REU Site: Probability and Discrete Mathematics

这是对1991年至2004年期间在MTU和ETSU运行的REU站点的更新，该站点在这三年中有RET补充。项目名称为“概率与离散数学”，项目地点为东田纳西州立大学。每年将有8名学生参加，该项目将持续9周。研究领域将包括概率论、图论、组合学、数论和算法。该项目还包括道德操守部分。这个项目的智力价值是，我们每年将让8名精心挑选的学生沉浸在概率和离散数学的各种开放式研究问题中--以及这两个领域的交界处。他们将前往一个高知名度的专业会议，并展示他们的研究成果。研究标准将与学生在博士后世界中预计会遇到的标准相对应。该项目的更广泛影响如下：(I)学生将从各种机构中挑选，其中至少50%将是女性；因此，他们将认识到他们的背景和数学培训方面存在的重大差异。(Ii)学生将从嵌入的“数学和科学伦理”部分中充分受益。(Iii)将坚决努力招收代表人数不足的学生，并将学生与Debra Knisley的NSF-MAA-SUMMA REU项目的学生进行合作，我们希望该项目将继续下去。(4)学生将会注意到他们的自信水平和数学交流技能的提高。(V)学生将通过电子邮件与世界上一些最好的研究人员互动。(Vi)学生将与外部同行REU小组会面。(Vii)学生将成为一群高中生的同伴导师，这些高中生正在过渡到大学和一条新的职业道路--定量生物医学科学。这些学生将出现在ETSU的NSF-STEP资助的桥梁项目中；秋季将继续攻读数学生物学专业；并在本科期间享受四次本科生研究经验。该网站由国防部与NSF REU项目合作支持。

This is a renewal of an REU site that has run at MTU and ETSU during the years 1991-2004, and which has had an RET supplement for three of those years. The project title is "Probability and Discrete Mathematics," and project site is East Tennessee State University. There will be 8 students each year and the project will last for 9 weeks. The areas of inquiry will include probability, graph theory, combinatorics, number theory, and algorithms. The project also includes an Ethics component. The intellectual merit of this project is that we will immerse 8 carefully selected students each year in a variety of open-ended research problems in probability and discrete mathematics -- and those at the interface of these two fields. They will travel to a high-visibility professional meeting and present their research. Research standards will correspond to those that students will expect to encounter in a post-PhD world. The broader impacts of this project are as follows: (i) Students will be selected from a variety of institutions and at least 50% will be female; they will thus appreciate the substantial differences that exist in their backgrounds and mathematical training. (ii) Students will derive full benefit from an embedded "ethics in mathematics and science" component. (iii) A determined effort will be made to recruit under-represented students, and students will be teamed with students in Debra Knisley's NSF-MAA-SUMMA REU program which we hope will continue. (iv) Students will notice an increase in their level of confidence and mathematical communication skills. (v) Students will interact by e-mail with some of the best researchers in the world. (vi) Students will meet with an external peer REU group. (vii) Students will act as peer mentors to a group of high school students making the transition both to college and a novel career path -- Quantitative Biomedical Science. These students will be present at an NSF-STEP funded bridge Program at ETSU; will continue as Mathematical Biology majors in the fall; and enjoy four undergraduate research experiences during their baccalaureate years.The site is supported by the Department of Defense in partnership with the NSF REU program.