Special Interest Group
for Environmental Mathematics

SIGMAA EM Past Activities

2025 MathFest -- Sacramento

• MathArt at MathFest Exhibition and SIGMAA-EM SEVA Exhibition Build
  The first MathFest Exhibition of Mathematical Art will include up to 50 artworks contributed by mathematical artists, as well as a group display organized by SIGMAA EM, with images contributed in advance highlighting mathematics and the environment, as well as an opportunity for MathFest 2025 visitors to make their own images and submit them to the display. The EM organizers have created a fun hexagonal template that invites participants to contribute to a honeycomb pattern of environmental math/art.
  Submissions of the artwork for the SEVA interactive display are available http://sigmaa.maa.org/em/seva2025-page.html.
  click here.
  
• Business Meeting and Keynote Address
  Keynote: Dr. Alan Hastings, University of California at Davis
• Joint Session with BioSIGMAA: "Environmental and Biological Research in Mathematics, in and out of the Classroom"
• Workshop: "Communicating the Complex and the Conflicted," Eric Marland, Appalachian State University and Russ deForest, Pennsylvania State University. (Sponsor: SIGMAA on Environmental Mathematics)
  The workshop leveraged the fields of acting improvisation and conflict resolution theory to help participants develop communication skills around complicated or conflicted topics, and to share ideas for teaching these skills in a STEM classroom.

2024 MathFest -- Indianapolis

• Business Meeting and Guest Lecture
  6:15 p.m. – 7:45 p.m., JW Grand Ballroom 2
• "Navigating Sustainability in Indianapolis," Morgan Mickelson, Director of the Office of Sustainability, City of Indianapolis
• Sustainability and Environmental Visual Arts Exhibition: Previews of the Artwork
  Friday, August 9, 6:15 p.m. – 7:45 p.m., JW Grand Ballroom 2
  MathFest 2024, Indianapolis, IN
  For more information visit http://sigmaa.maa.org/em/seva2024-page.html

2023 MathFest -- Tampa

• Introduction to MathFest (and meet members of SIGMAA EM)
  Thursday, August 8, 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m., JW Grand Ballroom 3/4
• Field Trip: Florida Aquarium
  Friday, August 4, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
  
• SIGMAA EM Guest Lecture
• Business Meeting
  Friday, August 9, 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Room 118/119
• Contributed Paper Session: "Environmental Science for Mathematics Students"
  Friday, August 9, 4:30 p.m. – 6:05 p.m., Room 311
  

2023 JMM - Boston

• Business Meeting
• Student Lightning Talks in Environmental Mathematics
  
• "Communicating Complex of Controversial Topics in Science", Eric Marland, Dept. of Mathematical Sciences, Appalachian State University
• Workshop on Math for Sustainability: Quantitative and Ethical Reasoning in General Ed., with Russ DeForest (PennState) and Eric Marland (AppState).
  

2022 JMM - Virtual

• Business Meeting
• “Climate Justice Integrating Learning in STEM” Heather Price, Dept. of Math and Science, North Seattle College , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L6LI3228_s

2021 JMM - Virtual

• Business Meeting
• “Quantifying and Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions” Rob Jackson, School of Earth Sciences, Stanford University and the Global Carbon Project

2013 JMM -- San Diego

• Business Meeting and Reception
• CPS: MAA Session on Integrating the Mathematics of Planet Earth (MPE) 2013 in the College Mathematics Curriculum, organized by Ben Galluzzo, Shippensburg University.

2011 MathFest - Lexington, KY

• Business Meeting: “Karst Hydrology” Peter Idstein, Dept. of Earth & Environ. Science, Univ. of Kentucky
• Bus Trip: “Karst Hydrology” Peter Idstein, Dept of Earth and Environ. Science, Univ. of Kentucky

2011 JMM -- New Orleans

• Business Meeting: “BP Oil Spill & the Union Carbide Explosion,” Charles Hadlock, Bentley University, MA
• IPS:  “The BP Oil Discharge & the Environment”
• Bus Trip: “Eagle Nests, Waterfowl, and Gulf Restoration,” G. P. Kemp, National Audubon Society

