In between there is no office and no MTNS society, only a new organizer and a steering committee. I was generously given a chance to speak about SIAM, and I mention here two points. Journals may be freely accessible and meetings can be planned without the backup of a society, but we all benefit from what SIAM does and it needs our support. It works hard internationally, and every member who joins becomes a part of this wide and constant effort. Now to my teaching dilemma.
Most students are interested first of all in the applications.
I get a lot of pleasure from showing them examples, connecting with their own interests, and convincing them that mathematics is directly useful. I would not want the rest of the faculty to know how seldom I complete a proof in class. Here is the recent event that presents new problems. My linear algebra lectures and review sessions last fall were videotaped live. The compression makes my motion a little jumpy, but the blackboard is surprisingly clear.