Grading

Participation 30%. You are expected to contribute to discussions in a meaningful way. You are responsible for all materials presented and discussed during class, including any changes to assignments, deadlines, or requirements. Attendance is required at ALL classes, and will form a portion of your grade.^*

Homework 30%. Check the webpage frequently for homework. Late work will obtain at most half credit. Must be turned in by our assigned day during finals. ^*

Course Project 40%. The course project will investigate some aspect of mathematics in significant depth through an exploration of recent research. This project will build upon previous research experiences, independent studies on advanced mathematics, foreign exchange program experiences, or advanced mathematical topics from 3000 or 4000 level classes in which the student has developed an interest. Our assigned meeting time during finals week includes part of the course project - no make-ups allowed ^* and participation in the final project is mandatory to pass the class.

^* Work may occur during the last week of classes. Accommodations in the determination of your final grade will be made for extenuating circumstances that are documented to prevent you from completing work early/on time. Also see the University-wide syllabus and policy statements which we adhere to. The grading scale is: A ≥93; 90≤ A- < 93; 87 ≤ B+ <90...

Other Policies

As per the University-wide Statement on Student Engagement with Courses you can expect to spend (on average) 2-3 hours outside of class for each hour in class. Homework during some weeks may take less than this time---your other time outside of class should be spent on the course project. You are responsible for all material covered and all announcements and assignments made at each class, whether you are present or not, and on the web pages.

When writing up work, be sure to give acknowledgment where it is due. Submitting someone else's work as your own (PLAGIARISM) is a serious violation of the University's Academic Integrity Code, which defines:

Use of interactive technology is allowed only when it is related to our class. Put cell phones away and set them to vibrate. Photos or video or audio recordings may not be taken in class without prior permission. Food and beverages are allowed as long as they aren't distracting, but e-cigs, chewing tobacco/spit cups and other products are not allowed.

Tentative Weekly Calendar

Course Objectives

We will also reflect on the achievement of general education goals and connect to previous and current coursework as well as:
I. Thinking critically and creatively
A. Recognize, differentiate, and effectively employ appropriate and increasingly sophisticated strategies to collect and interpret information;
B. Successfully integrate disparate concepts and information when interpreting, solving problems, evaluating, creating, and making decisions;
E. Apply theories from a variety of disciplines and advance convincing reasons to connect as well as differentiate theories from different domains of knowledge.
These are satisfied by the work on the project.

II. Communicating effectively
A. Articulate and comprehend effectively, using verbal or non-verbal communication suitable to topic, purpose, and audience;
E. Read actively and analytically at the college level and synthesize and apply information and ideas from their reading across disciplines;
F. Know, apply, and communicate college-level quantitative concepts and methods;
G. Select and use hardware, software applications, databases, and other technologies effectively for both inquiry and communication.
These outcomes are achieved through the write-up and presentation of the project and through class activities and reflections.

IV. Understanding responsibilities of community membership
C. Collaborate effectively with others in shared processes of inquiry and problem-solving;
This outcome will be met through class discussions and group activities.

Class sessions include the following topics:
LaTeX typesetting and standard mathematical publishing formats
Bibliographies and recognition of support and prior results
Mathematics and society and stereotypes in mathematics
Mathematical thought processes
Discussion on success and career opportunities in mathematics
Professional societies and their role in mathematics
Mathematics and the general education
Oral presentation styles, tools, and strategies
Mathematics in other cultures and the culture of mathematics
Special topics in different areas of mathematics, including "pure" and "applied"
Special topics in the history of mathematics and mathematicians

Instructor Bio

I am married to the bassist Joel Landsberg. We both happen to be on IMDb: Joel and me. My Erdos Bacon number is 6-7 or infinity, depending on what/how you count. In my spare time I like to travel, hike and conduct genealogy research (I also enjoy popular culture, as you can probably tell from some of my scholarly interests). In addition to my own personal genealogy, I like to give back to the broader community. I am the project coordinator for sites like the Bialobrzegi ShtetLink and the Book of Remembrance of the Community of Bialobrzeg. These projects strive to research and preserve information about communities that were destroyed in World War II. My great-grandparents lived there (it was the Russian empire back then!) in the late 1800s. Some of what I really like about mathematics is also what I enjoy about genealogy - the sense of exploration, discovery and aha moments that come with lots of patience and effort.