Want to crack cryptography? Do you crave secret codes? If you want to figure out fractals or if you enjoy the connection between math and art, then consider joining the Cornell Math Explorers Club.

The Cornell University Mathematics Department will hold its initial meeting and an open house for high school students interested in joining the Math Explorers Club Sept. 16 at Malott Hall (5th floor) on the Cornell campus, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Parents are invited to attend the open house.)

The new club will meet regularly on Saturdays, 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

The program is a joint venture involving graduate students and faculty and is supported by the mathematics department's Vertical Integration in Research and Education (VIGRE) grant from the National Science Foundation.

"The purpose of the high school portion of the grant is to encourage the students' interest in mathematics by introducing exciting topics that are not usually covered in the high school curriculum," says Robert Strichartz, Cornell professor of mathematics.

The interactive activities will include problem-solving sessions, computer lab experiences, modules (mini courses), lecture demonstrations and films.

Cornell graduate student Sharad Goel will serve as the program's coordinator, and graduate students Lee Gibson, Maria Sloughter and Tiberiu Tomita will serve as group leaders. Cornell faculty members will present six-week modules on various topics. There will be four six-week sessions during the year, with modules on two levels (Course I prerequisite and Course III prerequisite) in each session.

Application and parental permission forms will be available at the open house, and they are available on the web at http://www.math.cornell.edu/~mec . For more information, contact Strichartz at (607) 255-3509 or str@math.cornell.edu or Sharad Goel at sharad@cam.cornell.edu .