REU Site in Discrete Mathematics and Algebra

Texas State University - San Marcos, San Marcos TX

Investigators

Abstract

The Department of Mathematics at Texas State University will host an 8 week summer REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) program for carefully selected undergraduate students in the summers of 2011 and 2012. The research areas include graph theory, algebra, additive number theory, game theory, and algorithm design. The objectives of the program are to directly involve students in research, allow the students to interact with each other as a team of researchers, and to form close mentoring relationships with faculty members. The program will guide the students to develop independence as mathematical researchers, introduce the students to the mathematical community, encourage the students to consider graduate school and a career in mathematics, help the students develop their skills in orally presenting mathematics, and help them write a mathematical research paper. The program will support nine undergraduate students per year by providing lodging, meals, transportation, and a stipend. The faculty mentors of the program compose a diverse group of mathematicians including a female, an American American, Caucasians, and Asians. Significant efforts will be made to recruit and select students of mathematically underrepresented groups including minority students and women, as well as from institutions with limited resources available to support faculty-sponsored scholarly activity for undergraduates. The students will work in teams of three under the supervision of a faculty mentor. The students will present their research work at local, regional, and national STEM meetings during the following academic year. By focusing on important open problems we anticipate that our research will lead to faculty and student co-authored peer-reviewed manuscripts, make significant contributions to mathematics, and create a long-term and lasting impact on the careers of a diverse group of students.