Department of Mathematics and Statistics
Department of Mathematics and Statistics
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February 7, 2003
To Secondary Math and Science Teachers in the DC Area: We are pleased to announce American University's 10th annual Sonya Kovalevsky Day, to be held on Saturday, April 5, 2003. Sonya Kovalevsky Day is a celebration of mathematics and science for high school students in the capital area, featuring
This year, we are especially fortunate to have as our keynote speaker Dr. Mary Crone, an astrophysicist who holds the Charles Lubin Family Chair for Women in Science at Skidmore College. Part of Dr. Crone's work concerns cosmology -- the study of the origins of the universe. There are many exciting discoveries emerging in this field. As Washington Post staff writer Kathy Sawyer has reported, scientists are just getting "their first glimpses of the cosmic dawn, a time more than 13 billion years ago when the light of the earliest stars and galaxies came glimmering through the remnants of a primordial fog." Dr. Crone is sure to give a fascinating and inspiring presentation about her work in astrophysics. As in previous years, Sonya Kovalevsky Day 2003 will feature a number of participatory workshops for students and teachers. Current plans include opportunities to investigate the human genome, use modern electronic sound wizardry to create and record music, and work with robotic mind and body design. We also plan to offer again some of the popular activities from past Sonya Kovalevsky Days, such as an exploration of the working of the human brain, and using special computer software to investigate fractals and geometry. Past workshops for teachers have included statistics in the classroom and writing in the mathematics curriculum. Please plan to join us for Sonya Kovalevsky day 2003. It is a great way to nurture students with an interest in mathematics and science, and it is a shared experience that you and your students will long remember. Complete and send in your registration form by March 15. Sincerely, Mary Gray |