New York Alpha Delta SUNY College at Geneseo

New York Alpha Delta SUNY College at Geneseo Chapter Report

Number of New Members Inducted: 11

Number of Continuing Members: 2

Describe the two most interesting or unusual chapter activities this year:

We had a splendid induction ceremony this year, in which former and long-term chapter adviser Olympia Nicodemi was Master of Ceremonies. In December we had a high number of 11 students participate in the Putnam Exam, to which we awarded the top two participants our chapter’s Pi Mu Epsilon Putnam Prize ($75 to first place, $25 to second). This is the second year we have offered the prize, and beforehand participation was usually 3 students.

Do any of your chapter members plan to attend or present a paper at the 2011 PME national meeting at MathFest in Lexington, Kentucky?

Chapter adviser Patrick Rault will attend, with students Kirill Lazebnik and Jeffrey Singer. Kirill will be giving a talk in the PME student session.

Do you have any news about current students or recent graduates, for example, scholarships or other awards, acceptances to graduate school, paper presentations at conferences?

As usual, we have several students beginning Ph.D. programs in mathematics or masters programs in education, receiving competitive job offers in industry, and beginning teaching careers: we view our students highly! At our college’s annual GREAT Day (Geneseo Recognizing Excellence, Achievement & Talent) undergraduate symposium, many students gave talks and presented posters. In addition, student presentations have been given at the MAA Seaway section Spring 2011 conference and the Hudson River Undergraduate Mathematics Conference; at the former, the Geneseo team placed first in the student Math Jeopardy competition.

If you were awarded a PME Lectureship, Conference, or Prize Grant within the past year, please briefly describe the results.

In December we had a high number of 11 students participate in the Putnam Exam, to which we awarded the top two participants our chapter’s Pi Mu Epsilon Putnam Prize ($75 to first place, $25 to second). This is the second year we have offered the prize, and beforehand participation was usually 3 students. Increasing from a 3-student average to 11 students is a big achievement! We have also seen increases in the number of students interested in other competitions, such as the University of Rochester Math Olympiad and “The Problem Solving Competition” related to Mathfest.