Department of Mathematics and Statistics
Sonya Kovalevsky Day
A celebration of science and mathematics for high school students.
Last Updated April 7, 2003
Searching for Newborn Galaxies with the Hubble
Space Telescope
Dr. Mary Crone
Dr. Mary Crone holds the Charles Lubin Family
Chair for Women in Science at Skidmore College. An astrophysicist, she
studies the formation of galaxies and large-scale structure of the
universe. Her research uses both computer simulations of
large-scale structure, and observations of galaxies from the Hubble
Space Telescope. Professor Crone received her B.S from the College of
William and Mary, and her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. She
has done research at the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics,
the University of Washington, and the University of Pittsburgh.
Dr. Crone's presentation will concern current ideas about how our universe
formed. Throughout history, the Universe has certainly changed,
evolving from a nearly smooth
plasma to today's clumpy universe of stars and galaxies. Until recently,
most of our information about the formation of galaxies has been inferred from
observations of fully-formed galaxies. Now, Hubble Space Telescope
observations offer us clear views of unusual, and possibly newly-forming,
galaxies. One example is the famous Hubble Deep Field, which shows
galaxies 10 billion light years away. Another example is a class of tiny,
nearby starburst galaxies postulated to be the youngest galaxies in the
modern universe.
. . .
Workshops for Students
Electronic Music
I-Lok Chang and Matt Weiner
Hands-on Learning About DNA
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.
An Incursion into Recursion: Designing Your Own Fractal Set
Stephen D. Casey
Dr. Casey is a Professor of Mathematics at American University. An established theoretical and applied researcher, he is equally well known for his inspirational teaching style. Cited as a virtual "pied piper of mathematics", Casey won American University's
Outstanding Teaching Award in 1998.In this workshop, participants will create their own self--similar fractal sets. The process begins with the creation of a simple geometric pattern. Then, using Dr. Casey's special fractal software, the simple pattern is transformed into fascinating and beautiful fractal images. Seeing how changes in the simple pattern modify the resulting fractal is part of the fun. Participants will also learn about the basic ideas of fractal geometry and fractal dimension.
Designing Robot Minds and Bodies
Kent Miller and Chris Scrapper
. . .
Workshop for Teachers
Visual Comprehension Skills in Mathematics
Franny Van Dyke and Alex White
Professor Van Dyke is a mathematics education
specialist, and Professor White (not shown) is a statistician, both in the
Department of Mathematics and Statistics. They have been
collaborating in an investigation of visual comprehension skills for
students studying mathematics. This presentation will address some
basic aspects of visual understanding that we expect of our students.
Do they see what we see? What we hope they will see? The answers may
surprise you.
. . .
Group Problem Solving Activity
Professor Larry Crone
Professor Larry Crone is a mathematician and physicist, and has worked at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as well as at American University. He is organizing a problem activity and team competition, concerned with the best way to configure networks. This is not about traditional math problems. Rather, teams will work together in an activity where judgment 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 should prove to be one of the best.
Activities will begin with a sign-in and refreshments in the lobby of the
McKinley 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
March 15, 2003.Missed the Deadline? We still have openings. Phone us at (202)885-3120 as soon as possible.
The day of the conference activities will begin in the lobby of the McKinley Building, 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.
