Math Home

Faculty & Staff

Advising

Tutoring

Newsletter

Events

Alumni News

Math Club

Colloquium

Resources

Preskenis
Scholarship Fund

NES/MAA
Preskenis Dinner

A dedicated teacher committed to excellence, a serious scholar, a popular son of South Boston, and a gentleman – Kenneth J. Preskenis died on Thanksgiving Day, 2002. Dr. Preskenis had a passion for mathematics and for sharing that love with others, especially, youngsters. A relentless pursuer of knowledge, he was a regular participant at the weekly seminars in functional analysis at Brown University where he earned his M.S. in 1967 and his Ph.D. in 1971. He joined the faculty at Framingham State College in 1977 after teaching at Newton College and then at Boston College for a total of 14 years. Dr. Preskenis was the author of a number of articles in analysis and mathematics education, a regular attendee and contributor at meetings of the Northeastern Section of the Mathematical Association of America (NES/MAA), a South Boston Athletic Hall of Famer, and a recipient of the Michael E. Glynn South Boston Community Service Award.

We, the members of the Mathematics Department, honor the memory of our dear friend and colleague Kenneth J. Preskenis annually by hosting an NES/MAA Regional Dinner Meeting at Framingham State College in the Spring.  The first NES/MAA Preskenis Dinner Meeting was held in Spring 2003.

• The First Annual Preskenis Dinner Meeting was held on Thursday, April 17, 2003.  Dr. Andrew Browder, Brown University, shared memories of Ken's life and his study of mathematics.

Top of Page

• The Second Annual Preskenis Dinner Meeting was held on Thursday, April 22, 2004.  Dr. Thomas Koshy, Framingham State College, gave a presentation titled "The Ubiquitous Catalan Numbers".

  • Abstract:  This talk touches on the history and the numerous occurrences of Catalan Numbers, and their various applications to computer science, graph theory, and combinatorics.

  • Dinner Meeting Program

  • We thank Elsevier/Academic Press for its support of the 2004 NES/MAA Dinner Meeting in Memory of Kenneth J. Preskenis.

Top of Page

• The Third Annual Preskenis Dinner Meeting was held on Thursday, April 28, 2005.  Dr. Robert Devaney, Boston University, gave a presentation (get Adobe Reader) titled "Chaos Games and Fractal Images".

  • Abstract:  In this lecture, we will describe some of the beautiful images that arise from the "Chaos Game." We will show how the simple steps of this game produce, when iterated millions of times, the intricate images known as fractals. We will describe some of the applications of this technique used in data compression as well as in Hollywood. We will also challenge students present to "Beat the Professor" at the chaos game and maybe win his computer.

  • Dinner Meeting Program

  • We thank Houghton-Mifflin for its support of the 2005 NES/MAA Dinner Meeting in Memory of Kenneth J. Preskenis.

Top of Page

• The Fourth Annual Preskenis Dinner Meeting was held on Thursday, May 4, 2006.  Dr. Edward Burger, Williams College, gave a presentation (get Adobe Reader) titled "How To Always Win At Limbo or You Can Sum Some Of The Series Some Of The Time, And Some Of The Series None Of The Time... But Can You Sum Some Of The Series ALL Of The Time?" 

  • Abstract:  Have you ever gone out with someone for a while and asked yourself: "How close are we?" This presentation will answer that question by answering: What does it mean for two things to be close to one another? We'll take a strange look infinite series, dare to mention a calculus student's fantasy, and momentarily consider transcendental meditation. In fact, we'll even attempt to build some very exotic series that can be used if you ever have to flee the country in a hurry: we'll either succeed or fail... you'll have to attend to find out. Will you be at the edge of your seats? Perhaps; but if not, then you'll probably fall asleep and either way, after the talk, you'll feel refreshed. No matter what, you'll learn a sneaky way to always win at Limbo.

  • Dinner Meeting Program

  • We thank Key College Publishing for its support of the 2006 NES/MAA Dinner Meeting in Memory of Kenneth J. Preskenis.

Top of Page

• The Fifth Annual Preskenis Dinner Meeting was held on Wednesday, May 2, 2007.  Dr. Colin Adams, Williams College, gave a presentation (get Adobe Reader) titled "Blown Away: What Knot to Do When Sailing -- By Sir Randolph Bacon III, cousin-in-law to Colin Adams".

  • Abstract:  Being a tale of adventure on the high seas involving great risk to the tale teller, and how an understanding of the mathematical theory of knots saved his bacon. No nautical or mathematical background assumed.

  • Dinner Meeting Program

  • We thank Sodexho, Key College Publishing, Pearson Prentice Hall, Pearson Addison-Wesley/Benjamin Cummings, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., and Jones and Bartlett Publishers for their support of the 2007 NES/MAA Dinner Meeting in Memory of Kenneth J. Preskenis.

Top of Page

• The Sixth Annual Preskenis Dinner Meeting will be held on Thursday, May 8, 2008.  Dr. Lisa Hansen, Western New England College, will give a presentation (get Adobe Reader) titled "Eine Kleine Mathemusik".

  • Abstract:  There are a wide variety of connections between mathematics and music, ranging from simple and obvious to quite abstract. In this talk, we will explore a variety of these connections as varied as probability, permutations, group theory and graph theory. We will focus on the art of change bell ringing and musical dice games such as Mozart’s Musikalisches Würfelspiel. The talk will feature both live and recorded music as well as many opportunities for audience participation.

• We thank Sodexho, the Framingham State College Development Office, and   Pearson Prentice Hall for their support of the 2008 NES/MAA Dinner Meeting in Memory of Kenneth J. Preskenis.

Top of Page