Nebraska-SE South Dakota Section Meeting of MAA
April 11-12, 2025
2025 Nebraska-Southeast South Dakota Section Meeting of the Mathematical Association of America
The Department of Mathematics at Creighton University is proud to host the 101st Nebraska-Southeast South Dakota Section Meeting of the Mathematical Association of America. This event aims to bring together educators from across the region to engage in discussions and presentations on various aspects of mathematics, ranging from course content to teaching methodologies and research endeavors. Whether you're a teacher or a student, this conference provides an opportunity for you to present your work alongside experienced professionals.
Registration and Abstract Submission
Abstract Submission Deadline April 4.
- $10 for MAA memebers
- $20 for non-members
- Students are free
Please send payment prior to the conference to the address below or bring a check to the conference:
Jenny Langdon (Carhart)
NESeSD MAA Section Treasurer
1111 Main Street
Wayne, NE 68787
Make checks payable to Nebraska SE South Dakota Sec of MAA.
Sessions to be held in Hixson-Lied Science Building.
Friday, April 11
- 12:30–2:30 p.m. in Eppley 309 – Project Next Workshop
- 3–5:30 p.m. in Eppley 309 – Session 1: Participant talks, half hour talks
- 3–3:20 p.m. - Ramiro Lafuente-Rodriguez (University of South Dakota), Prime Elements in Artinian Lattices: Structure and Spectrum
- 3:25–3:45 p.m. - Calum Heldt (University of Nebraska-Omaha), All My Work is Right, Why Didn’t I Get the Right Answer? When Logarithmic Identities Fail
- 3:50–4:10 p.m. - Thomas Spoehr (University of Nebraska-Omaha), An Exploration of Novel Chaotic Maps with Applications to Image Encryption
- 4:10–4:25 p.m. - Break
- 4:30–4:50 p.m. - Steve Dunbar (University of Nebraska-Lincoln), Current State of the MAA's American Mathematics Competitions
- 5–5:20 p.m. - Jackson Mollring (Peru State University), Combinatorics and Sudoku
- 5:30–6:45 p.m. in Hixson-Lied G59 – Student Estimathon and Pizza Party (for students only)
- 7–8 p.m. in Hixson-Lied G59 – MAA Pólya Speaker, Steve Butler, presents “Juggling Counts”
- 8–9 p.m. in Hixson-Lied G59 – Reception
Saturday, April 12
- 8-9 a.m. – Breakfast Banquet in Hixson-Lied Atrium
- 9 a.m.–12 p.m.
- Parallel Session 2A in Hixson-Lied G59: Graduate student talks for an undergraduate audience
- 9–9:20 a.m. – Graduate Student 1
- 9:25–9:45 a.m. – Graduate Student 2
- 9:50–10:10 a.m. – Graduate Student 3
- 10:10–10:25 a.m. - Break
- 10:25–10:45 a.m. - Jacob White (University of Nebraska-Omaha), Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling of Hemolymph Flow in Insect Wing Vein Networks
- 10:45–11:05 a.m. - Parker Lingelback (University of Nebraska-Omaha), Rhymes of Mathematical Times
- 11:10–11:30 a.m. - Justin Schroeder (Dakota State University), Coloring Complete Bipartite Graphs with Antiperfect Steiner Triple Systems
- 11:35–11:55 a.m. - Sung Min Lee (Dakota State University), Primes, Elliptic Curves, Cyclic Groups, and Their Distribution in Arithmetic Progressions
- Parallel Session 2B: Participant talks in Hixson-Lied G04
- 9–9:20 a.m. – Dora Velcsov (University of Nebraska-Omaha), Through the Lens of Eastern Europe: What Math Students Know Before College
- 9:25–9:45 a.m. - Michael Matthews (University of Nebraska-Omaha), Gradient Grading and Gradient Support and Accidental Success, Resilience, and Mastery
- 9:50–10:10 a.m. - Cassie Tengen (Peru State University), Bringing Statistics to Life: Engaging Students with In-Class Projects in Introduction to Statistics
- 10:10–10:25 a.m. – Break
- 10:25–10:45 a.m. - Jing Chang (College of St. Mary’s), Beyond ChatGPT: Comparing AI Tools for Enhancing Teaching
- 10:45–11:05 a.m. - Jim Carlson (Creighton University), Why Do Students So What They Do? Some Observations on How the General Person or Student Perceives What is Presented to Them
- Parallel Session 2A in Hixson-Lied G59: Graduate student talks for an undergraduate audience
- 12–1 p.m. – Business Meeting
Juggling Counts
Abstract: Mathematics is a language which can help us describe and explore patterns. One source of patterns that mathematicians have been exploring comes from juggling (the tossing of objects, usually balls or clubs). In this talk we will look at multiple ways to describe juggling patterns that allow us to find new juggling patterns, and to count how many possible patterns exist. We can compare answers to various problems to give a combinatorial proof of Worpitzky's identity. We will also look at a few juggling-based problems that mathematics has not yet succeeded in answering.
Biography: Steve Butler is an award-winning teacher. He has given talks at numerous venues ranging from the AMS-MAA address at Mathfest 2021 to the Iowa State Fair and almost everything in between.
Steve particularly enjoys working with young researchers. He regularly participates in the Iowa State REU and maintains a listing of REU sites for students; he is also a lead organizer of the Graduate Research Workshop in Combinatorics.
Steve's mathematics was heavily influenced by his mentors, Fan Chung and Ron Graham. His mathematical research includes spectral graph theory, shuffling, juggling, origami, tiling, Apollonian circle packings, parking functions, and more. In 2015, he became the 512th mathematician to have an Erdős number of 1.
Steve Butler has been at Iowa State University since 2011 where he is a Morrill Professor and the Barbara J Janson Professor of Mathematics. More information about him can be found online (stevebutler.org).
Hotel Reservations for Campus Visitors
Parking available in Lot 68, north of the Hixson-Lied Science Building.
