The Southwest RIMS plans to consolidate and significantly enhance existing structures, support a new initiative towards the integration of research and teaching in the mathematical sciences, and facilitate the expansion of established core activities into a full scale regional institute in the mathematical sciences with many more universities involved. The goal of the Southwest RIMS is to expose students of all ages to mathematics as practiced by professionals and to empower them with a feeling that useful information can be gleaned from the simplest of models. Interacting with these professionals, seeing their lifestyles and work habits, becoming involved with the same problems, will yield a much more accurate picture of careers in the mathematical sciences and the rewards, both intellectual and financial, that they bring. They, too, must feel comfortable in using quantitative analysis to address real world challenges. The many educational activities spawned by dedicated individuals or small groups within the mathematics departments over the years is testimony to our awareness of the seriousness of the educational problem nationwide and exemplify our dedication and our experience in addressing this challenge.
Communication is the key to education.
The Southwest RIMS hopes that by reaching out to the community and working together we will teach all of our children to become mathematically literate. This is a task that requires not only a rethinking of what it is that we teach, but also how it is that we present the material. We, in the mathematics community, study the most fascinating of subjects. It is we who should take a leadership role in communicating this fascination to the community. Listen to my mother.