GEMS Gateway to Exploring Mathematical Sciences 2009 - 2010
The Gateway to Exploring Mathematical Sciences program (GEMS) is a once monthly, Saturday morning workshop that was founded at the Claremont Colleges in the Fall 2008. It was so popular, we are presenting it again for the Fall 2009. GEMS is designed to reach seventh, eighth and ninth grade students who may have an interest in mathematics or science. The workshops present mathematics and science applications in an exciting way that catches these young students’ interest early. Included in the 2009-20010 GEMS program are the Pomona, Claremont, San Bernadino and Upland Unified School Districts as well as selected private schools upon request. The students are selected by principals or teachers with the sole prerequisite that the young student shows enough interest to get up on a Saturday morning and come to the workshops.
Professors, undergraduates and graduate students from each of the six colleges in the Claremont Consortium will take part in one way or another in the GEMS program, thus offering the incoming students, their parents, teachers, principals and counselors a chance to meet and work with the large variety of excellent and award winning faculty, staff and alumni at the Claremont Colleges. The goal is to allow each young student to become increasingly aware that mathematics and science experiences are fun and process-oriented rather than answer-oriented. The GEMS program will help excite the curiosity of these young students and show that higher education can be very exciting and satisfying.
The 2009 topics include:
• October 10, 2009 Flattening the Earth presented by Dr. David Bachman, Professor of Mathematics, Pitzer College. Abstract: The challenge of the mapmaker is to represent the Earth, a curved surface, on a flat piece of paper. Throughout the ages this has been done in many ways. We'll take a look at some of the more common ones, and then try our hand at constructing some maps of our own.
• November 14, 2009 The Shape of Chemistry presented by Dr. Mary Hatcher-Skeers, Professor of Chemistry, Claremont McKenna College, Keck Science Center. Abstract: Chemistry is ruled by shape; the orientation of electrons about the nucleus
determines the stability of an atom and the orientation of the bonds in molecules determines chemical reactivity. We will work our way up from a single electron atom to simply molecules and see why it is that mathematicians played such an important role in our understanding of atomic structure and molecular reactivity.
• December 12, 2009 From Shoestrings to DNA: An Introduction to the Mathematical Theory of Knots presented by Dr. Robin Wilson, Professor of Mathematics, Cal Poly Pomona. Abstract: We will provide an introduction to the mathematical study of knots. Many of the ideas involved are simple to state but require ideas from the forefront of mathematics research to solve. It has also been playing an increasingly important role in research in biology, chemistry, and physics.
• January 23, 2010 Boom Ba Ba Boom, Boom Ba Ba Boom, Boom Ba Ba Boom presented by Dr. Adam Landsberg, Professor of Physics, Claremont McKenna College, Keck Science Center. Abstract: In this introduction to oscillation theory and Fourier analysis, we'll see how repetitive patterns/motions can be surprisingly interesting, and discover the fascinating mathematics used to describe them. Hands-on examples will include experiments with sound, music, and electrical impulses from the human heart.
• February 20, 2010. Fish, or How Mathematics is Used in the Real World presented by Dr. Judy Grabiner, Professor of Mathematics, Pitzer College. Abstract: How do people find out how many fish there are in a lake? Draining the lake and killing all the fish is not an option. We’ll work together to answer this question, and develop some tools in statistics and probability theory. Using those tools, we’ll also see how other important questions about the world are answered, including how to find out how many deer there are in a forest, how the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates how many unemployed people there are in the United States, how the Nielsen organization figures out how many people watch the Super Bowl, or how public-opinion pollsters were able to accurately predict the popular vote outcome in the last presidential election.
• March 20, 2010 The Permutohedron presented by Dr. Dagan Karp, Professor of Mathematics, Harvey Mudd College. Abstract: How many ways are there to rearrange the letters A,B,C? How about all of the letters in the alphabet? Is there a way to visualize this question? The answer lies in a mathematical object called the symmetric group. The permutohedron is a beautiful geometric object which is may help *see* the symmetric group, and it has many other beautiful properties and applications.
• April 17, 2010 The Art of Writing and Cracking Secret Codes: Cryptography presented by Dr. Stacy Brown, Professor of Mathematics, Pitzer College. Abstract: In this talk we will learn how to encrypt and decrypt ciphers. A cipher is a secret code. Encryption is the process of converting ordinary information, such as the text in a message, into unintelligible gibberish or ciphertext. Ciphers are important to understand because they are used in many places in everyday life. Passwords for bank accounts, computers, and internet site use ciphers. Ciphers have also played an important role in many wars, including both the Civil War and World War II. Despite these rather serious uses, learning to crack secret codes is fun!
• May 8, 2010 Flexagons presented by Dr. Vin de Silva, Professor of Mathematics, Pomona College. Abstract: Flexagons were invented in 1939 by Arthur Stone, who had just arrived in Princeton from Trinity College, Cambridge, and had had to trim the local (American) notepaper to fit his British binder. From the resulting strips of paper, the first flexagon was born. Since that discovery, many people have independently studied and theorized about flexagons; one of the earliest and most notable being Richard Feynman. In this talk, I will demonstrate flexagons of several varieties, and discuss some of the theory.
The Saturday morning workshop begins at 10:00 and goes through 12:00 noon. It typically begins with a forty-five minute presentation by a professor, followed by a forty-five minute breakout session of small groups conducting their own hands-on personal exploration. Each breakout group consists of approximately six to eight students and is assisted by the colleges' undergraduate and graduate students. The breakout sessions are followed by group presentations, posters and explanations underscored with lively participation.
Transportation for the young students is provided by the respective school districts (bus, van, carpooling by parents, teachers, etc) and the site for the 2009 GEMS program is in the Founders Room, upstairs in McConnell Hall, on the Pitzer campus. Please use this link to a map of Pitzer College: http://www.pitzer.edu/about/map_quickreference.html .
We are an MSRI Math Circle. Registration is open free of charge to all students in the seventh, eighth and ninth grades. Because each session is independent from the other sessions, a student may choose to participate in one workshop, or all of the workshops. However once a student has experienced one session, it is unlikely he or she will want to miss a single one.
The GEMS program is co-sponsored by the Claremont Graduate University, School of Educational Studies Lisa Loop, Director of Advancement and Administration, and Claremont Center for Mathematical Sciences, Cathi Comras, Coordinator.
For more information, please contact Dave Bachman, Faculty Director, GEMS Program at CCMS@Claremont.edu.