Ross Middlemiss Undergraduate Math Majors' Lounge Through the generosity of a gift from the late Professor Emeritus Ross R. Middlemiss, there is a lounge available for the use of math majors in Cupples I, Room 222.  The room contains chalkboards, tables, furniture, a phone (935-7498), microwave, refrigerator, and a collection of mostly undergraduate level books available for use while working in the room. There is a computer and printer.  (Math majors can contact the department's system administrator, Steven Xiao for an account on this machine.)  A wireless transmitter has been installed so majors can use laptops with wireless cards while in the Lounge.  There is also a small number of lockers available for those who need them (students living at home, for example, might find such a locker useful). Declared majors who would like to use the Undergraduate Lounge can get the combination for the doo lock from the receptionist in the Math Office (Cupples I, Room 100), or from Professor Freiwald.

Awards Each year the department considers graduating seniors for the Ross Middlemiss Prize, awarded to a graduating math major with an outstanding record Putnam Exam Prize, awarded to a graduating senior who has done exceptionally well on the Putnam Exam throughout his/her time at Washington University) Martin Silverstein Award, established in memory of Professor Martin Silverstein who, until his death in 2004, was a pioneer in work at the interface of probability theory and harmonic analysis. Each year the department considers outstanding majors for this award, especially those with strengths in probability or statistics.   Each award is a cash prize, and each award is noted on the student’s permanent university record.

Job Opportunities The department usually needs some undergraduates for various jobs each semester.  Interested students should contact Dr. Blake Thornton (Cupples I, Room 204A; 935-6301) for information about salary and to fill out an application.  You should do this immediately before classes begin for a semester or even at the end of the preceding semester. Undergraduates are also hired by Cornerstone for tutoring and leading study groups. You should contact Cornerstone directly to fill out an application. Students who are interested in being leaders for PLTL Calculus Groups should contact Lisa Kuehne (935-4226) who coordinates the department's PLTL program.

Washington University Math Club  The Washington University Math Club gives a chance for interaction among mathematics students (math majors or not!) and provides some opportunities to hear about interesting math topics they might not see in the classroom.  It’s also a forum where undergraduates can present to each other interesting pieces of mathematics that they've learned in their own reading. Early each semester students meet to plan the upcoming activities. In recent years the club has met in the late afternoon and sponsored a series of short talks and films, followed by pizza and soft drinks.  Undergraduates are also welcome to present talks on subjects of interest to them.  If you are interested in participating or finding out what's happening, please contact the club president, Shubho Sadhu.

Math Competitions The  William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition is a national contest for undergraduates sponsored by the Mathematical Association of Maerica (MAA).  Given each year on the first Saturday of December, it is taken by more than 3000 undergraduates from more than 450 colleges and universities. The problems are difficult (12 problems, 6 hours) and require some ingenuity.  Copies of past examinations are available online. The MAA's describes the competetion:  The examination will be constructed to test originality as well as technical competence. It is expected that the contestant will be familiar with the formal theories embodied in undergraduate mathematics. It is assumed that such training, designed for mathematics and physical science majors, will include somewhat more sophisticated mathematical concepts than is the case in minimal courses. Thus the differential equations course is presumed to include some references to qualitative existence theorems and subtleties beyond the routine solution devices. Questions will be included that cut across the bounds of various disciplines, and self-contained questions that do not fit into any of the usual categories may be included.  It will be assumed that the contestant has acquired a familiarity with the body of mathematical lore commonly discussed in mathematics clubs or in courses with such titles as “survey of the foundations of mathematics.”  It is also expected that the self-contained questions involving elementary concepts from group theory, set theory, graph theory, lattice theory, number theory, and cardinal arithmetic will not be entirely foreign to the contestant’s experience. Any number of students can take the exam as individuals, but each year three of the students are also designated before the competition as the school's team.  (The team score is the sum of the individual scores; team members do not collaborate during the competition.) A student may officially take the Putnam Exam at most four times before receiving a bachelor's degree. Washington University's performance in this competition over the years has been very good.  Since 1976, our team has placed among the top ten nationally in 19 of the past 33 competitions, and in the top five for 11 of those years.  In the 20 competitions 1989-2007,  27 different WU students have ranked in the top 100 a total of 48 times. (Of those times, 4 students were among the top 10 scorers nationally.) Practice problem sessions are held weekly in the late afternoon during the fall semester. If you want more information, see the information posted on the Undergraduate Web Page, or contact Professor Richard Rochberg.  Also watch for signs about the practices near the Undergraduate Math Lounge. Also, each spring (late March or early April) the Department sends one or two teams to compete in the Missouri MAA Collegiate Math Competition. In the 14 competitions since the contest began in 1996, WU teams have won a first or second place (sometimes both: more than one team is allowed!) in each year except 2007: a total of 8 first places and 9 second places.  Two 3-member teams placed first and third in the 2009 competition, held on the campus of Truman State University in Kirksville, MO. The next Missouri MAA Collegiate Mathematics Competition will be held on April 8-9, 2010 (Thursday evening-Friday morning) on the campus of the University of Central Missouri (Warrensburg, Missouri).  Warrensburg is in the western part of the state, not too far SE from Kansas City.The Department will cover the teams’ expenses.  Some students may also stay for the Awards Banquet Friday night and return on Saturday.  Mark your calendars and contact Professor Ron Freiwald if you’re interested.