The REU/RET program in mathematics at California State University, Chico hosts secondary teachers with a strong interest in mathematics or statistics and undergraduate students who have completed their junior year. For seven weeks each summer, twelve participants, including three teachers, will work in three research teams on problems in Mathematical Modeling, Statistics, and Number Theory. Depending on the field, projects may be appropriate for students from scientific disciplines other than mathematics.
The research experience is intended to give participants an appreciation for the breadth and depth of mathematics and its applications, while providing undergraduates an opportunity to improve their communication skills and in-service teachers an experience that will deepen their understanding of mathematical content and inspire pedagogical innovation. By working on open problems in mathematics, participants will experience the excitement of exploration, discovery, analysis, proof, and systematization that are part of the mathematician's world. While much of mathematics is accessible only after years of study, the field is rich enough to allow for a full mathematical experience at the undergraduate level.