Burch awarded Odyssey grant for summer program

Hendrix's Odyssey program awarded Dr. Burch a grant to offer a three-week session this summer in which eight students will design and develop a complete open-source software project. Their goal will be a JavaScript-enabled Web page that features an educational game for teaching children (grades 4–8) about designing the circuits that form the foundation of computers. The primary goal is for participants to get a hands-on experience with professional software development. Details about the program, including applications, will be announced in late February. 15 Nov 2011

Programming team places fourth at ACM contest

Two Hendrix teams traveled across town to UCA for the Mid-Central USA Regional ACM Programming Contest on November 5, a five-state contest involving over 140 teams. The team of Alex Koeppel, Benjamin Smith, and Jack Sudyka earned fourth place in Arkansas and 17th in the overall region; they solved five of the eight problems. Another team of Riley Capshaw, Kaleigh Clary, and Grace Dubiskas solved three problems, earning them 10th in Arkansas and 72nd overall.

This performance continues Hendrix's consistently strong performance: We rank seventh in average ranking over the previous five years, outflanked only by five large universities - University of Illinois (in Urbana-Champaign), University of Chicago, Washington University, Illinois State University, Illinois Institute of Technology, and the University of Kentucky. More information. 5 Nov 2011

Mathematics alum presents

Carol Schumacher, an alum of Hendrix's mathematics program and a mathematics professor at Kenyon College in Ohio, will present a talk entitled Books of Sand in MCRey 315 at 3:10pm on Friday, October 28. Her abstract: 'The book of Sand' in Argentinian writer Jorge Lui Borges' wonderful short story is an infinite book. The story gives us some clues as to the nature of the book but also leaves many questions for us to ponder. In this talk, Carol Schumacher will discuss several possible interpretations and use mathematics to help us learn more about those fantastical 'books of sand.' 19 Oct 2011

Computer science LinkedIn group launches

We've established the Computer Science @ Hendrix College group through LinkedIn.com. All alumni and students who work in computing-focused industries or who took several courses in Hendrix's computer science program are welcome to join. We hope that this turns into an opportunity for students and alumni to network with other, and to publicize computing job openings that might be of interest to job-seekers. [Group link] 16 Sep 2011

PME kicks off year with Game Night

Pi Mu Epsilon, the mathematics honor society, kicks off its year of activities this evening with a night featuring pizza and board games. The event is in Mills Library from 6pm to 9pm. All students with even a vague interest in mathematics are invited! 16 Sep 2011