Bridging the Islands of Formal Theory

该奖项支持正式理论的梅里亚姆计划的推广活动。 该计划的目标是为社会科学学者创造一个独特的环境，结合数学建模的培训和研究机会。 NSF支持梅里亚姆计划的以下沟通桥梁活动：初级大师班和数学模型的经验评估会议。 初级大师班是一个机会，年轻的建模学者来自美国各地的“大师”或高级数学建模师从他们的研究领域的面板之前，介绍他们的研究。 这些研讨会的集中互动允许参与者探索新的建模方向，并导致建模过程的增强理解。 数学模型实证评估会议将汇集来自不同建模传统的数据导向和专业培训的研究人员和数学建模人员，以解决对数学模型获得信心意味着什么以及如何在不同类型的模型背景下实现这一目标的问题。

This award supports the outreach activities of the Merriam Program in Formal Theory. The goal of this program is to create a unique environment for social science scholars that combines training and research opportunities in mathematical modeling. NSF support is provided for the following communication bridging activities of the Merriam Program: The Junior Master Classes and a conference on the empirical evaluation of mathematical models. The Junior Master Class is an opportunity for young modeling scholars from across the U.S. to present their research before a panel of `masters ` or senior mathematical modelers from their research field. The concentrated interaction of these seminars permits the participants to explore new modeling directions and leads to an enhanced understanding of the modeling process. The conference on the empirical evaluation of mathematical models will bring together data-oriented and statistically-trained researchers and mathematical modelers from different modeling traditions to address the issue of what it means to gain confidence in a mathematical model and how this can be accomplished in the context of different types of models.