Through this project, funds are provided to improve undergraduate mathematics education by developing a high-quality computational environment for students interested in Industrial & Applied Mathematics (IAM). The Student Applied Mathematics Computer Laboratory (SAM-LAB) is being upgraded through the purchase of networked PC workstations running both UNIX and Windows and appropriate peripheral hardware. These workstations will be connected to the campus network through the purchase of a network hub. The SAM-LAB provides a high-quality, dedicated computer environment for undergraduate majors in engineering technologies and computer science which will help them acquire strong analytical, computational, and numerical skills. Students using the SAM-LAB and its configuration of computers connected to the Internet have the opportunity to: (1) pursue advanced computational issues such as parallelization, (2) dedicate computational resources for large tasks, (3) perform carefully controlled mathematical experiments, and (4) develop an evolving portfolio consisting of a set of projects. A lab manual containing detailed objectives and procedures for each project developed during the course of this program is being compiled and will be published. Experiences with the laboratory will be publicized at regional American Mathematical Association and American Physical Society Meetings. Students are encouraged to present representative work from their portfolios at these regional meetings. Several of the laboratories using commercially available packages or in-house developed software will be distributed electronically. A select number will be published in appropriate journals.
