Information about our Fall 2026 Section Meeting at Creighton University is being added as it is available. Please continue to check back as we get closer to the meeting!
The Section meeting will use our standard format: Section NExT activities on Friday morning, parallel sessions Friday afternoon, plenary talks Friday night and Saturday morning, parallel sessions and the business meeting through the day on Saturday, and capped with a plenary talk by a Section teaching award winner.
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Polya Speaker
Title: Get in the Game: Math and Sports Analytics
Abstract: Sports analytics has become one of the most dynamic fields around. Diving into the numbers of sports can be game changing for a team or simply a fun exercise for a fan. How do you get in the game with numbers? What questions can be explored? What actionable insights can be gleaned? From March Madness to national media broadcasts, analytics are increasingly indispensable. Dr. Tim Chartier will discuss outlooks that lead to successful analytics and the variety of questions that can be tackled. He will also share how he guides students to dig into sports using math and computer science, and the success they have had working with the NBA, NFL, NASCAR, ESPN, and his own college’s teams. Learn how to get in the game as a sports analyst!
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Title: Math4Fun – My Story of Working with Math Teachers’ Circles
Abstract: I firmly believe that K–12 teachers are central to our collective future. Yet, too often, we ask teachers to do more and more while providing them with far too little support, encouragement, and opportunity to grow as mathematicians and educators. Throughout my career, I have been passionate about mathematics and deeply committed to supporting the teachers who bring that mathematics to their students.
In 2009, I learned about Math Teachers’ Circles and was immediately drawn to their potential to support and inspire K–12 mathematics teachers through rich mathematical experiences and meaningful professional communities. Just one year later, I founded the North Louisiana Math Teachers’ Circle and led the program for eight years. That experience profoundly shaped my understanding of what teachers need—and what can happen when we create a space where teachers can come together simply to explore, discuss, and enjoy mathematics.
In 2024, after returning to Northwestern State University, I finally had the opportunity to establish a new Math Teachers’ Circle in Natchitoches. Math4Fun was born from that effort, with the goal of bringing educators from across North Louisiana together to experience mathematics in a way that is engaging, challenging, and fun.
In this talk, I will share my journey with Math Teachers’ Circles—from discovering the idea in 2009, to founding and leading a circle in North Louisiana, to establishing Math4Fun more than a decade later. I will talk about both the challenges and successes along the way and offer practical advice for those who are interested in starting a Math Teachers’ Circle in their own communities.
And, of course, we will do some mathematics together! Come ready to explore, think, ask questions, and have a little Math4Fun.
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Title: It’s Not Me, It’s You
Abstract: As an education professor told me in undergrad, the name of the game in teaching is often beg, borrow, and steal. I've found it often to be true, that successes I’ve had in the classroom are almost certainly due, at least in part, to something I’ve discussed at length with friends and colleagues, borrowed and adapted from another educator, or something I’ve used “as is” from an educator. In that spirit, in this talk I’ll share some of the most memorable and successful stories, activities, tactics, and techniques I’ve used over the years.
Student and Faculty Talks/Posters
As usual, we hope for a wide variety of talks from our own members. If you have something interesting to say about mathematics or teaching, contribute a talk or poster and share with the rest of the section. Students (both undergraduates and graduates) are encouraged to participate.
Registration
Online registration is helpful for planning purposes. Please register online by Wednesday, November 11, 2026.
Campus Information
Please consult the Creighton University Map.
Lodging Near Creighton University
Hilton Garden Inn Omaha Downtown
1005 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE 68102
Nightly Rate $109
Link here for the MAA associated rates
There are many other fine hotels nearby, but a dedicated reservation was only secured for Hilton.
Restaurants
Comprehensive guide to local restaurants