Invitation to Research

In their first year, our graduate students will take a full year course which will consist of many short lecture series, taught by different faculty: in the fall, by senior faculty, but including junior faculty and VIGRE postdocs as the year progresses. The aim of these short courses is to provide first-year graduate students with a glimpse into the various areas of mathematics in a non-technical way and in an informal setting, and to introduce them to the basic ideas, examples, and problems that motivate research in various fields. We expect that this will be a stimulating challenge for the faculty involved. By the end of the year, the students will have seen a sizeable percentage of the Department's faculty, and will have an overview of many parts of mathematics and some feeling for the possible directions of research. One of the tasks of the faculty who contribute to this course will be to give the students references on where to go next to find out more: articles, texts, courses, and Working Groups (see below). We expect most if not all first-year graduate students to take this course, and we expect that it will attract some of our honors undergraduates as well.

Sample Invitation to Research modules

Working Group Rotations

In the second year each VIGRE graduate trainee (and any other interested graduate students) will join a Working Group. These Working Groups are small groups of faculty and students engaged in a common research venture. Several faculty organize a Working Group around an interesting problem or subject, and agree to involve undergraduate and graduate students in the investigation of that topic. The format will be very flexible, and will allow for quite varied experiences: some groups may be able to involve the students in current research; others may function more like a learning seminar. At the end of the quarter, each graduate student will write up a project report and give an oral presentation. Each VIGRE graduate trainee will rotate through three different Working Groups, one per quarter, and will thus become acquainted with different areas of mathematics, different research styles, and different faculty and students as the year progresses.

Sample Working Groups

Professional Development

To round out the professional development of the VIGRE trainees we will offer courses in teaching methods and skills (this is already a standard part of our TA training), computer skills, writing mathematics, delivering seminar talks, proposal writing, and putting together an application. We also will run a seminar in industrial mathematics, providing students and postdocs with experience in how and where mathematical expertise is used outside of academia; and we have identified opportunities for summer internships in industry, which graduate students and postdocs may apply for.

Professional Development activities

Undergraduate Research Conference

There is an increasing number of programs around the country which afford undergraduates a chance to experience the thrill of mathematical discovery. Existing REU sites are good examples, as are the undergraduate research experience components of currently funded VIGRE programs.

To support these undergraduate researchers, we will organize each summer a national Undergraduate Research Conference which will bring a substantial number of promising young researchers from around the country to Ohio State to participate in a conference showcasing research projects by undergraduates. We anticipate two benefits from this endeavor. First, it allows young talented and motivated scholars to form a supportive network early in their mathematical careers. Second, it gives our honors students and participants of the Ross Program, both high school students and counselors, the opportunity to interact with conference participants from around the country.

The conference format will consist of a two day conference--Friday noon until Sunday noon--and will include featured speakers drawn from research universities, government agencies, and industrial laboratories. Between featured talks, there will be short talks and poster sessions by undergraduates which will provide an appropriate forum for the dissemination of the results of undergraduate research projects.

High School Teacher Component to the Ross Program

In the Ross Program for 2001 we began a new component for high school teachers. We will expand the teacher program to a class of 15 teachers by providing stipends. In addition, we plan to organize three meetings per year for high school teachers during the academic year.