The MSRI Undergraduate Program (MSRI-UP) is a comprehensive summer program designed for undergraduate students who have completed two years of university-level mathematics courses and would like to conduct research in the mathematical sciences. Due to funding restrictions, only U.S. citizens and permanent residents are eligible to apply and the program cannot accept foreign students regardless of funding. 

The main objective of the MSRI-UP is to identify talented students, especially those from underrepresented groups, who are interested in mathematics and make available to them meaningful research opportunities, the necessary skills and knowledge to participate in successful collaborations, and a community of academic peers and mentors who can advise, encourage and support them through a successful graduate program.

This objective is designed to contribute significantly toward meeting the program goal of increasing the number of graduate degrees in the mathematical sciences, especially doctorates, earned by U.S. citizens and permanent residents by cultivating heretofore untapped mathematical talent within the U.S. Black, Hispanic/Latino and Native American communities.

General Description

• participate in the mathematics research program under the direction or faculty and graduate student mentors.
• complete a research project done in collaboration with other MSRI-UP students
• give a presentation and write a technical report on his/her research project
• attend a series of colloquium talks given by leading researches in their fields
• attend workshops aimed at developing skills and techniques needed for research careers in the mathematical sciences and
• learn techniques that will maximize a student's likelihood of admissions to graduate programs as well as the likelihood of winning fellowships
• receive a $3100 stipend, lodging, meals and roundtrip travel to Berkeley, CA.

After the summer, each student will:

• have an opportunity to attend a national mathematics or science conference where students will present their research
• be part of a network of mentors that will provide continuous advice in the long term as the student makes progress in his/her studies
• be contacted regarding future research opportunities

MSRI-UP 2018 Program Description

Application Materials

Applications for MSRI-UP 2018 will be submitted via MathPrograms, which will list the required application materials.  Due to funding restrictions, only U.S. citizens and permanent residents are eligible to apply, and the program cannot accept foreign students regardless of funding.  In addition, students who have already graduated or will have graduated with a bachelor's degree by August 31, 2018 are not eligible to apply.  The application period will begin on November 22nd.  Applications submitted by February 15, 2018 will receive full consideration. (Applications submitted after February 15, 2018 but by March 1, 2018 may still be considered in a second round of acceptances.) We expect to begin making offers for participation in late February or early March.

Directors

The directors of MSRI-UP are:

• Dr. Federico Ardila - federico@sfsu.edu
• Dr. Mercedes Franco - mfranco@qcc.cuny.edu - 2018 on-site director
• Dr. Rebecca Garcia - rgarcia@shsu.edu
• Dr. Duane Cooper - dcooper@morehouse.edu
• Dr. Suzanne Weekes - sweekes@wpi.edu

Previous Programs

• 2017 MSRI-UP: Solving Systems of Polynomial Equations
• 2016 MSRI-UP: Sandpile Groups
• 2015 MSRI-UP: Geometric Combinatorics Motivated by the Social Sciences
• 2014 MSRI-UP: Arithmetic Aspects of Elementary Functions
• 2013 MSRI-UP: Algebraic Combinatorics
  
• 2012 MSRI-UP: Enumerative Combinatorics
• 2011 MSRI-UP: Mathematical Finance
  
• 2010 MSRI-UP: Elliptic Curves and Applications
  
• 2009 MSRI-UP: Coding Theory
• 2008 MSRI-UP: Experimental Mathematics
• 2007 MSRI-UP: Computational Science and Mathematics