SPRING 2020 EVENTS
Tuesday, February 11th
KOSC 124, 12–1 p.m.
How can you tell whether two sets have the same size? That’s not too difficult if the elements are easily counted. But suppose you have sets that are difficult to count, such as sets where it’s hard to list all of the elements, or if the sets have infinitely many elements. Join us as Dr. Stout discusses some surprises in infinity discovered by the work of Georg Cantor!
Dr. Stout
This talk will introduce you to the idea that two numbers might be friendly, or "amicable". Until 1750 only three such pairs were known, but Leonhard Euler found many more, using methods that are not complicated but clever. Join us as we hear more in this talk accessible to anyone with a little high school algebra.
Tuesday, February 25th
KOSC 124, 4:45–5:45 p.m.
Dr. Stout
In 1738 Daniel Bernoulli published an apparent paradox about games of chance that have unbounded rewards. This talk looks at
Friday, March 20th
KOSC 124 (or TBD), 10:25–11:10 a.m.
Join other mathematics and computer science students for a time of fellowship, worship, prayer, fun, reflection, and looking forward. As always, there will be worship and/or a brief message of reflection.
Saturday, March 28th
Salem State University, roughly 9:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
A fun team competition, math coloring, and student talks from all over New England! (Website)
FALL 2019 EVENTS
September 3rd, 5–7 p.m., Dr. Tuck's house
The Department of Mathematics and Computer Science has a long-standing tradition of hosting a welcome picnic for freshmen and returning students. Be ready to vie for the Math vs. CS volleyball crown!
RSVP to Ms. Cheetham; you must reply to get a ride (though you can also easily walk there).
Date, time, and location TBD
The country of Hungary is well-known for its rich mathematical heritage and unique approach to mathematics education. Join senior Anne Lemmer as she reports on her experience studying abroad at the new Budapest Semester in Mathematics Education program.
Friday, October 11th
KOSC 124, 10:25–11:10 a.m.
Join other mathematics and computer science students for a time of fellowship, worship, prayer, fun, reflection, and looking forward.
Thursday, November 21st
Location TBD, 4:30 p.m.
Join Dr. Stout as he talks about some of his favorite mathematicians from England and the impact they had on making algebra about more than formulas!
Friday, November 22nd
Babson University, roughly 3–9 p.m.
A fun team competition, invited speakers, and student talks from all over New England! Come especially to see some of our senior present on interesting math history topics. See Dr. Crisman about registering and transportation.
CONFERENCES
This is the big fall New England conference, with great invited talks, student team math competition, opportunities to share your own work, and a banquet. Typically the weekend before Thanksgiving. In 2015, Gordon hosted over 150 visitors for the conference right here in the Ken Olsen Science Center!
(For summer research students, there is also a spring version usually in late May or early June.)
This conference began with a fun team math competition between Salem State and Gordon and has blossomed into an annual local conference with student talks from all over Eastern New England, invited speakers, and more! Usually in April.
The largest annual gathering of mathematicians in the world, the Joint Meetings has a wealth of talks from high-level research to student poster sessions, panels on pedagogy, and interactive art or the booths in the exhibit hall. Gordon annually has between three and eight representatives (including faculty, students, and alumni); many summer research students will present here. A highlight is the ACMS reception and dinner, which has a speaker relating a short talk connecting our faith with our mathematical passion.
This conference began in the late 1970s with our own Dr. Stout as one of the first attendees. It is a biannual conference of Christian mathematicians and computer scientists, which now has criss-crossed North America, coming this summer at Illinois Wesleyan University, and before that in Charleston, South Carolina. Gordon hosted the conference in 1999, and we take students as often as they are available and the conference is in the Northeastern United States.
MATH FORUM GENERAL INFORMATION
Gordon College's Math Forum is a bi-weekly gathering of mathematically-inclined people from all over campus. The format ranges from problem-solving to guest speakers from the industry, to special talks about interesting topics or people in mathematics. Math Forum has typically been on Tuesdays or Thursdays at noon or at 4:45 p.m.
Students, please let us know if there are other events or topics you would enjoy! To give you ideas, some Math Forum speakers and other events from the past are listed below.