REU Site: Georgia Institute of Technology Mathematics REU Program

Georgia Tech Research Corporation, Atlanta GA

Investigators

Abstract

The Georgia Institute of Technology Mathematics REU Program provides mathematical research experience opportunities for undergraduate students. An important goal of the program is to motivate talented undergraduates to pursue graduate study and STEM careers, and to provide them the tools, the confidence, and the support network to succeed. In addition to providing high quality research experiences for cohorts of undergraduates, the program also provides professional development training on topics ranging from communication skills to navigating the job markets in industry and academia. Throughout the eight week annual summer program, groups of undergraduate students work intensely with faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students on mathematical research projects at the cutting edge. They also participate in weekly team building and professional development activities, including seminars and training sessions. The program culminates in a poster session for all participants, and participants leave the program prepared to present their work at conferences nationwide. The Georgia Institute of Technology Mathematics REU Program recruits undergraduate students to participate in projects on the cutting edge of mathematical research. Research topics include curves on surfaces, knots in 3-manifolds, 4-manifolds, geometric surfaces, convex geometry, approximations of polynomials, statistics of Latin squares, random matrices, crowdsourced data, dynamical modeling, and neural networks. Students work in groups with mentors and also participate in program-wide activities. Weekly activities include a colloquium-style seminar where students learn about other projects happening within the program and a professional development seminar where students gain non-mathematical skills essential for careers in STEM. Professional development topics include: applying to graduate school, life in graduate school, creating and presenting posters, and creating and delivering oral research presentations. Near the end of the program, students participate in a poster session, and projects typically culminate in a written report, with some of these submitted for publication. Following the conclusion of the program, students are encouraged to present their work at national conferences such as MathFest, the Gulf Coast Undergraduate Research Symposium, the Young Mathematicians Conference, and the Joint Mathematical Meetings. 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.