AMS/AWM special SIGMA Seminar

The UConn AMS Graduate Student Chapter together with the AWM Graduate Chapter at UConn are proud to announce that we will be hosting our invited speaker Prof. Emma Previato (Boston University) on Friday, February 22, at 12:20 p.m. in Monteith 214.

Title: “What is… An Elliptic Curve?” From Bitcoin to Self-Driving Vehicles

 

Emma Previato,  Fellow of the American Mathematical Society (inaugural class of 2012), is a professor of mathematics at Boston University (BU).

She earned a Ph.D. in Mathematics from Harvard University and works in areas at the crossroads of algebraic geometry and mathematical physics, information theory and cryptography. She published over 80 research articles and edited or co-edited six books.

She was the recipient of the MAA/Northeastern Section 2003 Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics and has been active in mentoring students and postdocs, including seven former Ph.D. students, a NATO postdoc, and undergraduates sponsored by the NSF REU program, BU and other institutions. She founded the BU Student Chapters of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) and of the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM), organized several undergraduate symposia and, since 2004, an annual outreach symposium, AFRAMATH.

Everyone is invited! We hope to see you there.

  • AMS/AWM Special SIGMA Seminar
    Prof. Emma Previato giving her talk on "What is... elliptic curves?"

Writing/Research/Work Retreat (Fall 2018)

On behalf of the AMS Graduate Student Chapter, we want to thank everyone who participated in this semester’s Writing/Research/Work Retreat. We would also like to thank to Zoe Cramer for the delicious cake she brought. It is always nice to work in a synergistic environment with your fellows grad students or take a break on a busy day to have some tea/coffee with a snack and chat a bit. Hope you managed to be productive and we were able to help you get some work done.

Stay tuned to our emails next semester – we would definitely repeat it again.

  • Writing/Research/Work Retreat
    The fruit and snacks that are prepared by our AMS student chapter

 

 

The Second Annual Integration Bee

On October 25th, 2018 the UConn graduate student chapter of the AMS held their Second Annual Integration Bee where undergraduate students of varying levels of mathematical background came together to test their knowledge of integrals. Students were taking turns going to the chalkboard in groups of six to complete various integrals on the spot. The rules were that each round a student had four minutes to complete the integral and if they ran out of time or got the answer incorrectly they would receive a strike. They were each given 2 strikes until they were out of the competition.

After an hour and half many contestants were eliminated and we had two finalists and five other students competing for the third place. The rivalry was pretty intense among the students fighting for the third place. They were holding the ground round after round until it was the turn of cos(ln(1/x)) to be integrated. This integral decided the fate of the third place after Nick Juricic was the only student who evaluated it correctly.

The two finalists were Samuel Degnan Morgenstern and Zhongwei Wang. The final battle was very dramatic and exhausting for both of them. After another hour or so we finally got the winner with  Samuel successfully integrating  1/(e^2-x^2). The contestants who scored in the top three won prizes which were generously donated from our sponsors: Cengage, Lizzie’s Curbside Catering, and Moe’s.

Although there were only three winners who officially won prizes, all students attending the Integration Bee received a nice meal compliments of the AMS and the joy of solving math problems.

The AMS graduate student chapter at UConn thanks all the participants and volunteers for their help making this event a success and it looks forward to organizing the Integration Bee again next year.

  • The Second Annual Integration Bee
    Sean Eustace explains the rules and procedures

The Second Annual Integration Bee Announcement

On October 25, 2018, the UConn graduate chapter of the AMS will be hosting the second annual integration bee in Monteith 313. Due to the proximity of this event to the spookiest day of the year, anyone who wears a bee costume will automatically be advanced to the second round (please do not bring actual bees).

The integration bee will consist of three rounds each of ascending order of difficulty, with the final round carrying the most sting. The final three contenders will receive prizes that are sure to bee amazing. Any undergraduate student who has taken calculus 2 or considers themselves an integral aficionado is welcome to come.

Food and drink will be provided at the event for all the bees in the hive. If you plan to attend the event, please register by emailing ams_math@uconn.edu, but walk-ins are welcome. (by Cory Weinfeld)

Click here for the poster

 

The First Annual Integration Bee

On April 19, 2018 the UConn graduate student chapter of the AMS held their first annual integration bee where undergraduate students of varying levels of mathematical background came together to test their knowledge of the infamous functional operator: the integral. The students all sat anxiously awaiting the first round of The Bee where they would be presented with 3 integrals which they would have to complete in five minutes or else.

Many of UConn’s gifted students made it through the first round but the many rounds to follow would give the students a challenge they won’t soon forget. After the first round students were brought to the chalkboard in groups of four to complete various integrals on the spot. The rules were that each round a student had four minutes to complete the integral and if they ran out of time or got the answer incorrect they would receive a strike. Unlike in baseball where a team is given the safety cushion of 3 strikes you’re out, our batters were each given only 2 strikes until they were out.

After three hours many bees left the hive and there were only four bees left competing. The four contenders at this point were Zerun Zhao, Grace Lauber, Zhongwei Wang, and Nick Juricic. The contestants who scored in the top three won prizes which were generously donated from our sponsors: Starbucks, Lizzie’s, Kathmandu, Subway, Moes, and Gansett Wraps. Grace and Zerun competed for the third place prize with Grace clutching the prize with just seconds to spare. The last round was a rollercoaster of emotions with Nick and Zhongwei competing to solve the last integral which Nick solved to take the big seat.

Although there were only 3 winners who officially won prizes all of the bees received a nice meal compliments of the AMS. Furthermore because they were in the presence of the infamous functional operator, the integral, we at the UConn graduate student AMS chapter like to think that all students who attended won in some way. (by Cory Weinfeld)

New Site Launched

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