Project NExT-Wisconsin
         Report for Fall Newsletter
         September 30, 2002
         Prepared by Benjamin V.C. Collins
         collinbe@uwplatt.edu

         The Fall Meeting of Project NExT-Wisconsin was a quite 
         successful.  Michael Starbird of the University of Texas at 
         Austin gave a workshop on "Abandoning Dead Ends: Presenting The 
         Heart Of Mathematics To All Students."   He gave a convincing 
         argument for why we should offer courses for undergraduate non-
         math majors that include the beauty, power, and scope of 
         mathematical thinking.  He gave dozens of examples of topics and 
         problems that could be accessible to all students.  He is a 
         great speaker, and he made a terrific case.  

         There was some difficulty with our meeting place.  Our regular 
         meeting place closed temporarily while they searched for a new 
         site manager.  However, we managed to scramble and find an 
         alternative that was really quite nice.  We're still up in the 
         air for a meeting site for our Fall, 2003, workshop.  If anyone 
         knows of a good spot, please let me know.  

         This spring, we received a continuation grant of over $2000 from 
         the national Project NExT.  The funds will be used to enhance 
         the fall workshop, and also to start a Project NExT-Wisconsin 
         speaker series.  We are putting together a list of Project 
         NExTers who would be willing to give a talk suitable for the 
         general undergraduate audience.  We will then circulate the list 
         to the campuses, and you may invite us to come for a math club, 
         colloquium, or whatever.  Look for more information from us by 
         the beginning of Spring semester.  


         Benjamin V.C. Collins
         Director, Project NExT-Wisconsin
         http://www.uwplatt.edu/~nextwi/