UCLA Mathematics Department 1999 VIGRE Proposal

University Of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles CA

Investigators

Abstract

ABSTRACT The widespread penetration of mathematics into almost every area of science and technology has vastly expanded the opportunities available to mathematicians, both in traditional areas of pure and applied research and in emerging interdisciplinary areas. The UCLA Vigre Program will seek to create an environment in which students and post-docs can explore and participate in these important mathematical developments. Building on the strength of existing UCLA programs, we will introduce new initiatives that will broadly impact the department at both structural and cultural levels. The overall goals are to (1) encourage interaction between faculty, postdocs, graduate students and undergraduates, (2) enhance the already close cooperation at UCLA between pure and applied mathematics, and (3) facilitate interaction between mathematics and other sciences. To accomplish this, the Department of Mathematics will take advantage of its position as a major research center, its excellent faculty, and its large and wide-ranging graduate and undergraduate programs. The new national Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics (IPAM), located nearby on the UCLA campus will also provide an exciting focus for VIGRE-related interdisciplinary activities. Vertical integration and broadening will be enhanced through the following initiatives: * Research clusters, in both traditional and emerging areas, via participating seminars and group projects to achieve vertical integration and to involve graduate students and advanced undergraduates in research as early as possible. * Faculty Research Seminars: to be given regularly by senior faculty to provide overviews of their research specialties. * Strengthening of our on-going internships with industry and government laboratories. * An annual retreat conference with faculty, postdocs and senior graduate students. The UCLA VIGRE Program has three major components: postdoctoral, graduate, and undergraduate. POSTDOCTORAL: VIGRE Post-doctoral Fellows will play a pivotal role in our integration efforts. They will form a link in the research interaction between faculty and students via participation in research clusters. Vigre Postdoctoral Fellows will benefit from: * Reduced teaching. * Formal mentoring by senior faculty in both research and teaching, including guidance in formulating a research program and grant proposal preparation. * Summer research support and travel/equipment allowance. GRADUATE: At the graduate level, the following programs will help graduate students to progress more rapidly from classroom learning to active participation in research and to become more effective teachers: * New summer program of preparatory courses for graduate students prior to beginning graduate study to provide a solid foundation for the first year qualifying exam courses. * Streamlined first-year graduate curriculum and qualifying exam process, to enable an early start on research and create more opportunities for interdisciplinary research. * No teaching in the first and dissertation years. * Teacher training and mentoring. These programs are expected to ensure that the average time to PhD is five years or less. Recruitment at the graduate level will be enhanced through contacts established with colleges and universities in Southern California and visitation days for prospective recruits. UNDERGRADUATE: At the undergraduate level, our goal is to attract more students into the mathematical sciences broadly construed. The following programs will enhance recruitment of undergraduates, enrich their educational experience, and allow them to make contact with mathematical research in the junior and senior years: * The Mathematics Scholars Program to attract beginning undergraduates into the mathematical sciences and to enhance their educational experiences in mathematics. It consists of an intensive summer program prior to the Freshman and Sophomore years, collaborative learning groups during the academic year, and special projects with faculty. * Special Pre-research Courses to prepare undergraduates to participate in research projects. * Research experiences for undergraduates, including summer research internships. These new programs will be closely integrated with existing departmental activities. Together, they will create an exciting and enriching educational and scientific environment which will provide a broad mathematical culture and an early entrance into a wide variety of research areas. Funding for this activity was provided by the Division of Mathematical Sciences and the MPS Office for Multidisciplinary Activity.