The REU/RET in mathematics at California State University, Chico targets secondary teachers with a strong interest in mathematics or statistics and undergraduate students who have completed their junior year. For six weeks of each summer, twelve participants, including three teachers, will work in three research teams on problems selected from Knot Theory, Algebra, Mathematical Modeling, Statistics, and Number Theory. Depending on the field, projects may be appropriate for students from scientific disciplines other than mathematics.
The research experience is intended to give participants an appreciation for the breadth and depth of mathematics and its applications, while providing undergraduates an opportunity to improve their communication skills and also providing in-service teachers an experience which will deepen their understanding of mathematical content and inspire pedagogical innovation in their classrooms. By working on open problems in mathematics, participants will experience the excitement of exploration, discovery, analysis, proof, and systematization that are part of the mathematician's world. While much of mathematics is accessible only after years of study, the field is rich enough to allow for a fuller mathematical experience at the undergraduate level. The site is co-funded by the Department of Defense in partnership with the NSF REU program.
