"The Internet" Is The Theme For Mathematics Awareness Week

The following news release was mailed recently. (newspapers are encouraged to add local MAW events)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (suggested use April, 1997)
CONTACT: Mike Harris, 301-942-9595

"THE INTERNET" IS THE THEME FOR MATHEMATICS AWARENESS WEEK

April 20 - 26, 1997

(Washington, DC) . . . . . Mathematics and the Internet is the
theme for Mathematics Awareness Week 1997 which will be observed
nationwide from April 20 - 26. Developments in mathematical
fields like number theory and queuing theory have enabled such key
Internet technologies as data encryption for secure financial
transactions, data compression for messages with audio and/or video
components, and routing and network configuration.

Moreover, the Internet has given birth to world-wide collaborations
among mathematics teachers and researchers. These collaborations are
advancing both education from kindergarten through university as well
as our understanding of some of the most difficult problems in pure
and applied mathematics.

The Internet has played a major role in significantly increasing the
impact and reach of Mathematics Awareness Week in recent years. E-mail, discussion lists, and web sites are now commonly used to
gather, exchange, and disseminate ideas and materials.

Extensive information about Mathematics Awareness Week - including
the theme poster and visuals, an annotated essay with links to many
other related sites, and news of MAW celebrations taking place around
the country - is on the World Wide Web at URL:
http://forum.swarthmore.edu/maw/.

The 1997 Mathematics Awareness Week theme poster uses visualizations
developed by Bell Laboratories that depict world- wide Internet
traffic. The color and thickness of arcs between countries show
inter-country traffic, with higher and redder arcs indicating larger
traffic flows.

During Mathematics Awareness Week 1997 celebrations take place at
colleges, universities, and research laboratories across the
country. Mathematics Awareness Week activities include public
lectures, mathematical games and competitions, and special days in
many states which bring high school students to college campuses
where they interact with mathematics faculty.

Mathematics Awareness Week is coordinated by the Joint
Policy Board for Mathematics on behalf of three national mathematics
organizations, the American Mathematical Society, the Mathematical
Association of America, and the Society for Industrial and Applied
Mathematics. These scientific societies are comprised of some 60,000
members who are educators and researchers in mathematics from
academia, industry, and government. Additional financial support is
provided by the Institute for Operations Research and the Management
Sciences (INFORMS).

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Mike Harris, JPBM Public Information Office | tel: 301-942-9595
JPBM - Joint Policy Board for Mathematics | fax: 301-942-2777
* * * Mathematics Awareness Week - April 20-26, 1997 Theme: Mathematics and the Internet WWW URL-> http://forum.swarthmore.edu/maw/
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