SOSU Set To Host Symposium For Undergraduate Students In Mathematics

Press Release Date: 02-08-2006

Southeastern Oklahoma State University will host the 2nd Annual Texas/Oklahoma Regional Undergraduate Symposium (TORUS) on Saturday, Feb. 25, in SOSU’s Russell Building in Durant.

TORUS provides an opportunity for undergraduate students to present mathematical research projects and expository papers. The conference gives students a chance to meet established mathematicians and to network with fellow students. High school students who are interested in mathematics or related fields are also encouraged to attend.

Registration begins at 9 a.m. in the foyer of the Russell Building with the symposium scheduled to end at about 3:30 p.m. There is no fee to attend TORUS, but early registration is encouraged.

“This conference provides a unique opportunity for undergraduates studying mathematics and related fields,” said Dr. Brett Elliott, one of the conference organizers and an associate professor of Southeastern’s Mathematics Department. “We are one of only 27 conferences nationwide supported by the Mathematical Association of America for the 2005–2006 academic year and we are the only one being held in Texas or Oklahoma.”

Dr. Jesse Snowden, SOSU Vice President for Academic Affairs, will welcome attendees and provide opening remarks. Additionally, undergraduates from universities in southern Oklahoma and northern Texas will present 15–minute talks on a variety of mathematical topics.

The keynote speaker will be Dr. Henry Neeman, the director of OU’s Supercomputing Center and he will speak on “Supercomputing in Plain English.”

Also planned is a one–hour panel presentation on mathematics in industry and business. Panelists are Eric Andries, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Pathology at the University of New Mexico; Shan Bhattacharya, a computer scientist for Lockheed Martin in Garland, Texas; and Robert Seletsky, a software developer for OPS Systems in Rio Rancho, New Mexico.

The last event of the conference will be a Math Jeopardy contest between the undergraduates of the various institutions represented at the conference.

Lunch will be available for $10 for those who have registered for the conference by Feb. 17. Registration can be done online at http://www.se.edu/departments/math by clicking on 2006 TORUS Conference and then choosing Registration. For more information, contact Elliott at 580–745–2306 or by email at belliott@se.edu.

TORUS is partially supported by a grant administered through the Mathematical Association of America. Co–host institutions are East Central University, Midwestern State University, and Cameron University.