Project NExT is a professional development program of
the MAA. The notification date for
Fellows selected to participate in NExT in
2009-2010
is
June 1, 2009.
Information for new Fellows is included in the acceptance email, and
some other questions are addressed below. Also see the
background information about Project
NExT.
Index: [home]
[background]
[applications]
Answer:
The Project NExT Workshop begins at 1:30 pm on
Monday, August 3.
You should plan to arrive on the morning of
Monday, August 3.
and remain through the afternoon of
Saturday, August 8.
However, if you are traveling a long distance, you may want to
arrive on
Sunday, August 2
instead. Note that the workshop schedule is quite full, and you
don't want to be exhausted from travel when it starts.
Answer:
You are expected to stay through Mathfest, whose scientific
sessions go until around 5pm on
Saturday, August 8.
(See Mathfest program.)
There are many reasons why we want Project NExT Fellows to stay
through Mathfest.
Answer:
The Mathfest webpage (at MAA
online) has all the Mathfest information. You can also find it
in the April/May issue of FOCUS (the Newsmagazine of the MAA).
Answer:
As you've probably noticed, your trip to
Portland
has two parts: The Project NExT workshop
(Monday through Wednesday)
and Mathfest
(Thursday through Saturday)
Roughly speaking, Project
NExT pays for your meals and lodging during the workshop, and
your institution pays for your transportation and for your
expenses during Mathfest.
Here are some details:
Lodging: Project NExT will pay for your half of a double room at the Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront hotel on Monday and Tuesday nights (8/3 and 8/4). If you need to arrive on Sunday (8/2), then Project NExT will pay for your half of a double room for that night, too. Starting with Wednesday night (8/5), your institution is responsible for your lodging. In filling out your registration form, sign up for all the nights that you will be in Portland.
Meals: Project NExT provides your meals, starting with dinner on Monday (8/3), through lunch on Wednesday (8/5). Project NExT will also pay for your ticket to the Mathfest Opening Banquet on Wednesday night. (Just sign up for the ticket, but do not include payment; Project NExT will be billed for it.) Starting with breakfast on Thursday (8/6), your institution is responsible for your meals (and for any meals before dinner on Monday (8/3)).
Your institution is also responsible for your transportation costs and for your Mathfest registration fee [See question #9]. The letter of support that accompanied your application pledged your institution's financial support for your participation in Project NExT activities. You may want to check with your department regarding procedures, forms, or other items that you will need for reimbursement or advances.
Answer:
If you share a room with another
2009-2010
Project NExT Fellow, you
will not be charged for the nights of Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday
(August 2-4); starting with the night of Wednesday, August 5, you
will be charged $69 per night, including tax. If you do not share a
room with another
2009-2010
Project NExT Fellow, then you can
compute your total lodging costs using the rate grid that appears in
the confirmation email that you receive for your Mathfest
registration. This total amount will be charged to your credit card
some time between July 1 and July 13.
Answer:
You can look at the list of accepted Project NExT Fellows and try to
find a roommate for yourself. Alternatively, you can ask the MAA to
assign another
2009-2010
Fellow as your roommate.
Answer:
Mathfest is a summer meeting, and is more casual than the winter
meetings. The banquet is certainly not a black-tie
event. However, it is a dinner at a professional meeting, and
people are dressed accordingly. Most of the men wear long pants
and collared shirts, although some wear a jacket and tie. Most
of the women wear skirts, dresses, or slacks. Very few people
wear shorts and tee-shirts. We advise that you keep in mind that
you will meet many mathematicians (other than Project NExT
Fellows) at the banquet, and that you are representing your
institution.
Answer:
Yes. You MUST register for Mathfest. Being a Project NExT Fellow
requires you to attend Mathfest, and you must register for
it. [See also questions #9 and #10.]
Answer:
You must use the special Project NExT on-line registration form that
is linked to the Project NExT Resources for Accepted Applicants
page. If you use a different form,
you will not be offered a complimentary
ticket to the Mathfest Opening Banquet. It also helps our accounting
if you use the special form.
Answer:
You will be assigned to a Project NExT course, which meets both
Thursday and Friday (8/6 and 8/7).
(You gave us a preference ranking for this
when you submitted your acceptance form.) Some of these courses
are scheduled for
1-3pm
and the others for
3:15-5:15pm.
There
is a time conflict between some of the MAA minicourses and some
of the Project NExT courses. Later this summer, we will post the
Project NExT course assignments on the web, and you will be able
to see whether any MAA minicourses fit your schedule. If you wish,
you can try to add the minicourses to your registration at that
time.
Answer:
The Project NExT workshop and Mathfest will be held in the Portland
Marriott Downtown Waterfront hotel, which is also the hotel where
the Fellows will be staying. If you have a disability that requires
accommodation, please let us know right away.
Answer:
Project NExT does not provide childcare,
but you can arrange for childcare before, during, and after
Mathfest. See the Mathfest website for details, or contact
Michelle Davenport <michelle(at)munchkincare(dot)com>.
Here is some information that may be helpful to you in deciding whether you would want to bring your children to Portland and try to arrange care for them there, or whether you would want to arrange care for your children back home.
Other questions? Please write to Aparna Higgins
<Aparna(dot)Higgins(at)notes(dot)udayton(dot)edu>,
one of Project NExT's co-directors, or Chris Stevens
<stevensc(at)slu(dot)edu>, Director of Project NExT.