:40-3:00 p.m., Marriott, Mardi Gras BC (3rd floor).

Mobilizing Mathematics: The American Mathematical Society and World War II. Karen V. H. Parshall, University of Virginia. Friday, January 7, 11:00-11:30 a.m., JW Marriott, Maurepas (3rd floor).

Early American Presidents' Mathematical Interests, Andrew B. Perry, Springfield College. Saturday, January 8, 9:00-9:15 a.m., Sheraton, Cornet Room (8th floor).

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Social Justice

Proving Hardy Wrong: Math research with social justice applications, AMS Panel Discussion. Friday, January 7, Sheraton, Nottoway (4th floor).

An Agent-Based Approach to Modeling Gang Rivalries, Laura M. Smith, UCLA. Saturday, January 8, 1:30-2:00 p.m., Sheraton, Great Ballroom E (5th floor).

Math and Social Justice: Improving the world with semester projects in a liberal arts math course, David Kung, St. Mary's College of Maryland. Friday, January 7, 1:20-1:40 p.m., Sheraton, Rhythms I (2nd floor).

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Combating Terrorism

Mathematical Modeling of "Hearts and Minds" in the Terrorism/Counter-Terrorism Struggle, Chris Arney, United States Military Academy. Friday, January 7, 8:20-8:40 a.m., Sheraton, Grand Couteau (5th floor).

Building Models and a Methodology for Using Technologies to Detect Suicide Bombers, William P. Fox, Naval Postgraduate School. Saturday, January 8, 9:20-9:40 a.m., Marriott, Mardi Gras BC (3rd floor).

Self-Exciting Point Process Models of Civilian Deaths in Iraq, Erik Lewis, UCLA. Saturday, January 8, 2:30-3:00 p.m., Sheraton, Great Ballroom E (5th floor).

Who Are You? An Image Identification Project Using Wavelet Packet Analysis, Kevin F. Palmowski, SUNY-Geneseo. Thursday, January 6, 2:15-2:35 p.m., Marriott, Mardi Gras BC (3rd floor).

Facial Recognition Using Conformal Geometry, Miguel Angel Lugo, Florida State University. Friday, January 7, 2:30-2:45 p.m., JW Marriott, Rosalie (3rd floor).

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Other Presentations of Interest

Lessons from the Netflix Prize, Robert M. Bell, AT&T. MAA Invited Address. Sunday, January 9, 10:05-10:55 a.m., Sheraton, Great Ballroom A-C (5th floor).

Math Mistakes in the Media, Heather A. Lewis, Nazareth College. Sunday, January 9, 10:15-10:30 a.m., JW Marriott, St. Claude (3rd floor).

Let's Read the News, Leonard J. Lipkin, University of North Florida, Sunday, January 9, 10:30-10:45 a.m., JW Marriott, St. Claude (3rd floor).

Derivative vs. Integral: The final showdown, Colin Adams and Thomas Garrity, Williams College. MAA Dramatic Presentation. Saturday, January 8, 6:00-7:00 p.m., Sheraton, Armstrong Ballroom (8th floor).

Self-organization in Human, Biological, and Artificial Systems, Andrea L. Bertozzi, UCLA. AMS Invited Address, Friday, January 7, 2:15-3:05 p.m., Sheraton, Great Ballroom A-C (fifth floor).

Playing with Multivariable Calculus Concepts Wearing 3D Glasses, Paul E. Seeburger, Monroe Community College. Friday, January 7, 9:00-9:20 a.m., Sheraton, Grand Chenier (5th floor).

Cascading Behavior in Networks: A game theory approach to modeling voting behavior, Jim C. Manning, University of South Carolina. Friday, January 7, 9:45-10:00 a.m., Sheraton, Cornet (8th floor).

The Kepler Conjecture After 400 Years: From conjecture to formal proof, Thomas C. Hales, University of Pittsburgh. Saturday, January 8, 10:30-11:00 a.m., JW Marriott, Conde (3rd floor).

Permutation Puzzles, Evan O'Dorney (high school student), Venture School. Friday, January 7, 2:45-3:00 p.m., Sheraton, Southdown (4th floor).

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See the full program.

Contact:
Mike Breen or Annette Emerson
AMS Public Awareness Office
Contact the Public Awareness Office
+1-401-455-4000

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The Joint Mathematics Meetings are held for the purpose of advancing mathematical achievement, encouraging research, and providing the communication necessary to progress in the field. These meetings serve to preserve, supplement, and utilize the results of the research of mathematicians the world over. Keeping abreast of the progress in mathematics results in the furtherance of the interest of mathematical scholarship and research.