REU Site: Queens Experiences in Discrete Mathematics

Cuny York College, Jamaica NY

Investigators

Abstract

This award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2). The Queens Experiences in Discrete Mathematics (QED) REU site, hosted at York College at the City University of New York in Jamaica, Queens, provides a student-centered and collaborative environment for nine undergraduates to conduct research in discrete mathematics over the course of the academic year. Recruitment efforts for this REU site target public and private universities in Queens and the greater New York City area, and emphasize outreach to underrepresented groups, including women, students of color, and students with disabilities. The program aims to increase retention and graduation rates and to diversify the population of graduate school applicants and researchers in the mathematical sciences. Participants in the QED REU will conduct research in the area of discrete mathematics, more specifically, on topics such as partition theory, algebraic combinatorics, semiring theory, automata theory, and formal language theory. The main goals are for participants to produce results of interest and relevance in their chosen subfield and to learn how to communicate the results of their research both orally and in writing. The REU site will also provide students with an introduction to mathematical programming as well as support and guidance regarding applications to graduate school. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.