SIAM

SIAM is the applied math club of SUNY New Paltz and is entering its fourth year serving the New Paltz community. Club members are of mixed academic background, including math and physics, engineering, chemistry, computer science, biology and education This semester, we will continue to offer free events to the New Paltz community with our Lecture Series featuring both faculty and visiting professors. We will also continue our end of semester Integration Bee (calculus competition), which has been drawing more students every year. This year, SIAM is launching a new sustainability campaign across SUNY New Paltz campus. The goal is to educate and engage students to identify areas of campus life that could be improved or modified using sustainable practices. Such measures include a Zero Waste Goal for campus events, constructing solar water heaters (student built), and discouraging the sale of bottled water. SIAM will reach these goals through publicity campaigns, launching building project events integrating students into the design and construction, and cosponsoring sustainability events with other advocacy organizations. Furthermore, SIAM aims to unify student advocacy groups and provide a common direction towards sustainability by encouraging self responsibility in the student body. That is, instead of pressuring administration to enact changes, we would provide opportunities for students to realize these goals by working together. SIAM is also in the preliminary stages of conducting a carbon inventory of the university, analyzing the impact from both those living on campus and administrative and classroom building carbon footprints. This is an important next step for the university to maintain its responsibility towards the community and environment.