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FSC hosts regional math association conference Dec. 6

LAKELAND, FL (Nov. 18, 2002)-Florida Southern College will host the27th annual Florida Suncoast Regional conference of the Mathematical Association of America Dec. 6. This is the first time the FSC chapter has held the event.

Mathematics instructors and students from around the state will attend the event, which is open to the public. The conference starts at 3 p.m. and runs until 8:30 p.m. Registration takes place in the Hollis Room in the Thad Buckner Building from 3 p.m. to 3:20 p.m. The conference is free to students. Other participants pay $10. The presentations will be held at the Polk Science building.

The keynote speaker of the conference, FSC business and economics professor Peter Bias, will present "A Beautiful Lecture" about John Nash, the featured character in the recent movie "A Beautiful Mind."

Other speakers of the afternoon will present on mathematics topics ranging from elementary to advanced problem solving and teaching. Topics include " Using Pokemon to Teach Elementary Probability in Secondary Education" and "Extending Colorings of Knots by Quandles."

The conference will close with a casual dinner at 7 p.m. The dinner cost is $13. For more information, call Dr. Daniel Jelsovsky at 680-3748.

Florida Suncoast Regional Conference Fact Sheet

• The Mathematical Association of America (MAA) is the world's largest organization devoted to the interests of collegiate mathematics. (www.maa.org).
  
• About 100 to 150 people usually attend this conference annually.
  
• This is the first time that Florida Southern College has hosted this conference.
  
• Last year's annual meeting was held at Manatee Community College in Venice, Fla.
  
• The conference will also feature a textbook sale and promotion.
  
• The Florida Southern student chapter mission statement and focus: "The Florida Southern College chapter of the MAA is an interest club for the area of mathematics. Our goals are to enhance the interests, talents and achievements, of all individuals in the mathematical sciences."
  
• It is one of about 21 student Mathematical Association of America chapters in Florida.
  
• The FSC chapter currently has 15 members.
  
• Five of the conference speakers will be FSC students.

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