Research in the Department of Mathematical and Computer Science at the Colorado School of Mines

Colorado School Of Mines, Golden CO

Investigators

Abstract

The Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences at the Colorado School of Mines (CSM) will provide a six-week program of Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) during each of the summers of 2000, 2001, and 2002. The REU program will be modeled after the department's highly successful Field Session, in which, over a six-week period, students are expected to apply their knowledge from course work and to venture into new concepts while solving challenging applied problems in the mathematical and computer sciences. Each REU summer session will involve eight students, two CSM students and six from other universities. The students will work on projects of interest in the department and the university that will serve as an introduction to some of the research that is being conducted at CSM in the mathematical and computer sciences. The projects are in the areas of numerical analysis of differential equations, wavelets, computational finance, computational mechanics, symbolic computation, networking and dynamical systems. Some local companies have expressed interest in the proposed projects and their opinions will be solicited in defining the projects more precisely. A growing national concern is the diminishing number of students who pursue graduate education in science and mathematics. The primary goal of the REU program will be to introduce gifted undergraduate students to the joy and excitement of discovery that comes from participating in a vibrant research program, with the hope that some will be sufficiently intrigued to consider pursuing graduate studies in our department.