Pi Mu Epsilon Conference

April 12-13 2013

Peter Engel Science Center
Saint John's University

Invited Speaker Annalisa Crannell , Franklin and Marshall College

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Annalisa Crannell is a Professor of Mathematics at Franklin & Marshall College and recipient of the MAA's most prestigious teaching award (the 2008 Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo Award). Her primary research so far has been in topological dynamical systems (also known as "Chaos Theory"), but she is becoming active in developing materials on Projective Geometry applied to Perspective Art. She has worked extensively with students and other teachers on writing in mathematics, and with recent doctorates on employment in mathematics. She especially enjoys talking to non-mathematicians who haven't (yet) learned where the most beautiful aspects of the subject lie.

Tentative Schedule:

Friday:

Student talks from 6:30-8:00 pm (talks are 20 minutes)

Invited speaker lecture 1: 8-9 Pellengrene Auditorium

"Math and Art: The Good, the Bad, and the Pretty"

How do we fit a three-dimensional world onto a two-dimensional canvas? Answering this question will change the way you look at the world, literally: we'll learn where to stand as we view a painting so it pops off that two-dimensional canvas seemingly out into our three-dimensional space. In this talk, we'll explore the mathematics behind perspective paintings, which starts with simple rules and will lead us into really lovely, really tricky puzzles. Why do artists use vanishing points? What's the difference between 1-point and 3-point perspective? Why don't your vacation pictures don't look as good as the mountains you photographed? Dust off those old similar triangles, and get ready to put them to new use in looking at art!

Saturday:
8-9 breakfast in PE 269
9-12 student speakers
Invited Speaker Talk 2: 12 - 1 Pellengrene Auditorium
"In the Shadow of Desargues"

Those of us who teach projective geometry often nod to perspective art as the spark from which projective geometry caught fire and grew. This talk looks directly at projective geometry as a tool to illuminate the workings of perspective artists. We will particularly shine the light on at Desargues' triangle theorem (which says that any pair of triangles that is perspective from a point is perspective from a line), together with an even simpler theorem (you have to see it to believe it!). Given any convoluted, complicated polygonal object, these theorems allow us to draw that object together with something that is related to it--- its shadow, reflection, or other rigid symmetries---and we'll show how this works. (If you enjoy doodling or sketching, bring your pencil, a good eraser, and a straightedge.)

All talks will be held in thePeter Engel Science Center. If you are a student interested in giving a talk please fill out responses to the following questions here. If you have any further questions please feel free to contact Dr. Kris Nairn at knairn@csbsju.edu.

Where to Stay

Saint John's University is located 10 miles west of St. Cloud, Minnesota. Driving directions to SJU can be found here. Transportation to and from St. Cloud will be provided to those who request it. Some free on-campus lodging will be available for students willing to share a dorm room (bring a sleeping bag). Ample motel accommodations are available in the St. Cloud area:

Super 8, St Joseph: 320-363-7711 or 800-800-8000
Super 8, St Cloud: 320-253-5530 or 800-800-8000
Budgetel, St Cloud: 320-253-4444 or 800-428-3438
Comfort Inn, St Cloud: 320-251-1500 or 800-424-6423
Country Inn and Suites: 320-252-8282
Holiday Inn, St Cloud: 320-253-9000
Quality Inn, St Cloud: (320) 251-1500
Motel 6, Waite Park: 320-253-7070
AmericInn, Avon: 320-356-2211

Upcoming Conference Speakers

2014 Hal Schenck
2015 Ami Radunskaya

Former Conference Speakers

2013 Annalisa Crannell (Videos: Friday's Lecture, Saturday's Lecture)
2012 Kenneth Millett
2011 William Dunham
2010 Claudia Neuhauser
2009 Joe Gallian
2008 (Conference cancelled due to weather)
2007 Carlos Castillo-Chavez
2006 Edward Burger
2005 Jennifer Quinn
2004 Frank Farris
2003 Colin Adams
2002 David Bressoud
2001 Underwood Dudley
2000 Sam Patterson
1999 Robert L. Devaney
1998 Richard Guy
1997 Ron Graham
1996 Frank Morgan
1995 Carl Pomerance
1994 Philip Straffin
1993 Thomas Banchoff
1992 Judith Grabiner
1991 Raymond Smullyan
1990 Joan Hutchinson
1989 Richard Askey
1988 Sherman Stein
1987 Reuben Hersh
1986 Peter Hilton
1985 I.N. Herstein
1984 Ruth Struik
1983 Joan Fisher Box, George Box
1982 Alfred Willcox(in conjunction with the North Central Section Meeting)
1981 Doris Schattschneider, Leonard Gillman, Don Koehler
1980 Mary Ellen Rudin
1979 Paul Halmos

Lectures will be geared toward a general audience

Funding for travel to SJU Pi Mu Epsilon conference is provided by NSF grant DMS‐0846477 through the MAA Regional Undergraduate Mathematics Conferences program, http://www.maa.org/RUMC

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