Research and Internships
A research experience or internship as an undergraduate can be valuable preparation for your career, and there are a variety of opportunities for pursuing this.
Research in the mathematical sciences is different from research in the sciences. We don’t work with lab equipment or run experiments, at least not in the usual sense. Instead, we pose a problem, seek the solution, and justify our solution.
For example, we might observe a pattern among prime numbers, and wonder whether that pattern persists. We might form the conjecture that all primes behave in this way, and in order to justify this, we would need a mathematical proof of our conjecture. Learning how to identify fruitful questions, formulate conjectures, and prove or disprove them is part of the process of preparing to do research in pure mathematics.
As another example, we might need to find a “best fit” solution to an optimization problem involving resource allocation. A business or non-profit engages in many activities, all of which require resources. Finding this solution requires understanding how all of these activities work together as a system and modeling that system using mathematical and computational tools. This is typical of research in applied mathematics.
A Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) is one of many programs funded by the NSF and run by universities around the country. These are selective programs, and students typically apply during the early spring for a program that runs in the summer, often before a student’s junior or senior year in college. The MAA page on Undergraduate Research has a complete list of REUs in the Mathematical Sciences, as well as other summer and semester programs that include research. By following links to the various programs, you can find out what coursework or other preparation is necessary for admission. Some REU programs include a stipend for housing and expenses. Students in an REU usually work in teams with one or more faculty guides. If you are interested in pursuing research in graduate school, particularly in a doctoral program, then an REU is excellent preparation.
Our department has a selective Math Honors Program that includes a Senior Thesis component (MATH 490). This is taken as an independent study with a member of the faculty, and it is an opportunity for the student to research a topic in depth and present at a conference or other venue.
The Math Club holds weekly Pizza and Problem-Solving sessions in which students work together on problems. These fun experiences can help prepare you for research.
Internships can provide valuable work experience and a chance to learn more about a career or industry. To find out more about these opportunities, check out the Career Development Office, or websites such as Internships.com, LookSharp.com, or CareerRookie.com.