This award helps establish and support a Summer Undergraduate Research Experience in Mathematics Program based at the Mathematics and Statistics Department at Sam Houston State University. The goals for this program are as follows: 1) to provide 12 student participants with an understanding of, an appreciation for, and an experience in the nature of mathematical research and the life of a mathematical researcher, to a degree that encourages them to pursue the study of the mathematical sciences on the graduate level; 2) to offer these experiences with a special eye toward students who do not typically have these opportunities - of particular interest are students who are either female or a member of an under-represented group; 3) to develop in each participant superior skills in mathematical writing, oral mathematical presentation and poster design; 4) to produce quality mathematical work appropriate for publication on our web site or in undergraduate research journals and, when possible, in higher-level research journals; 5) to extend the research experience beyond the 9 weeks at Sam Houston State by motivating the students to present their REU research at either their home institution or at a regional/national meeting; 6) to gain experience in the use of computers and their interaction in mathematical research; and 7) to immerse the participants in the culture of mathematics and instill in each member a lifetime value of the importance of collegiality and group interaction.
Twelve students will be involved in the program, which will run for a 9-week period. We will offer students a broad base of possible projects including Abstract Algebra, Algebraic Topology, Combinatorics, Graph Theory, Mathematical Biology, and Statistics. While the recruiting effort for students will be nationwide, we will emphasize the recruitment of students from under-represented groups. Of particular interest to us are Hispanic and African-American students enrolled at the many colleges and universities in South Texas. We propose augmenting our program by the inclusion of two Graduate Assistant Mentors and a weekly Colloquium Series featuring talks given by a weekly "Visiting Graduate Mentor" who is an alumni of a successful REU Program. Point of Contact for all questions regarding the program is Professor Scott Chapman (scott.chapman@shsu.edu).
