MEDIA CONTACT: Lisa Freed
561-297-3022, lfreed@fau.com

FAU Mathematics Department Hosts Regional High School Mathematics Contest

BOCA RATON, FL (January 4, 2006) - Florida Atlantic University's mathematics department will host 1,000 of South Florida's most talented high school math students and teachers as they compete in the Mu Alpha Theta Regional Competition from 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Saturday, January 7 at FAU/BCC's Davie Campus. An awards ceremony will follow the event from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

FAU's mathematics department is teaming up with the high school honors association Mu Apha Theta to host the daylong contest. The regional competition will pit school against school in team competitions, as well as student against student in individual competitions.

"The energy is intense, as students compete in their subject areas of Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, Trigonometry and Calculus," said Madeline Gonzalez, a graduate student at FAU.

Mu Alpha Theta has been promoting interest in mathematics since 1957. With more than 65,000 student members nationwide, its goals are to develop strong scholarship in the subject and promote the enjoyment of mathematics at the high school level.

"It is like a sporting event - and here the sport is mathematics," said Markus Schmidmeier, assistant professor of mathematics at FAU and veteran Mu Alpha Theta volunteer. "It is wonderful to see students get so excited about math."

Students and teachers also will have a chance to meet and discuss mathematics with an enthusiastic group of mathematicians and other professionals.

For more information, contact Markus Schmidmeier at 561-297-0275 or mschmidm@fau.edu.

-FAU-