REU Site: Undergraduate Mathematical Science Research at James Madison University

James Madison University, Harrisonburg VA

Investigators

Abstract

This award supports an REU program at James Madison University that will host nine undergraduates for ten-week terms during each of three consecutive summers. The program will be open to all and recruit "high potential/low opportunity" students such as those from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in mathematics, from institutions less likely to have resources available to support research activity, or who have not participated in undergraduate research before. The aim is to develop an interest in pursuing graduate education and careers in the mathematical sciences. Each summer the program will support three research groups, each consisting of three students together with a faculty mentor. Over the course of the summer, each group will progress from learning new topics in mathematics or statistics, to developing questions and conjectures, to proving results as part of an authentic research experience. Students will be exposed to different areas of mathematics by following the progress of each research group and by listening to, and interacting with, weekly visitors to the program. As part of the program, students will visit graduate schools to learn about the experiences of graduate students in different types of institutions. The program will provides professional development and outreach activities for students. Participants will produce original research that that will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journal articles, as well as posters and talks at national, regional, and local professional meetings. Further information can be found at https://www.jmu.edu/mathstat/reu/index.shtml. 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.