Author Archives: Karen Saxe

About Karen Saxe

Karen Saxe is Director of the AMS Office of Government Relations which works to connect the mathematics community with Washington decision-makers who affect mathematics research and education. Over many years she has contributed much time to the AMS, MAA, and AWM, including service as vice president of the MAA and in policy and advocacy work with all three. She was the 2013-2014 AMS Congressional Fellow, working for Senator Al Franken on education issues, with focus on higher education and STEM education. In Minnesota she has served on the Citizens Redistricting Commission following the 2010 census and serves on the Common Cause Minnesota Redistricting Leadership Circle. She has three children and, when not at work especially enjoys being with them and reading, hiking and sharing good food and wine and beer with family and friends.

Students! We want you to attend the “Catalyzing Advocacy in Science and Engineering (CASE) Workshop”

Posted on January 23, 2019 by Karen Saxe

  The American Mathematical Society (AMS) sponsors two students to participate in the Catalyzing Advocacy in Science and Engineering (CASE) workshop, organized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. This annual event introduces STEM students to the federal … Continue reading →

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Enter to win (fame and fortune): “We are Mathematics” video competition

Posted on January 9, 2019 by Karen Saxe

Have you received NSF support for your research or worked on an NSF-supported project? Are you enthusiastic about making videos? Do you yearn to explain your mathematics to a broader audience? The National Science Foundation (NSF) invites you to submit … Continue reading →

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AMS Office of Government Relations Activities at the Joint Mathematics Meetings

Posted on December 27, 2018 by Karen Saxe

  Each year at the JMM, my office organizes four events. ****** We host an annual workshop for department chairs, held in the same location as and just prior to the JMM. This one-day workshop for mathematical sciences department chairs … Continue reading →

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Sexual Harassment and a “Call to Action”

Posted on December 5, 2018 by Karen Saxe

UPDATE: At the bottom of this post I discuss Secretary DeVos’s proposed changes to Title IX guidelines. Since I published this post, the comment period has opened. You can give feedback until January 28, 2019. This link should bring you … Continue reading →

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The election outcome and what it means for mathematicians

Posted on November 14, 2018 by Karen Saxe

  This post contains three parts: a long section on the newly elected members of Congress and the potential committee shake-ups that will affect the NSF and other science agencies; a shorter section on redistricting legislation that passed on November … Continue reading →

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Voting Rights Data Institute for Students

Posted on October 24, 2018 by Karen Saxe

  Editor’s Notes: (1) Democracy counts on voters voting; please vote on November 6! (2) This post is written by three undergraduates who spent much of their summer working on gerrymandering. I invited them to share their experiences applying their … Continue reading →

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Good news! Great reports now available to all!

Posted on October 10, 2018 by Karen Saxe

  CRS reports are now public!! What in the world is she talking about, you ask? What is “CRS” and who cares about their reports? Please do read on….. Say you want to learn more about the role of the … Continue reading →

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Submit your big and wonderful ideas by October 26

Posted on September 27, 2018 by Karen Saxe

We know that mathematics touches every other field of science funded by the NSF. I hope that the next set of “big ideas”—that help guide NSF funding priorities—reflect that. We have an opportunity and, arguably, a responsibility to make this … Continue reading →

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The White House issues annual science memo

Posted on September 11, 2018 by Karen Saxe

Editor’s Note: Today marks 17 years since the tremendous loss of lives on the east coast of our nation. It would be difficult to post this without remarking on the pain that the survivors and families have endured since that … Continue reading →

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White House top science advisor Kelvin Droegemeier’s confirmation hearing to be held August 23, 10:15 EDT

Posted on August 21, 2018 by Karen Saxe

On August 1, President Trump made his nomination for a Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). This position requires Senate confirmation. Once the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee gives their approval, he will … Continue reading →

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