REU Site: Research Experience for Undergraduates in Algebra and Discrete Mathematics at Auburn University

Auburn University, Auburn AL

Investigators

Abstract

Ten undergraduates will assemble for 8 weeks at Auburn University in each of the summers 2016-2018 to conduct research in algebra and discrete mathematics. This program is a continuation of successful REU programs conducted by the proposers at Auburn in prior years. The pattern of activities will be as before: intensive introduction to problems and problem areas in the first 2-3 weeks, capped by an obligatory "ice-breaker" presentation by each participant in the 3rd week, followed by a "research institute" phase in the remaining 5 weeks, capped by a final presentation by each participant. During the research institute phase there will be frequent talks given by faculty and graduate students of the department, visiting mathematicians, and the participants themselves, but the main feature of that phase will be research carried on by the participants, in various combinations with faculty, graduate students, and themselves. The purpose of the program is to give the participants an authentic experience of mathematical research. This REU focuses on some of the current research problems in algebra (computational algebra, Groebner bases) and discrete mathematics (graph theory, graphs and hypergraphs, number theory, information and coding theory). As in past years, results will be published in books or refereed journals.