Math in New Orleans

Posted by jrosenhouse on December 30, 2006
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Next week I’ll be travelling to New Orleans to participate in the big Joint Mathematics Meetings. The “Joint” refers to the fact that it is cosponsored by the American Mathematical Society and the Mathematical Association of America (no Life of Brian jokes please.)

As you can see, on Saturday the 6th I will be delivering a scintillating, edge-of-your-seat, rhetorical masterpiece of a talk entitled “Cheeger Constants of Certain Arithmetic Hyperbolic Three-Manifolds.” Yes, that’s what I spend my time on when I’m not doing this blog.

Alas, the preparations for the conference will occupy me for most of the next few days. That, coupled with actually going to the conference and then having to start classes again as soon as I return, will be eating up most of my time for the next two weeks or so. So, I will be on blog vacation for a little while.

So a heartfelt thanks to everyone who has stopped by, and to all of the commenters for providing so much food for thought. And a big thanks to the folks at Seed for inviting me to join their little party this year. It is an honor to be included with all the talented people listed on the Science Blogs main page.

Happy New Year! See you in ’07!

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  1. #1 jeffperado
    December 30, 2006

    Who are we again?
    The American Mathematical Society.
    I thought we were the Mathematical Association of America..
    No. I hate the fucking Mathematical Association of America!

    Sorry Jason, I just couldn’t help it.

  2. #2 Jonathan Vos Post
    December 30, 2006

    See, to begin with:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheeger_constant

    My wife and I were at an international conference in New Orleans 18 years ago. It was the worst organized one of its kind we’d ever been to. We’d be waiting in the “green room” before leaving to make our presentations. Eventually, an “organizer” would tell us that it had been rescheduled to an hour earlier, and we’d never been told, and we’d missed it.

    We gave up on the conference and spent the rest of the week as tourists, wining, dining, and listening to music. I hope that, despite the best efforts of the White House to destroy the city, it is again becoming a great venue for conferences.

    We tell our son that he’d been to New Orleans, but didn’t get a good look, having been in utero at the time.

  3. #3 Emanuel Goldstein
    December 31, 2006

    Yes, the suffering people of New Orleans eargerly await the solace of your elitist presence.

  4. #4 Jonathan Vos Post
    January 1, 2007

    Emanuel Goldstein:

    Surely you remember the suffering N’Orleanians on rooftops, holding up signs that read:

    “Please, send an expert on Cheeger Constants of Certain Arithmetic Hyperbolic Three-Manifolds, right away! Also, I need food, water, and arguments about Creationism.”

  5. #5 Kevin
    January 1, 2007

    so this is a “joint” conference?

    In New Orleans?

    with Jazz and manifolds?

    sounds like reefer madness to me….

  6. #6 David D.G.
    January 1, 2007

    Jason, what’s truly funny is that just this morning I read an old “Shoe” comic strip in which the editor receives a notice that says: “The Marijuana Institute and the League of Horrid Punsters … are holding a joint press conference.”

    Have fun in New Orleans!

    ~David D.G.

  7. #7 j a higginbotham
    January 2, 2007

    If you get a chance, have a car, and eat fish, go to Middendorf’s for fried catfish (only place I eat catfish) etc (eg soft shelled crab).
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/fuzzy/315167363/

    Exit 15 (Akers) [Mapquest is wrong.] ~ 45 min from NO
    Middendorf’s Seafood Restaurant
    30160 Highway 51, Ponchatoula, LA 70454
    (985) 386-6666

  8. #8 Mustafa Mond, FCD
    January 11, 2007

    Ice chess

  9. #9 söve
    February 5, 2009

    thanks.