2010 MathFest -- Pittsburgh

• Business Meeting: “Free Trade & the Environment” Jim Case, Consultant Baltimore, MD
• Bus Trip: “Ancient  and   Modern Environments”, Charles Jones, Geology, Univ. of Pittsburgh

2010 JMM -- San Francisco

• Business Meeting: “Mathematics & Conservation Biology,” Mike Vanderman, AT&T, Berkeley
• CPS: “Quantitative Reasoning & the Environment”
• Bus Trip: “Muir Woods National Monument,” guided by a MWNM ranger

2009 JMM -- Washington, DC

• Business Meeting: “Energy, Math. & Public Policy,” Charles Hadlock, Bentley Univ., MA
• CPS: “Environmental  Mathematics”
• Panel: “Getting It into the Curriculum”
• Metro Trip: “US Botanical Gardens,” guided by a USBG staff member.

2008 MathFest -- Madison

• Business Meeting: “Modeling Forest Landscapes”, J. Buongiorno, Forest Ecology, U. of Wisconsin.
• CPS: “Integrating Mathematics &  Biology”. (Co-sponsor: SIGMAA BIO.)
• Bus Trip: Aldo Leopold Legacy Center. J. Buongiorno, Forest Ecology, U. of Wisconsin.

2008 JMM - San Diego

• Business Meeting: “Coastal Geography,” Kevin Robinson, SDSU, CA.
• Bus Trip: “Geology of Torrey Pines State Reserve,” Kevin Robinson, SDSU, CA
• Skit: “Shall We Have a Course in Environmental Mathematics?”

2007 MathFest -- San Jose

• Business Meeting: “ Earthquakes & Bay Tectonics”, Nan Shostak, Dept. of Geology, San Jose State U.
• Invited Lecture: “Managing Natural Resources’, Lou Gross, Univ. of Tennessee
• Bus Trip: Earthquakes and Bay Tectonics. Nan Shostak, Dept. of Geology, San Jose State U.

2007 JMM -- New Orleans

• Business Meeting: “Katrina’s Wrath or Human Greed,” G. Paul Kemp, LSU, LA
• Bus Trip: “The Locus of Katrina’s Wrath,” G. Paul Kemp, LSU, LA

2006 MathFest -- Knoxville

• Business Meeting: “Saving the California Condor”, Thomas O’Neil, California Polytech S.U.
• MAA Short Course: “Environmental Modeling”, Ben Fusaro, FSU
• Bus Trip: The Oak Ridge Region Geology. Gareth J. Davies, Consulting Geologist

2006 JMM -- San Antonio

• Business Meeting: “Complex Earth,” Bruce Herbert, Texas A & M
• IPS: “Environmental Modeling”
• Bus Trip: “San Marcos Mission Springs,” Bruce Herbert, Texas A & M

2005 MathFest -- Albuquerque

• CPS:  “Environmental Mathematics”
• “Conversations on the Environment”, Fred Chichester, NJ, and Stephanie Fitchett, Florida Atlantic Univ.
• Bus Trip: Rio Grande Nature Center. Bill Stone, N.M. Institute of Minerals & Tech.

2005 JMM -- Atlanta

• Invited Address: “The Fractal Geometry of Nature and Culture”,  Benoit Mandelbrot, Yale University
• CPS: “Environmental Mathematics and the Interdisciplinary”
• IPS: “Modeling the Environment”
• Panel: “Mathematical Outreach and the Environment”

2004 MathFest -- Providence

• Business Meeting: “Challenges of Environmental Consulting”, Charles Hadlock, Bentley Univ., MA
• Walking Tour: “Environment of Providence”, Barry Schiller, RI College
• Ferry Trip: Narragansett Bay Saul Saila, Oceanography-Geology, Univ. of Rhode Island.

2004 JMM -- Phoenix

• Business Meeting: “America’s Low Energy IQ”, Marcia Sward, Senior Director, National Environmental Education Training Foundation
• CPS: “Mathematical Models of the Environment”
• Panel:  “Environmental Mathematics In the Classroom”
• Bus Trip: “Geology and Mathematics” Steve Semken, ASU, AZ
• Dinner with speaker: “Max Dehn and Spaceship Earth”, F.A. Wattenburg, USMA, NY