REU Site: Fairfield REU in Mathematics and Computational Science

Fairfield University, Fairfield CT

Investigators

Abstract

The Fairfield University Research Experience for Undergraduates Program in Mathematics and Computational Science is an eight-week summer program designed to engage talented undergraduates in original mathematics and computing research beyond the standard college curriculum. The program hosts between nine and twelve students per summer, providing on-campus housing and student stipends. The students will typically come from institutions with limited access to faculty-sponsored summer scholarly activity for undergraduates, and students from groups that are underrepresented in mathematics and computing are especially encouraged to apply. Throughout the program, the participants work and learn in small groups, each group in close consultation with an individual Fairfield University faculty mentor on research topics drawn from the mentor's field of expertise. The principal goal of the program is to prepare the participants for research-based scientific careers, and to engender in each student a deep understanding not only of the importance of individual scientific research, but also of the broader context of collaboration into which that research fits. This is achieved by providing the students with the experience of a research cohort, which is the motivation for the design of the program. By creating an environment of collaboration for the students and their faculty mentors, the program enables the means to achieve its goal, allows for the general advancement of the mathematics and computing disciplines, and fosters the continuing scholarly and pedagogical development of all the academic professionals involved in the program. This site is supported by the Department of Defense in partnership with the NSF REU program.