REU Site: Mathematics Research in Charlotte

University Of North Carolina At Charlotte, Charlotte NC

Investigators

Abstract

The Mathematics Research in Charlotte REU site at the University of North Carolina Charlotte is a three-year program where each summer ten undergraduate students work for ten weeks with faculty mentors on research projects in topics including financial mathematics, number theory, materials science, probability theory, and statistics. Recruitment efforts focus on underrepresented groups in STEM, and on students at institutions with limited research opportunities. The objective of the program is to cultivate in the students an appreciation of mathematics and its applications and to stimulate the students' interest in pursuing careers in STEM more. The program fosters the overall professional growth of the participants through presentations, training, and networking with alumni and industry partners. Each summer the program starts with an intensive start-up boot camp, which provides the participants with the background needed to complete the research projects and includes presentations on research ethics, best-practices, and how to communicate research findings through presentations and in writing. Through engagement in the project activities, the participants gain an appreciation for the mathematical research process and for the close connection existing between mathematics and other STEM disciplines. The site creates opportunities for the participants to interact with scientists from industry and academia and to disseminate their research results at professional conferences and by publishing in peer-reviewed journals. 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.