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Mathematical Sciences Research Institute

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MSRI-UP


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

During the summer, each of the 18 student participants will:
  • 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 2017 Program Description

Application Materials

Applications for MSRI-UP 2017 should be submitted via MathPrograms, which lists 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, 2017 are not eligible to apply.  Applications submitted by February 15, 2017 will receive full consideration. (Applications submitted after February 15, 2017 but by March 1, 2017 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:

Previous Programs

Current MSRI-UP

  1. MSRI-UP 2017: Solving Systems of Polynomial Equations

    Organizers: LEAD Federico Ardila (San Francisco State University), Duane Cooper (Morehouse College), Maria Mercedes Franco (Queensborough Community College (CUNY)), Herbert Medina (Loyola Marymount University), Suzanne Weekes (Worcester Polytechnic Institute)

    The MSRI-UP summer program is designed to serve a diverse group of undergraduate students who would like to conduct research in the mathematical sciences.
    In 2017, MSRI-UP will focus on Solving Systems of Polynomial Equations, a topic at the heart of almost every computational problem in the physical and life sciences. We will pay special attention to complexity issues, highlighting connections with tropical geometry, number theory, and the P vs. NP problem. The research program will be led by Prof. J. Maurice Rojas of Texas A&M University.
    Students who have had a linear algebra course and a course in which they have had to write proofs are eligible to apply. Due to funding restrictions, only U.S. citizens and permanent residents may apply regardless of funding. Members of underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply.
     

    Updated on Jun 26, 2017 09:31 AM PDT

Upcoming MSRI-UP

  1. MSRI-UP 2018: The Mathematics of Data Science

    Organizers: Federico Ardila (San Francisco State University), Duane Cooper (Morehouse College), LEAD Maria Mercedes Franco (Queensborough Community College (CUNY)), Rebecca Garcia (Sam Houston State University), Suzanne Weekes (Worcester Polytechnic Institute)

    The MSRI-UP summer program is designed to serve a diverse group of undergraduate students who would like to conduct research in the mathematical sciences.

    In 2018, MSRI-UP will focus on the core role of (linear) algebra in current research and application areas of Data Science ranging from unsupervised learning, clustering and networks, to algebraic signal processing and feature extraction, to the central role linear algebra plays in deep machine learning.  The research program will be led by Dr. David Uminsky, Associate Professor of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of San Francisco.

    Updated on Jul 03, 2017 02:40 PM PDT

Past MSRI-UP

  1. MSRI-UP 2016: Sandpile Groups

    Organizers: Federico Ardila (San Francisco State University), Duane Cooper (Morehouse College), Maria Mercedes Franco (Queensborough Community College (CUNY)), Herbert Medina (Loyola Marymount University), LEAD Suzanne Weekes (Worcester Polytechnic Institute)

    The MSRI-UP summer program is 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 academic portion of the 2016 program will be led by Prof. Luis Garcia-Puente of Sam Houston State University.

    Updated on Jul 14, 2017 05:05 PM PDT

  2. MSRI-UP 2015: Geometric Combinatorics Motivated by the Social Sciences

    Organizers: Federico Ardila (San Francisco State University), LEAD Duane Cooper (Morehouse College), Herbert Medina (Loyola Marymount University), Ivelisse M. Rubio (University of Puerto Rico), Suzanne Weekes (Worcester Polytechnic Institute)

    The MSRI-UP summer program is 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 academic portion of the 2015 program will be led by Prof. Francis Su from Harvey Mudd College.

    Updated on Jul 27, 2015 01:57 PM PDT

  3. MSRI-UP 2014: Arithmetic Aspects of Elementary Functions

    Organizers: Duane Cooper (Morehouse College), Ricardo Cortez (Tulane University), LEAD Herbert Medina (Loyola Marymount University), Ivelisse M. Rubio (University of Puerto Rico), Suzanne Weekes (Worcester Polytechnic Institute)

    The MSRI-UP summer program is 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 academic portion of the 2014 program will be led by Dr. Victor Moll from Tulane University.

