Three members of the MAA Committee on Mathematics and the Environment and
two guests met at the Burlington 2002 MathFest for over an hour and a
half.  Members were Ben Fusaro, Marcia Sward Doherty, and Pat Kenschaft.
Visitors were Stephanie Fitchett and Fred Chichester.

September 7 is the deadline for contributed papers at Baltimore in
January.  Don't forget to offer to contribute your own ideas!

We decided that the "conversations" format was successful and that we will
do it again in Boulder (summer 2003) and Phoenix (January 2004).  Plans
are largely set for Baltimore, except for individuals applying to give
contributed papers in our sessions (and our applying to give them in other
sessions).  We liked the contributions of the non-mathematician spouses,
and decided to ask Marty Walter, a Committee member in Boulder, to recruit
three non-mathematical faculty members from U. CO to enrich our
"conversations" session there.  They will be invited to spend five minutes
each at the beginning telling about themselves and their concerns, but we
won't try to silence them until ten minutes have ellapsed.

Since the SIG has received formal approval from MAA, we discussed the
different roles of the SIG and the Committee.  The Committee proposes
policy for the MAA, raises issues, and provides people with appointed
roles that may help them get travel funds and in other ways back home.
The SIG, which any MAA member can join for $10, is more inclusive and
therefore provides a wider format for exchanging ideas, reaches out to
sections, and actively supports all individuals who want to integrate
environmental and mathematical concerns.  Both will be planning and
presenting programs.

We hope there will be a mini-course on environmental mathematics in
Phoenix.  Any volunteers?

We discussed possible "big names" for Phoenix and/or Baltimore if we have
an opportunity there.  We also discussed details for the SIG reception,
probably in Baltimore.

Stephanie suggested we ask book authors to speak at national meetings.  We
already have such a panel of three book authors for Baltimore.
ENVIRONMENTAL MATHEMATICS, co-edited by Ben and me, should be published by
the MAA before Phoenix, and we decided to feature its authors there.  If
both the SIG and the Committee have a panel, we can provide an opportunity
for three of the authors to speak.  Ben and I will be working on this.
Applications have to be in by December 31, so we can't wait until
Baltimore.

Pat Kenschaft, Chair