INITITIATIVE FOR THE ENHANCEMENT OF MATHEMATICAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION AT CORNELL

康奈尔大学Vigre项目的目的是促进本科生、研究生、博士后教师和常设教师之间的工作关系；促进数学系内部的数学家和数学系外的科学家、工程师和数学家之间的技能和知识的转移；以及加强和扩大各级数学教师之间的沟通和联系。该项目由四个主要部分组成：1.每学期一门课程的博士后职位将把顶尖的年轻数学家带到康奈尔大学，参与我们的数学研究和教学社区。每个博士后研究员都将被指派一名教师导师，并将接触到康奈尔大学数学的各种可能应用，但他们将完全自由地选择他们研究的主题。2.从2000年秋季开始，每年有几名新的Vigre受训人员将在其毕业生涯的头三年内获得两年的研究金支助。该计划将使学生尽早参与数学研究，并让他们了解数学在生物、物理科学或工程学中的应用。一些为期一学期的实习生奖励将提供给其他处于学术生涯中后期阶段的学生。这些奖励将允许他们从事应用研究，或者只是有一个免费的学期来安排他们的论文研究。3.本科生将得到多种机制的支持。Vigre基金将使康奈尔大学本科数学专业的学生在大四前的暑假期间能够得到支持，以促进他们追求荣誉计划和撰写数学高级论文。对于数学专业的本科生来说，第二个新的机会是在校园内的各种实验室与科学家合作开展工作。Vigre基金的第三个好处是，它将让更多的康奈尔学生参与到成功的REU计划中，反之，它将在学年期间为康奈尔数学专业的学生带来夏季REU计划的好处。4.我们将支持在当地学校开展的外展活动，让有才华的学生感受到数学的刺激，以及继续深造所带来的就业机会。这项计划由数学科学部和物理和数学科学局的多学科项目办公室共同资助。

Abstract The purpose of the VIGRE project at Cornell University is to foster working relationships among undergraduates, graduates, postdoctoral faculty and permanent faculty; to promote the transfer of skills and knowledge between mathematicians inside the Mathematics Department and scientists, engineers and mathematicians outside the Mathematics Department; and to enhance and expand communications and contacts among teachers of mathematics at all levels. This project consists of four main components: 1. Postdoctoral positions with a one course per semester teaching load will bring top young mathematicians to Cornell to participate in our mathematical research and teaching community. Each postdoctoral fellow will be assigned a faculty mentor and will be exposed to a wide variety of the possible applications of mathematics at Cornell, but they will be completely free to choose the topics of their research. 2. Beginning in the fall of 2000, several new VIGRE trainees each year will receive two years of fellowship support over the first three years of their graduate career. The program will engage the students in mathematical research as early as possible and will allow them to learn about the applications of mathematics in biology, physical sciences, or engineering. Some one-semester trainee awards will be available to other students in the middle to late stages of their academic career. These awards will allow them to pursue applied research or simply to have a free semester to get their thesis research in order. 3. Undergraduates will be supported by a variety of mechanisms. VIGRE funds will make it possible to support Cornell undergraduate math majors during the summer before their senior years in order to facilitate their pursuit of honors programs and writing senior theses in mathematics. A second new opportunity for the undergraduate math major is to do work in collaboration with scientists at a variety of labs on campus. A third benefit of VIGRE funds is that it will allow more Cornell students to participate in the successful REU Program and conversely, it will bring the benefits of the summer REU Program to Cornell math majors during the school year. 4. We will support outreach activities in the local schools in order to expose talented students to the excitement of mathematics and the career opportunities that further study would open for them. This program is being jointly funded by the Division of Mathematical Sciences and the Office of Multidisciplinary Programs from the Directorate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences.