March 15, 2000–Wolfram Research is the corporate sponsor for Mathematics Awareness Month (MAM) 2000. In keeping with this year’s theme of “Math Spans All Dimensions,” mathematics departments nationwide are being encouraged to organize a wide range of activities to focus attention on mathematics throughout the month of April. To aid them in their efforts, institutional, organizational, and public policy leaders will receive a variety of MAM visual and media materials, including a color poster sponsored by Wolfram Research.
For the first time, the MAM poster will appear on both bulletin boards and computer screens as a fully interactive document. Students and teachers at all levels, as well as the general public, can see images of many people–including choreographers, computer animators, authors, and cosmologists–who use different dimensions in their work. Each of those images is a link to more information about the particular topic and related topics, including publications and teaching materials.
The goal of Mathematics Awareness Month is to increase public understanding of and appreciation for mathematics, a goal that Wolfram Research strongly endorses. Says Paul Wellin, Director of Corporate and Academic Affairs for Wolfram Research, “When you visit the Wolfram Research web site, you can see from the many resources available that we are committed to mathematics awareness and education. In observance of MAM 2000, we are showcasing some of the educational, artistic, and more entertaining dimensions of mathematics as seen through the eyes of Mathematica.”
Mathematics Awareness Week (MAW) was first observed in 1986, the result of a proclamation by then President Ronald Reagan, who recognized “the increasing importance of mathematics to the progress of our economy and society.” MAW recently expanded to encompass the entire month of April and became Math Awareness Month. MAM is organized by the Joint Policy Board for Mathematics, which is comprised of representatives from the Mathematical Association of America (MAA), the American Mathematical Society (AMS), and the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM).
To learn more about MAM and how your institution can get involved, visit the interactive poster at http://mam2000.mathforum.com. To explore mathematics through the eyes of Mathematica, visit http://www.wolfram.com/MAM2000.