Mathematics REU Archive

Welcome to the website of the Rose-Hulman Undergraduate Research Experience in Mathematics Archive. The program is NSF-funded and will bring 8-9 students to the Rose-Hulman campus for an eight-week research program for undergraduate students interested in studying mathematics.

The 2020 and 2021 REU were organized by Dr. Kenji Kozai. For inquiries about the 2022 REU, please contact Dr. Wayne Tarrant.

The dates for the 2021 REU were June 7-July 30, 2021 with 9 students in total across three projects: discrete logarithms led by Josh Holden, spatial graph embeddings with Kenji Kozai, and data analysis of economic data and development by Wayne Tarrant. The program was held with four weeks online and four weeks on the Rose-Hulman campus in Terre Haute, IN.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 session of the REU was held completely online.

The Rose-Hulman Mathematics REU is an eight-week program during the summer, with two or three faculty members each mentoring a group of three or four undergraduate students in mathematical research. The teams will work on problems from areas including mathematical biology, financial mathematics, cryptography, and topology. The program will be hybrid, with four weeks virtual and then four weeks on campus.

The REU provides an opportunity for students to work on real problems in a variety of different areas. We develop the students as "complete" mathematicians that make and prove conjectures, learn independently, work as part of a team, and communicate their results. The problems we pose are accessible without a need for extensive background, and many use computational software to generate examples and conjectures, then follow up with analysis, proof, and generalization. Participants complete a technical report, give several formal presentations, and most give one or more presentations at conferences or their home institution after the program ends. Participants will also receive training relevant to pursuing a career in mathematics, such as the use of mathematical software, typesetting in LaTeX, and applying to graduate schools.

Each student will receive a stipend of $4,000 for their participation in the program, as well as up to $500 for travel to/from the REU site in Terre Haute, Indiana. Housing in dormitories on the Rose-Hulman campus will be provided as well as a meal plan for the duration of the program. Students are expected to be present on campus during the week for the entire eight-week program. Social activities and opportunities to experience some of Indiana's highlights will also be arranged during the weekends.

Due to NSF requirements, only US citizens or permanent residents may participate in the program. Participants must be undergraduate students at the time of participation.

Information for the upcoming summer are as follows:

Dates: June 6-July 29, 2022
Location: Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, IN, or virtually, depending on the COVID-19 situation
Nearest Airport: Indianapolis International Airport (IND)
Eligibility: Undergraduate students who are US citizens or permanent residents
Stipend: $4000 (plus up to $500 for travel) — we may be able to increase this if the program occurs virtually
Housing and meals: Provided on campus

We encourage students of all backgrounds to apply. In particular, if you an interest in mathematics, even if you have not taken upper-level courses or are unsure if you will major in mathematics, you will still be given full consideration. We understand that many talented students may not have considered pursuing a mathematics education or career until specifically encouraged to by a faculty member, and many students may not even realize that mathematics is a subject in which they excel. Many projects will be appropriate for students who have successfully completed some lower-level coursework like calculus, liner algebra/differential equations, or probability and statistics, as long as they are motivated to learn and willing to put in hard work in order to have a good summer research experience.

Students will need to submit a curriculum vitae/resume, a transcript (unofficial is fine), and two reference letters. In addition, students will need to submit a personal statement. Include in the personal statement the reason(s) that you wish to participate in the mathematics REU at Rose-Hulman. Check out the Tips for Applying to REUs for ideas about your personal statement.

Applications and reference letters may be submitted on MathPrograms.org. Applications submitted by March 1, 2022, will receive full consideration. We are participating in the REU Common Reply Date, meaning that we will not require applicants to accept or decline an offer to participate before the Common Reply Date of March 8.