Principal Investigator: Dennis J. Garity Submitting Organization: Oregon State University Location: Oregon State University Main Field: Mathematics, Pure and Applied Mathematics Number of Undergraduate Participants per year: 10 Summer REU Site, 8 weeks per year International Component: Consultation on projects and guest lectures by Professor Dusan Repovs of the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia. Point of Contact for Student Applicants: Dennis J. Garity, 541 737 5138, math_reu@math.oregonstate.edu Web Address for information: www.math.oregonstate.edu/~math_reu/
Project Abstract: Ten undergraduate students from across the country will be chosen each year to work in a Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program in Mathematics at Oregon State University. The program will be offered for eight weeks each summer for four years beginning in 2009. Students will be recruited from a broad range of colleges and universities and from diverse backgrounds. The intended impact is to encourage students to become familiar with the mathematical research process with a goal of increasing the number of U.S. citizens available to provide expertise in this area. The students will work on projects in pure and applied mathematics and mathematical computer science. The program will emphasize the theme of the close connection between pure and applied mathematics, geometric reasoning and modeling, and computer simulation and modeling.
Students will work on a research project with a faculty mentor and attend a seminar. They will be given information about the various areas and techniques needed in the mathematical sciences and they will receive information about graduate school and employment opportunities. The research projects will be designed to make the students familiar with and proficient in the process of mathematical research. This will enable them to use better research methods in their careers and in service to the broader community. The mathematical content that students are exposed to will enable the students to make more informed choices about areas of research they will encounter in the future. The exposure to various teaching styles by the presenters of material will enable the students to enter their future careers with information about what teaching and communication styles work best. The training in mathematical and presentation software will enable the students to communicate their results effectively to the broader community.
