California Research Training Program in Computational and Applied Mathematics

University Of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles CA

Investigators

Abstract

The thrust of this Computational and Applied Mathematics program is engaging students starting and finishing the critical transition point from undergraduate to PhD student in high quality university level research. Students experience both the development of independent research projects and the milestones needed to get admitted to and succeed in a top PhD program. They participate in summer research modules on topics such as crime modeling, fluid dynamics experiments and modeling, robotics and control, medical imaging, cancer stem cells, bone growth, remote sensing applications, alcohol biosensors, photovoltaic cells, and algorithm design for microscopy. The program involves faculty from Mathematics in collaboration with faculty in Medicine, Anthropology, Engineering, Chemistry, and other disciplines. The project includes a training program for postdocs and junior faculty to learn how to involve pre-PhD students in publication-level research. The training program is based at UCLA and includes undergraduate and masters student participation from nearby colleges and universities. The program goal is to directly address diversity and access to top level PhD programs in computational and applied mathematics. The proposed program provides (a) summer fellowships for undergraduates to participate in research in computational and applied mathematics; (b) summer research fellowships for masters students from non-PhD granting institutions; (b) a summer traineeships for faculty from non-PhD granting institutions to gain experience supervising undergraduate research and to collaborate with research faculty based at UCLA; (c) first year PhD fellowships to recruit and train a more diverse group of PhD students (d) postdoctoral traineeships for recent PhDs with an interesting in mentoring undergraduates on research problems; (e) summer research mentorships for postdocs to work with younger students on research modules.