9322338 Sherman This award continues an active Research Experiences for Undergraduates at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology for another three-year period. The program involves six undergraduates working under the supervision of the principal investigator for a period of seven weeks. The research problems center on a group theoretic interpretation of confidence intervals and counting problems in finite groups with the general area of computational finite group theory. The primary tool in the program will be MAGMA, a high level programming language which enables the user to define the algebraic structure in which one wishes to compute and which is not generally available to undergraduates. The problems have been selected and the format for faculty-student interaction has been designed to encourage students to develop from receivers of mathematical fact to providers of mathematical fact and conjecture. The participants will learn group theory and algebra, gain experience in mathematical research and mathematical exposition (written and oral) and develop the facility to use a computer work station as a mathematical tool. The more successful projects will be presented at future professional meetings and possibly be published in appropriate journals. ***
