3. Upper Bounds

Understanding upper bounds and a proof of the divergence of the harmonic series

A Concert Full of Actors

Eager whispers travel through the crowd. The anticipation is building. The clock strikes 7:30 and then the lights go off, and the performers come out on stage. The crowd goes wild as the band launches into their first song. Music lovers frequent concerts in their free time. Concerts are not enjoyed by everyone. Some people claim they cannot stand the loud rock music blaring from the speakers. Instead they would rather go see a play, because they are considered classier. Rock concerts are perceived as loud and noisy, while plays appear to be elegant and perfect for a quiet night of entertainment. On the surface it appears as if concerts and plays are very different. This is not true. In both cases a lot of effort has to go into planning and executing the performance. Both concerts and plays are planned out, enjoyed by different types of audiences, and enhanced by the performer’s effort

Annual Report 2004-2005

The promise of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy® is now practice as visionary IMSA graduates forge new frontiers in Illinois and beyond in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and other fields, and as more and more students, educators and schools in our state, nation and world benefit from IMSA programs, products and services. The Academy\u27s reach, impact and success is due in no small part to the support it receives from the IMSA Fund for Advancement of Education - thanks to you. You and other donors help in various ways, Annual gifts of all amounts provide essential operating support for the IMSA Fund and help IMSA meet needs that simply cannot be funded in other ways. Major gifts and planned gifts support significant opportunities and help the IMSA Fund invest and grow its resources for the future. Corporate and foundation grants fund specific projects of interest to IMSA and the funder. Excerpt: From the President of the IMSA Fund and the President of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academ

Annual Report 2000-2001

How will the state, nation and world we know change in this new century? How will we produce our food, travel from place to place, care for our fellow human beings and sustain the energy to power it all? How will nations communicate and citizens receive news? What medical, ecological or informational challenges are on the horizon? Who will initiate life-changing innovations, and how will the next generation learn to do the same? The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy asks these questions of its students and teachers, other Illinois students and teachers, and the public at large - and in doing so challenges them to explore new horizons, embrace future possibilities and live their dreams. Excerpt: From the Chair and the Presiden

Evolution of the American Dream

Achievement of the American Dream is and has always been a hope of many Americans. Like many other aspirations, however, the American Dream itself is continuously evolving. The promises of the modern American Dream differ considerably from the possibilities voiced by early Americans.As described by Crevecoeur and Franklin, the original American Dream is the potential of economic success regardless of birth or class. However, David Kamp, Bharati Mukherjee, Jonathan Kozol, Malcolm Gladwell, and Bill McKibben present a less-idealistic modern American Dream. In comparison to the modest, attainable, and satisfying original, the modern American Dream is more extravagant, less accessible by the poor, and less fulfilling

The IMSA-SF Paradigm: Why it’s All The Same to Me

On what must have been my third or fourth day of IMSA, I remember an upperclassman asking me, “You’ve read Ender’s Game, right? You have to read that book—everyone at IMSA does.” I had, in fact, read the book, and I immediately felt relieved. I felt had passed my first test at IMSA, plus I was geeked to learn that my taste in books wasn’t out of place here. I shouldn’t have been so surprised. IMSA is overflowing with science fiction fans of all varieties—we are a nerd school after all, even if the Admissions Office disapproves of my terminology. But reading David Hartwell’s “The Golden Age of Science Fiction is Twelve” has made me realize that IMSA’s association with science fiction runs even more deeply—IMSA is science fiction, or at least the reality TV show version of it. The main effects of science fiction upon its readers—to isolate readers from normal society, to introduce scientific ways of thinking, and to influence the way readers see the rest of the world—are, in my opinion, identical to the main effects IMSA has upon its student

IMSA360: Winter 2011

In this issue of IMSA360, which doubles as the IMSA Fund for Advancement of Education’s 2011 annual report, we chronicle a journey none of us wanted but many of us now embrace. The tentacles of our ALS story and attention to “orphan diseases” stretch far and wide, supported by our donors, driven by our students, staff and community partners, and inspired by our Principal and Vice President for Academic Programs Dr. Eric McLaren. His story – our story – calls us to advance the human condition through education, research, advocacy and action. While we cannot dial back the clock and undo Dr. McLaren’s diagnosis, we can, we must and we will continue to live and work in accordance with the IMSA Board of Trustees’ original philosophy statement, authored by Dr. Leon Lederman a quarter of a century ago, and in doing so we will extend our Principal’s legacy: “If we do what we know and feel is right, it is bound to happen that among our graduates there will numbered scientists, engineers, and those who go on to earn degrees in law and letters. There are likely to be those few who create new intellectual worlds, cure a dreaded human ailment or in some other way significantly influence life on our planet. Our philosophy will be to treat our charges as if each one is capable of this extraordinary achievement.” Excerpt: From the Presiden

IMSA20: Bold Ideas, Two-Decade Report of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy 1986-2006

Twenty years ago, Illinois citizens dared to design a bold future by asking this visionary question. One of the astonishing outcomes of their brave imaginations is the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy..

1991-92 Annual Report, Illinois\u27 Investment

On behalf of the board of trustees, faculty, staff, students, parents and alumni of this pioneering educational community, it is our privilege to share with you the sixth annual report of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy. The 1991-92 year was indeed a remarkable one for the Academy; we are pleased to report some of the highlights. Externally, programs for other school systems, teachers and students in Illinois continued to expand. IMSA\u27s impact on the state included helping 23 Illinois school districts restructure their mathematics and science programs, awarding teachers IMPACT II grants to exchange innovative classroom programs, and sponsoring enrichment programs in mathematics and science for hun- dreds of Illinois students in grades 7-10 (including several programs for minority students)

Session A-3: Indian Ocean Trade Basin: Global Trading and the Consequences of those Encounters

Using an interactive website at indianoceanhistory.org, we will examine how history can be more hands on for a time period and region students know very little about. This lesson can be used to explore and compare different time periods in history and are great for comparison and contrast as well as the continuity and change over time essays. The workshop will explore how global economies were developed and the consequences of those encounters