http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/24/us/24gardner.html

Martin Gardner, world-renowned puzzle creator and polymath, died Saturday, May 22.

Members of the mathematics community have posted to online discussions with notices, as well as remembrances, including one with puzzle links:

http://mathforum.org/kb/thread.jspa?threadID=2078647

Here are discussions and articles in Spanish:

http://mathforum.org/kb/thread.jspa?threadID=2078296

A map coloring puzzle of Gardner's, published in his Mathematical Games column for Scientific American, inspired this Macalester Problem of the Week:

http://mathforum.org/wagon/fall97/p840.html

Walter Rudin, 1921-2010

http://www.math.wisc.edu/oldhome/news/WRudinObit.html

Walter Rudin, mathematics professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for over 30 years and author of several widely adopted mathematics texts (Principles of Mathematical Analysis, Real and Complex Analysis, and Functional Analysis), died Thursday, May 20.

His death elicited numerous personal reflections:

http://mathforum.org/kb/thread.jspa?threadID=2078502

Math Forum Professional Development Special

http://mathforum.org/pd/june2010special.html

Now through June 30th, if you purchase a new membership or renew your existing membership in the Problems of the Week at the Class level or higher, you can sign up for any of our Professional Development courses for $70--a savings of $79 off the regular price.

http://mathforum.org/pd/

Differentiated Math Instruction: Using Rich Problems to Reach All Learners
June 17 - July 28
http://mathforum.org/pd/rich/

Participants will explore strategies for using problem solving to build skills and concepts for struggling students and to provide challenge for those who soar. Participants should expect to spend 3-5 hrs per week on the course. This course is best suited for teachers of grades 3-8.

The pricing special above applies to this course. This course requires membership in the PoWs at the Class level or higher.

Problem Solving Strategies
June 21 - August 30
http://mathforum.org/pd/problemsolving/

Participants will solve challenging middle school and high school algebra, geometry, and probability problems and develop a supplemental curriculum outline supporting the development of mathematical approaches to problems.

Course participants include both graduate students from the Mathematics Learning and Teaching master's program (taking it for graduate credit) and teachers from the wider Math Forum community (taking it for continuing education credits). This should provide a nice sized group for interaction, along with useful variety in mathematical approaches and teaching experience.

This is a longer course than our others, and carries 3 CEUs or 30 hours, vs. the regular 1.5 CEUs or 15 hours, all for the same regular price of $149--or purchase or renew a class-level membership in the Problems of the Week, and take this course for only $70.

http://www.ocwsearch.com/

Use this independent search engine to find any course materials published freely online by universities participating in the OpenCourseWare (OCW) initiative, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Stanford University. Search for:

• course titles: "machine learning"
• topics within a course: "superconducting magnets", "wheelchair design"
• professors by name: "Alan Guth string theory"