Department of Mathematics and Statistics
Sonya Kovalevsky Day
A celebration of science and mathematics for high school students.
Last Updated February 7, 2002
Dr. Aprille Ericsson
Dr. Ericsson is an Aerospace Engineer at NASA. She designs satellites and ensures that their trajectories keep them on course both in orbit around Earth and throughout our solar system. She was the first African-American woman to receive a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Howard University, a long journey from the impoverished neighborhood of her youth in Brooklyn, NY. Dr. Ericsson is a dynamic speaker whom we know you will enjoy. She is actively involved in encouraging the interest of minorities and females in the fields of mathematics, science, and engineering. To learn more about Dr. Ericsson,
click here.
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Workshops for Students
Paper folding and regular polyhedra
Professor Lyn Stallings
Professor Stallings is a winner of teaching awards at local, regional, and national levels. In this workshop students will explore the geometry of
regular polyhedra through paper folding.
Exploring the Brain: The Universe Within
Professor Bryan Fantie
LOGO Graphics: The Path of the Turtle
Professors Dan Kalman and Brooke Evans
Dr. Kalman is a mathematician and Ms. Evans is a PhD candidate in Mathematics Education, with a shared interest in hands-on student activities. In this workshop students will explore LOGO, a computer system designed for easy creation of simple geometrical graphic designs. Invented by Seymore Papert of MIT, LOGO is sometimes referred to as Turtle Graphics, and conceptualized as sets of instructions for guiding a turtle as it walks around on a drawing. The path of the turtle then traces out whatever design is being created. In this workshop, participants will be introduced to the basic commands for steering the turtle, and will work through a variety of activities and challenges demonstrating the capabilities of turtle graphics.
Guess Genes
Professor John Nolan
Professor Nolan is a mathematician who also works with problems in genetics.
This workshop concerns genetics and DNA. Genes are stretches of DNA on chromosomes that determine or contribute to traits that people and other organisms have. One goal of modern genetics is to locate genes that are "linked" to a trait or disease. We will explore simulated genetic data to find the region on the genome where a contributing gene is located.
Hands-on Learning About DNA
Professor Nancy Zeller
Professor Zeller is the Director of Biology Teaching Laboratories at American University. In this workshop, participants will learn more about the structure and function of DNA in an interactive laboratory setting. Instructions will be provided so teachers will be able to repeat the same exercises in their home schools.
Exploring Geometric Fractals: From Cantor Dust to the Fractal Skewed Web
Anna Rose Haralampus
Anna Rose Haralampus is currently a graduate student in mathematics at American University. With over 20 years of classroom experience teaching high school mathematics, she is also the Mathematics Department chair at Bishop Denis J. O'Connell High School in Arlington, Virginia.
This workshop involves applications of logarithms, area, volume and infinite series to fractal geometry. Students develop a deeper understanding of dimension by relating the mathematical concepts of similarity, ratio and recursion to the topic of fractal dimension. Mathematical models connect art, nature and the real worlds through the study of fractals.
Einstein's Energy Equation
Dr. Caleb Rossiter
Dr. Caleb Rossiter is a Washington-based consultant on national security policy. Although his PhD and professional focus are in Policy Analysis, he is currently pursuing another great interest as a graduate student in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.
In this workshop, students will derive the effect of constant speed of light on time, distance, and mass through the Pythagorean theorem and simple algebra, and see how it requires that energy and mass pass back and forth through the equality with the huge conversion factor of the speed of light squared. At the end, we will see how our Sun, and imploded Suns, create our world and universe with this famous formula.
Can You Make Money With Math?
Professor Alex White
Professor Alex White is a member of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at American University. More information about this workshop will be posted soon.
Workshop for Teachers
Fundamentals of Statistical InferenceDr. Flournoy is a professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, and nationally known in the statistical profession. She was the winner of the 2001 Elizabeth L. Scott Award, conferred by the Committee of Presidents of Statistical Societies (COPSS), in recognition of efforts in the furtherance of the careers of women in statistics.
In this session we introduce some of the statistical elements the comprise the decision-making process and acquaint you with the line of reasoning employed in the statistical decision-making process. First, we determine how to formulate the null and alternative hypotheses. After selecting the level of evidence required for making a decision, we consider some data, measure how likely it is that we would have the data if the null hypothesis were true (i.e., calculate the p-value), and use this measure to make a decision. We see how data helps us to make decisions and to understand the errors that are possible.
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Group Problem Solving Activity
Professor Larry Crone
Professor Larry Crone is a mathematician and physicist, and works at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as well as at American University. He is organizing a problem activity and team competition. This is not about traditional math problems. Rather, teams will work together in an activity where judgement and persistence are as important as math skills, and students often out-perform their teachers. Dr. Crone's problem sessions for past Sonya Kovalevsky days have been very popular, and this year's session promises to be one of the best yet.
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Activities will begin with a sign-in and refreshments in the lobby of the
Ward Building. Travel information and a campus map are available with registration information.|
Time |
Event |
|
9:00 - 9:30 AM |
Sign In & Refreshments |
|
9:30 - 10:30 AM |
Welcome, Keynote address |
|
10:45 - 11:45 AM |
Parallel 1 hour workshop sessions |
|
11:45 - 1:30 |
Lunch and Problem Solving Session |
|
1:45 - 2:45 PM |
Parallel 1 hour workshop sessions |
|
2:45 - 3:00 PM |
Awards and Prize Session |
Registration
To participate, you must send in a
Pre-registration Form with a $10 refundable fee. This fee will be refunded to participants the day of the event.Deadline for pre-registration is
February 25, 2002.
The day of the conference activities will begin in the lobby of the
Ward Building, Adjacent to Ward Circle, at the intersection of Massachusetts and Nebraska Avenues. The Ward Building is highlighted on the campus map.Participants may park in the Nebraska Parking Lot. Please consult the
campus map (the Nebraska lot is at the bottom) and travel directions. From the parking lot, cross Nebraska Avenue at the signal at the intersection with New Mexico, turn right, and walk straight ahead to the third building on your left.
