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Joint Meetings:
I will be attending the 2009 Joint Meetings in Washington, DC. Please contact me if you would like to arrange an interview.

Teaching

Washington University Outreach Program Speaker:

I have been an active in the following two outreach programs at Washington University.

1. Math Circles

Fall 2008, Spring 2008, Fall 2007, Spring 2005.
Washington University's Math Circles program brings together middle school students from surrounding St Louis schools to explore interesting mathematics. Faculty members and graduate students lead the weekly talks. The program aims to teach students beautiful mathematics with group discussion and interactive activities.

The students are often mathematically gifted and eager to learn. They aren't afraid to ask questions and give input, which makes them a fantastic group to teach. A good Math Circles talk fosters group discussion and incorporates various visual aids and group activities so that students are engaged for the full hour and a half. I have had the chance to present at Math Circles several times and each has been a rewarding experience.

Talks:
1. How to Play (and Win) Connect Four
Fall 2008, 1 hour 30 minutes.
Abstract: Playing strategy games like Connect Four and Tic-Tac-Toe with your friends can be fun. The game can be even more fun if you know the perfect strategy that ensures you'll never lose. We will try to determine that perfect strategy for Tic-Tac-Toe and Connect Three and then explore strategies for Connect Four. Once you leave the talk, you should be able to take on any of your friends in Tic-Tac-Toe or Connect Three and never lose!
2. The Difficult Task of Ensuring Fair Elections
Spring 2008, 1 hour 30 minutes.
Abstract: It's spring and time for your annual gym class field trip. This year you can choose between hiking, skiing, and bicycling. Each student is given a slip of paper on which they rank the three activities in their order of preference. For example, Jennifer prefers hiking to both skiing and bicycling and she prefers skiing to bicycling, so on her slip of paper Jennifer writes:

1. Hiking
2. Skiing
3. Bicycling

The teacher collects the slips of papers and now must decide which activity has won the vote. We will explore different methods of counting the ballots and try to determine the fairest counting method. We will see that the ballots can be counted in a variety of ways that may lead to a variety of winners.
3. The Shape of Space
Fall 2007, 1 hour 30 minutes.
Abstract: A very small ant on a very large donut might just as easily think it's standing on a sphere or a flat table top. Why is that?

Have you ever considered what it might be like to be a square living in a sheet of paper? The square can only move in two directions and can never move out of the sheet of paper and into our 3-dimensional world.

Suppose you had a very fast spaceship that could travel much faster than the speed of light and suppose you left Earth and flew as fast as you could towards a very distant star. Would you be surprised if you arrived at that star and found that you were back at Earth?

These questions have motivated scientists and mathematicians alike for thousands of years. We will explore all of these questions using pictures, games, and videos.
4. A Taste of Counting Problems
Spring 2005, 1 hour.

2. Math Teachers' Circle

Spring 2008.
From the Wash U Teachers' Circle Website:
"Teachers' Circles are collaborations between research mathematicians, middle school math teachers, and school administrators. They are motivated by the principle that mathematics is better taught as a part of the process of problem solving and critical thinking. This has been a successful approach for engaging the interest of young people in the classroom.

The main activities of a Teachers' Circle are lively discussion sessions led by mathematicians and math educators. ... The Teachers' Circle advocates that understanding mathematics is the key to addressing the daily concerns in the schools. Understanding what it is, how it is taught, and how it is learned is the charge. Materials change, tests change, and school structures change. However, if the teacher is well versed in the subject, the material is extraneous, the tests are incidental, and the school structure is adaptable. "

It was a great honor to present at the Wash U Teachers' Circle.

Talk Abstract:
The Difficult Task of Ensuring Fair Elections
Spring 2008, 1 hour.
Abstract: It's spring and time for your annual class field trip. This year your students can choose between hiking, skiing, and bicycling. Each student is given a slip of paper on which they rank the three activities in their order of preference. For example, Jennifer prefers hiking to both skiing and bicycling and she prefers skiing to bicycling, so on her slip of paper Jennifer writes:

1. Hiking
2. Skiing
3. Bicycling

After you collect the slips of papers, you look through them and must decide which activity has won the vote. We will explore different methods of counting the ballots and try to determine the fairest counting method. We will see that the ballots can be counted in a variety of ways that may lead to a variety of winners