The logic group at Notre Dame is well established. This grant is a renewal; a continuation of our successful three year RTG grant in 2004 (NSF-EMSW21-RTG-0353748) and a one year RTG "bridging" grant in 2008 (NSF-EMSW21-RTG-0739007: Research Training in Mathematical Logic at Notre Dame). In five years we have more than doubled the number of US nationals working in logic; going from 5 to 12. This grant will allow us to continue the successful practices we have developed over years of interactions with students and postdoctoral associates as described below. In addition, we will add some new activities focusing engaging in mathematics more of Notre Dame's talented undergraduate students.
Our graduate training program produces doctorates who have experienced the many dimensions of research, teaching, and mathematical communication. At Notre Dame, the students develop a solid independent research record. They make themselves known to the international mathematical community by participating in conferences and workshops and giving talks, in addition to writing papers. They have the opportunity to discuss research with specialists from around the world, and to participate in collaborative research. By the time they graduate, they are full members of the international community of mathematicians. Notre Dame offers graduate students opportunities to teach and training to help them be successful. Our students have experienced a greater variety of teaching experiences.
Our logic postdoctoral associates have been allowed significant time to develop a research program of their own. They have taught students of all levels, from first-year liberal arts undergraduates to advanced graduate students. They have been involved in mentoring graduate students, in leading small group learning activities, and other more advanced aspects of faculty life. With each postdoctoral associate our mentoring skills are improving.
An exciting new focus for this grant is our effects to broaden our mathematical community to include more of Notre Dame's talented undergraduate mathematics majors. We plan to start an biweekly "undergraduate mathematics seminar". Hopefully, this seminar will attract more of our talented non-honors mathematics majors to enter mathematical careers.
This grant provides partial support for all of the US nationals studying Mathematical Logic at Notre Dame. The grant partial support for the three postdoctoral positions in logic, each lasting three years. In addition, it will provide some travel money for the (both undergraduate and graduate) students and postdoctoral associates, and some money for books for the students. The grant will provide some travel money for outside visitors to come to Notre Dame to interact with the faculty, students, and postdoctoral associates. A portion of these funds will cover the expenses of the new Undergraduate Mathematics Seminar.
