The PI proposes an undergraduate summer school in mathematical logic, to be held at UCLA in summer 2010. The goals of the summer school are to introduce promising undergraduate students to graduate level material in mathematical logic, including central results and research techniques; ac- commodate a wide spectrum of experience with mathematical logic, ranging from students who have very little experience with the area to students who have already taken advanced courses in their home institutions; improve the students? mathematical problem solving skills; and encourage them to pursue graduate studies in mathematics. One such summer school had already been held, in 2009, with great success. The proposed school will continue the same innovative format, and build on the publicity and reach generated by the 2009 summer school to ensure continued success.
This award provided stipends, lodging costs, and travel expenses for undergraduate students coming to UCLA from across the nation and the world for an intensive summer school on mathematical logic. The goal of the summer school was to introduce future mathematicians to central results and techniques from mathematical logic. Courses were very intensive, designed to assume little if any prior experience with mathematical logic, yet reach highly advanced, graduate level material, within three weeks. They served as good introduction to the kind of research work that students of mathematics can expect in graduate school. Courses were given on three topics: Computability and Complexity; Determinacy and Set Theory; and O-minimality. Students selected two of the three courses. Each course met for two hours every day, with an additional daily hour of problem solving in small groups, to prepare students for the challenges of mathematical research. Despite, or perhaps because, of the grueling schedule, students reported gaining a lot from the program. In placement surveys later on, some described it as the best spent time in their entire degree course. They appreciated the opportunity to interact with other students from different academic institutions and backgrounds, and the opportunity to broaden their mathematical horizons with advanced courses in mathematical logic. Already several have progressed to studying for more advanced degrees, including PhD studies in Mathematics, Computer Science, and Physics, Master's studies in Mathematics, and Master studies in Mathematics Education.
