1999-2000 Activity Report

Officers for the 1999-2000 academic year are Sarah Clinger president, Becky Kremer vice-president, Melissa Miller secretary,  Chengdong Liu treasurer

Indiana Epsilon, the Saint Mary's Chapter of Pi Mu Epsilon, accomplished a number of goals this year, continuing some traditional service projects and initiating some new ones. As has become customary, Pi Mu Epsilon organized the department's annual Open House, held on September 22, 1999, in Haggar Room 303. The featured speaker was Dr. John Petro from Western Michigan University. His talk was entitled: "The Euclidean Algorithm Revisited." Members of the chapter publicized the event. The program began with a reception: students and faculty gathered for cookies and punch at the back of the lecture room. President Sarah Clinger opened the formal part of the program by welcoming everyone. Becky Kremer introduced the senior math majors, and Chengdong Liu the junior math majors. Melissa Miller introduced each of the faculty members, giving a short description of their role in the department and their interests. Sarah introduced the speaker. After the lecture, Sarah thanked Prof. Petro for the lecture and invited all to join us in the Wedge Room for dinner. Students were invited to have their dinner with us and many did.

Vice President Becky Kremer undertook the project of coordinating a tutoring service. The Department often receives calls requesting the name of a tutor from members the community. Becky prepared a sign-up sheet for each faculty member to pass around in class. Students indicated the levels of math for which they would be willing to tutor. Becky prepared a list-serve from these lists. When a request came to the department, Becky put the information on the list-serve and the first student to respond got the job. The students who tutored were advised that they should tutor on campus in a public place; we also suggested a fee to charge.

The induction of new members was held on March 1, 2000. The new members are Professor Dorothy Marie Susan Mary Feigl, Department of Chemistry and Physics; Seniors: Krista Lynn Morrissey, Meridith Elaine Williamson; Juniors: Amy Marie Collins, Angela Elizabeth Finke, Teresa Beth ONeill, Kelly Jo Sterritt,

Courtnie Lauren Takata, Cynthia Marie Traub, Kathleen Ann Ubert, Kelly Anne Walsh.

With this influx of new members, more could be accomplished than what was possible with the four student members we had at the start of the year. Work was begun on a chapter web-page. The Pi Mu Epsilon bulletin board was redone with the theme of dimension. The chapter visited ECDC's kindergarten class and presented a math activity.

Elections were held in April. The new officers are President: Kathy Ubert, Vice-President: Kelly Sterritt,, Secretary: Angela Finke,, and Treasurer: Teresa O'Neill.

In April, the chapter assisted Prof. Miller who organized the ICTM contest. The chapter members assisted with registration, proctoring and grading. Kathy Ubert gave a short presentation of a proof of a number theory identity using a picture.

 The chapter organized some activities for Math Awareness Month. The students organized a contest: a bulletin board was decorated with pictures of famous mathematicians and a reason for their fame. Students were asked to identify the pictures. The winner was given a book. One day we had a "birthday party." The math tutoring room was decorated with signs honoring mathematicians born in April and cupcakes were available for the students.

Finally, the chapter made a monetary gift to the department to buy the mathematics magazine Horizons for the sophomore and freshmen math majors.