Principal Investigator: Lewis D. Ludwig, Colin C. Adams
This grant is to fund the first ever Undergraduate Knot Theory Conference to take place at Denison University in summer, 2009. Over the last few decades, there has been a dramatic increase in the involvement of undergraduates in mathematical research. Knot theory particularly lends itself to this endeavor since it is highly pictorial, one can easily stated open problems, and students can get actively involved with examples from the first day. A variety of Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) summer programs have pursued research on this topic. Moreover, there have been various workshops funded by NSF and the MAA that have helped undergraduate faculty to pursue research with students in knot theory.
This conference will bring together a variety of mathematicians at various stages in their careers: undergraduates who are either interested or have already done research in knot theory, graduate students with undergraduate knot theory experience, faculty members interested in working with undergraduates on knot theory research, and four senior researchers in the field who will give plenary lectures. There will be a wide range of talks by the other participants, some on research and some expository. As a centerpiece, we will have a collective problem session to give participants numerous ideas for future research directions. This conference will provide an opportunity for students to experience a mathematics research conference that is specifically designed and directed toward them. Moreover, the conference will establish a supportive network of students and faculty with an interest in knot theory research, thus furthering the involvement of students in the field of mathematics.
