Math super-hero

One day not long ago I told my Silver Spring neighbor, Nancy KapLon (nee Lon), of my interest in helping outstanding math-women to be more widely known.  Nancy told me about her wonderful and excellent favorite teacher -- geometer Jean Bee Chan of Sonoma State University in California. Nancy ('93) was a  first generation college student and Dr. Chan, as her mentor, guided her through the undergraduate experience to graduation with distinction and graduate school. Here is a syllable snowball, grown in Chan's honor. 

     Jean

     Bee Chan 

     has research

     specialties in

     geometry and

     convexity, teaches

     her students not only math

     but how to become their best selves.

     She is one of my super-heroes.

This final weekend in July, the 2012 BRIDGES Math-Art Conference is taking place on the campus of Towson University.  Thanks in large part to the organizational efforts of Sarah Glaz, this year's program includes presentations of poetry and its links to mathematics.  Several papers were presented by poets and mathematicians in a Wednesday afternoon session; on Saturday (today) at 5:30 PM a poetry reading is scheduled -- I am honored to be one of those featured there; the Sunday afternoon program includes my Poetry-with-Mathematics Workshop.  Here are links to my Mathy Poems for the reading, to my workshop paper and workshop handout material.