Eight undergraduate students will spend eight weeks in Summer 2009 on the campus of Kent State University working on research problems related to our faculty's research. In Summer 2010 and 2011 the number of participants will be increased to ten. The general theme of our program is the applications and ramifications of linear algebra. Only limited background is needed for understanding some interesting research problems formulated in the language of matrices. This will allow the students to get right to work extending their knowledge of the subject while doing actual research. Linear algebra is a common thread in the work of many of our faculty members in widely varying fields. Although the projects that we will suggest to the students are all related to linear algebra, their motivations come from the fields of scientific computing, ring theory, Lie algebra, algebraic geometry, number theory, and operator theory. The first week of the program will be devoted to introducing students to the projects, mentors, and each other. Our mentors will give lectures and organize discussions that will explain and advertise the projects and the related background. We will also provide training in the mathematical software such as GAP, Maple, and MATLAB that will be used in the program.
The program will provide an intense research graduate-school-like experience and lead students to awareness and appreciation for potential connections between different fields of mathematics. Our expectation is that many of our REU students will decide to pursue graduate studies in mathematics or related fields. For further information regarding the program please contact Dr. Jenya Soprunova.
