香蕉秀

Many open problems in mathematics do not require an advanced degree to understand their statements and are accessible to an undergraduate with a solid background in a standard undergraduate mathematical curriculum. Some of these problems are very appropriate for an undergraduate research project, and a typical undergraduate research experience will include working on such problems. With this in mind, the Department of Mathematics actively promotes undergraduate research opportunities for its majors both at Boston College and outside.

Undergraduate Research Opportunities at 香蕉秀

There are a variety of ways to get involved.聽

Experimental Mathematics & Machine Learning Laboratory @ Boston College

The Experimental Mathematics & Machine Learning Laboratory @ Boston College is an intellectual play space maintained by a community of mathematicians dedicated to increasing the accessibility of mathematics and enriching both the training and the communication of mathematics.

Readings and Research Courses聽

Students in their later years of the math major may consider taking a 鈥淩eadings and Research鈥� course with a professor. Generally, students find a professor whose area is of interest to them and inquire if they are available to lead the student in an independent reading course. If so, the professor and student contact the Undergraduate Director to set up the course for the next term, as a section of Math 4901.聽 At the end of term, students taking Readings and Research courses may have the opportunity to present to fellow undergraduates about their work.

Undergraduate Research Fellowships at 香蕉秀

Our mathematics department offers a number of opportunities to engage in interesting undergraduate research while at Boston College. The most structured way to do so is to participate in the Undergraduate Research Fellowships program under the direction of our internationally-renowned faculty. This program awards grants to faculty that provide pay for undergraduate research assistants working under their guidance. The URF grants can be applied for only by faculty.

How to apply

A student wishing to participate in the URF program should first contact a professor with whom the student is interested in working. The URF program awards grants three times per year (in fall, spring, and summer), with deadlines for the academic year semesters being early in each semester, and the summer URF deadline being in early March. Please refer to the URF program application instructions for more details.

Research Undergraduate Experience (REU) Programs Outside 香蕉秀

Summer REU programs have become a gold standard in providing research experience to undergraduates. A typical REU runs for 8-10 weeks in the summer. The participants are usually divided into small groups led by a faculty adviser (either a professor, or a postdoc, or sometimes even a graduate student). REUs are structured so that students not only spend time attacking open problems, but also learn new, and often quite advanced, mathematics.

How to apply

Admission to outside REUs is competitive, with the top REUs being as selective as the top graduate schools. A comprehensive list of REU programs, with the links to application instructions, can be found at the National Science Foundation REU list and . The majority of REUs accept online applications. In particular, at Math Programs you can apply to many programs at once using essentially the same materials. Most of the application deadlines are in the second half of February or in early March.