Welcome to the first edition of the Bates College Mathematics Department Newsletter!

Four mathematicians are scheduled to give talks about their research this semester:

In addition, Georgia Benkart will give the Sampson Lecture at 7:30 p.m. on October 23 in the W. M. Keck Classroom, Room G52, in Pettengill Hall. Her title is "Women Mathematicians I Haven't Known". All are invited.

Bates math students will also have opportunities to present mathematics they have recently studied. Each senior working toward a one-semester thesis will present a poster at the end of this semester, tentatively scheduled for December 4. Seniors working toward a full-year thesis will give a short talk on their work during the week of November 18. And students in the Math 155 class "Mathematical Models in Biology" will present posters on their research topics on December 13, from 10:30-12:30. Further information on all three events TBA.

Challis J. E. Kinnucan, a Bates College senior from London, Ontario, has been awarded a $4,000 scholarship grant from the American Mathematical Society's Waldemar J. Trjitzinsky Fund.
 
A math major formerly of Albuquerque, N.M., Kinnucan was awarded the scholarship in August. Trjitzinsky Fund awards are intended as an investment in the future of mathematics, helping to ensure that talented math students are financially able to complete their degrees.
 
"I feel honored that the math department elected me for this," said Kinnucan.
 
She was selected because of her excellence in mathematics, her dedication and desire to further her study in the field, said Professor Peter Wong, chair of the Bates math department. In a statement issued by the AMS, Wong described Kinnucan as "one of the best mathematics students in recent years at Bates."
Her accomplishments include a National Science Foundation-sponsored Research Experience for Undergraduates at East Tennessee State University, in Johnson City, during summer 2001. She presented the results of that research in a paper, "Lotteries and Poisson Approximation," at the AMS-sponsored Joint Mathematics Meetings in San Diego last January.
 
In fall 2001, Kinnucan attended the Budapest Semester in Mathematics, taking a graduate-level course in abstract algebra during her time in Hungary.
 
Along with math, Kinnucan enjoys traveling and art, both making it and looking at it. In addition, as she told the AMS, "I also like working with children, whether it is teaching or just hanging out."

On Saturday, December 7, the Bates College Team will compete in the Sixty-Third Annual William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition. This is a competitive examination in collegiate mathematics and Bates teams have made good showings in the past. Two years Peter Kozak was our high scorer and did well enough to receive honorable mention. This year Peter will be joined by some or all of the following students, who meet regularly to work on problems from old Putnam Exams: Alex Smith, John Quah, Chi Nguyen, Greg Jukins, Ritika Juneja, and Nick Violi. If you are interested in participating, there is still room for two more.

Diana Sepehri graduated as a math major last year and is spending a year traveling and studying traditional medicine, thanks to the Watson Grant she earned. Diana began her work in Western China. Recently she sent the following:

"I wanted to give a quick update/"I'm alive" note saying that I've successfully finished a 5-week intensive Uighur course in Urumqi and am now in Kashgar (Xinjiang, China) where I'll be starting the first "serious" phase of my research.
 
"I'm truly very very happy! :)
 
"For those of you who haven't yet, please send me updates of your lives and how you are too!!!"

You can email Diana at dssepehri@yahoo.com.