    Updated on Jul 14, 2017 05:16 PM PDT

  4. MSRI-UP 2013: Algebraic Combinatorics

    Organizers: Duane Cooper (Morehouse College), Ricardo Cortez (Tulane University), Herbert Medina (Loyola Marymount University), LEAD Ivelisse M. Rubio (University of Puerto Rico), Suzanne Weekes (Worcester Polytechnic Institute)

    The MSRI-UP summer program is 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 academic portion of the 2013 program will be led by Dr. Rosa Orellana from Dartmouth College.

    Updated on Jun 19, 2017 04:48 PM PDT

  5. MSRI-UP 2012: Enumerative Combinatorics

    Organizers: Dr. Duane Cooper (Morehouse College), Dr. Ricardo Cortez* (Tulane University), Dr. Herbert Medina (Loyola Marymount University), Dr. Ivelisse Rubio (University of Puerto Rico), and Dr. Suzanne Weekes (Worcester Polytechnic Institute)

    The MSRI-UP summer program is 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 academic portion of the 2012 program will be led by Dr. Matthias Beck.

    Updated on Jul 17, 2017 09:13 AM PDT

  6. MSRI-UP 2011: Mathematical Finance

    Organizers: Dr. Duane Cooper (Morehouse College), Dr. Ricardo Cortez (Tulane University), Dr. Herbert Medina (Loyola Marymount University), Dr. Ivelisse Rubio (University of Puerto Rico), and Dr. Suzanne Weekes*(Worcester Polytechnic Institute)

    The MSRI-UP summer program is 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.

    Updated on Jul 17, 2017 09:08 AM PDT

  7. MSRI-UP 2011

    Organizers: Duane Cooper (Morehouse College), Ricardo Cortez (Tulane University), Herbert Medina (Loyola Marymount University), Ivelisse Rubio (University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus), Suzanne Weekes* (Worcester Polytechnic Institute)

    SELECTION OF PARTICIPANTS IS NOW CLOSED.

    The MSRI-UP summer program is designed for undergraduate students who have completed two years of university-level mathematics courses and would like to conduct research in the mathematical sciences. MSRI-UP includes summer research opportunities, mentoring, workshops on the graduate school application process, and follow-up support.

    Updated on May 01, 2013 11:54 PM PDT

  8. MSRI-UP 2010: Elliptic Curves and Applications

    Organizers: Duane Cooper (Morehouse College), Suzanne Weekes (Worcester Polytechnic Insitute), Ricardo Cortez (Tulane University), Ivelisse Rubio (University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras), and Herbert Medina (Loyola Marymount University)

    The MSRI-UP summer program is designed for undergraduate students who have completed two years of university-level mathematics courses and would like to conduct research in the mathematical sciences. The academic portion of the program will be led by Dr. Edray Goins.

    Updated on Jun 19, 2017 04:55 PM PDT

  9. MSRI-UP 2009: Coding Theory

    Organizers: Duane Cooper (Morehouse College), Suzanne Weekes (Worcester Polytechnic Insitute), Ricardo Cortez (Tulane University), Ivelisse Rubio (University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras) and Herbert Medina (Loyola Marymount University).

    The MSRI-UP is a comprehensive program for undergraduates that aims at increasing the number of students from underrepresented groups in mathematics graduate programs. MSRI-UP includes summer research opportunities, mentoring, workshops on the graduate school application process, and follow-up support.

    Updated on May 02, 2013 05:33 PM PDT

  10. MSRI-UP 2008: Experimental Mathematics

    Organizers: Ivelisse Rubio (University of Puerto Rico, Humacao), Duane Cooper (Morehouse College), Ricardo Cortez (Tulane University), Herbert Medina (Loyola Marymount University), and Suzanne Weekes (Worcester Polytechnic Insitute).

    The MSRI-UP is a comprehensive program for undergraduates that aims at increasing the number of students from underrepresented groups in mathematics graduate programs. MSRI-UP includes summer research opportunities, mentoring, workshops on the graduate school application process, and follow-up support.

    Updated on Jun 19, 2017 06:16 PM PDT

  11. MSRI-UP 2007: Undergraduate Program

    Organizers: Dr. Ricardo Cortez, Dr Ivelisse Rubio, Dr. Herbert Medina, Dr. Suzanne Weekes, Dr. Duane Cooper.

    Updated on Aug 10, 2016 03:47 PM PDT