"Truth Values" Performance

May 8 in the Kelsey Theater at 7pm

 

Created as a response to former Harvard President Lawrence Summers' now infamous suggestion that women are less represented than men in the sciences because of innate gender differences, Truth Values: One Girl's Romp Through M.I.T.'s Male Math Maze is a true-life tale that offers a humorous, scathing, insightful and ultimately uplifting look at the challenges of being a professional woman in a male-dominated field. Performed barefoot on a bare stage with only a chair and small table, writer/performer and "recovering mathematician" Gioia De Cari brings to life more than 30 characters in a hilarious and deeply touching performance that has earned raves from critics and stirred audiences to standing ovations.   http://www.unexpectedtheatre.org/

A panel discussion (with Professors Taipale and Willcoxon from St. Olaf, Prof. Karen Saxe from Macalester, and the artist) about women in science and mathematics will follow the show.  This show is a "must see" for all persons who are a part of the math/science community.

St. Olaf students, faculty, and staff may pick up one free ticket for the show from Donna Brakke in Regents Math 307.  The general public may purchase tickets from the theatre box office.

Summer Employment Opportunity

Fehr Solutions LLC (www.fehrsolutions.com), a water treatment consulting company based out of the Chicago area has an opportunity for part time summer employment in southern Minnesota.  The ideal candidate would have completed, at minimum, their second year of college in chemistry, biology, environmental science or engineering to assist in providing field support to our customers in the food processing industry.    Job duties including traveling to customer sites primarily in southern Minnesota, taking water samples from boiler and refrigeration systems, and then testing those samples for various chemical properties.  The testing includes conductivity, pH, total hardness (by titration) and colorimetric tests done using a portable spectrophotometer.  All test equipment and training will be provided by Fehr Solutions.  Summer hours will range from 20-30 per week.  There may be opportunity for continued employment at reduced hours during the academic year.   If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity please contact:

 John M. Zenner, Ph.D.

Technical Manager

Fehr Solutions, LLC

(203) 952-1533

john@fehrsolutions.com

Match Corps: Merrimack Valley Job Opportunity

Match Corps: Merrimack Valley is a full-time, 10.5-month urban education math tutoring fellowship in two high schools in the Merrimack Valley. We are hiring 50 smart, idealistic, relentless people to work during the 2012-2013 school year. Each Fellow works during the school day with two students at a time for five periods a day, and will have a personal caseload of 12 students all year long. Fellows not only will drive student achievement by providing individualized instruction, but will also build personal and meaningful relationships with urban students and their families during this pioneer year of service.  “The mission of Match Tutors is to help schools and districts across the nation to create effective, relationship-based, yearlong tutoring opportunities for recent college graduates, undergraduates and others to help ensure that high need students gain skills and knowledge to propel them to college success and, in so doing, to establish professional tutoring as the most significant intervention tool that any school can have—thereby transforming the direction of public education.” http://www.matcheducation.org/join-us/match-corps-merrimack-valley

Rescheduled Chemistry Seminar: 3:00 on Tuesday, RNS 390

Bacteria eat what? Enzymes of the petroleum groundwater pollutant degrades Methylibium petroleiphilum

RNS 390: 3:00 gathering time, 3:15 seminar

Chemistry Seminars on Saturday!

Here is some updated information on the chemistry seminars on Saturday. We will meet in RNS 390 a few minutes before 1:00. There will be five distinction seminars through the next couple of hours. Signing the seminar book prior to 1:00 will be worth 1 seminar. There will be a short (10 min) break for cookies/conversation/stretching after the first set of talks. After the break there will be another round of sign-in for the remaining seminars, also worth 1 seminar. A bonus seminar credit will be awarded to any student staying for the entire mini-symposium (all five distinction seminars, both sign-ins).

Remember, there will be three more distinction seminars on Wednesday evening starting at about 7:00. More information to come (Hint: plan on dinner with the chem faculty...bring your tray to the designated ballroom at about 5:15!)

Special Seminar Opportunity, Monday 3:00-4:00

On Monday April 16 (this coming Monday) the Chemistry Department will be interviewing a candidate for a teaching position for next year. As a part of the interview, the candidate will be making a presentation about her research in the area of biochemistry. Please come! (And earn a seminar credit in the process!)

Monday, 3:00-4:00, RNS 390.

Research Opportunity

The Chemistry Department in partnership with the Department of Biology and the Biomolecular Sciences faculty are are seeking highly motivated students for a directed undergraduate research course in lipid biochemistry for Fall of 2012.  Interested students should contact Professor Listenberger for more information.  Preference will be given to juniors and seniors.