REU Site: University of Wisconsin - La Crosse REU in Mathematical Ecology

University Of Wisconsin-La Crosse, La Crosse WI

Investigators

Abstract

As understanding and awareness of the natural world grows, researchers are seeing increased complexity in the new ecological problems they encounter. Because of this complexity, mathematical and statistical methods are becoming increasingly important in the study of biological and ecological systems. This award supports a three-year Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Site at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (UWL) aimed at 1) training undergraduate students in various sub-disciplines of mathematical ecology, 2) motivating undergraduate students, especially underrepresented and/or first-generation college students with limited access to research at their home institution, to attend graduate school in a STEM area, and 3) preparing participants to be successful in an interdisciplinary, collaborative setting. The UWL site will host eight students per year for 10 weeks during the summers of 2016, 2017, and 2018. The award is supported by the Division of Mathematical Sciences (DMS) in the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS) and the Division of Biological Infrastructure (DBI) in the Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO). The research at this REU Site will contribute to the overall body of knowledge in mathematical and theoretical ecology by tackling research questions in mathematical areas such as ordinary and stochastic differential equations, decision theory, game theory, the theory of inverse problems, graph theory, probability theory and branching processes, as well as ecological questions that arise from the study of topics such as the parasite propagation in snail and waterfowl hosts in the Upper Mississippi River and the effects of wind energy on the population viability of bird and bat populations.