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Summer Undergraduate Research Program in Mathematics
An Important Next Step
Since 1985, St. Norbert College has hosted the Regional
Pi Mu Epsilon (PME) Undergraduate Mathematics Conference under the direction of Dr. Rick Poss. PME is the National Mathematics Honorary Society and, through Spring 2008, St. Norbert has inducted 245 members. In the past few years, participants in the PME Conference have traveled to our campus from 21 midwestern colleges and universities. In November 2007, the 22nd Annual PME Conference set records for the total number of students in attendance at 177, and the total number of students speakers at 23 with 5 from St Norbert.
The St. Norbert Mathematics Discipline has long supported undergraduate research in the field. Faculty have encouraged students to participate in summer research experiences at other institutions and nurtured those experiences by advising students as they presented their work at regional and national conferences. The Mathematical Association of America and PME hold a national meeting each August with St. Norbert consistently having the second most student speakers, next to Youngstown State in Ohio (resulting in a friendly competition), for at least the last decade. Since 1985, Rick Poss has accompanied St. Norbert student speakers to every summer national meeting, now part of Mathfest. No other college or university in the country has had student speakers at every one of these meetings. Our presence at this national level has been notable.
Although our students are among the most active in the country in presenting the results of their research, it is time to take it to the next level and offer those research experiences here on our campus. With the lead of a new faculty hire in Fall 2006, Dr. Terry Jo Leiterman, the Mathematics Discipline is energized and enthusiastic about providing the increasing number of interested students a quality summer research program at St. Norbert College.
Student Needs and Outcomes
Opportunities to develop analytical thinking abilities are essential ingredients in an undergraduate degree program. Competent training in critical thought will keep St. Norbert students competitive with their peers at other institutions. More than ever, a holistic and interdisciplinary education is important for our students' success beyond the classroom. Mathematics, with its inherent ties to the natural and social sciences, is an ideal field for students to develop collaborative critical thinking and problem solving skills.
A program in undergraduate research at St. Norbert serves our students. Its benefits lie within the tradition of the College's mission, which insists we provide an educational environment that is intellectually, spiritually, and personally challenging. The national
Council on Undergraduate Research outlines that a student research experience
- Enhances student learning through mentor relationships with faculty
- Increases retention in the sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) pipeline
- Increases enrollment in graduate education and provides effective career preparation
- Develops critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, and intellectual independence
- Promotes an innovation-oriented culture.
Projects can also serve community interests, in addition to offering an engaging preparation for our students that plan to be future teachers of mathematics. St. Norbert College continually maintains a reputation as a leader with a unique tradition of academic excellence. A summer research program at the College provides an opportunity to showcase that spirit in a partnership with faculty, students, scientific inquiry, and mathematics.
Program Description
The summer research program consists of 10 weeks of full time work beginning with an application process in the spring semester open to St. Norbert mathematics students. The program would be advertised in our courses, the Sigma Nu Delta math club newsletter, and on our website. It will be strongly encouraged that interested students meet with a member of the Mathematics Discipline before putting together an application. In the application, students would provide a list of their mathematics and other relevant course work, their research interests, and how a research experience would contribute to their professional goals. Students do not need to propose a project. Faculty members may already have projects in mind. Applications would be reviewed by the Mathematics Discipline and students would be chosen by the faculty mentor. In August, the research students would be expected to present their work at the national Mathfest meeting.
Alumni Support
Since Fall 2006, the Mathematics Discipline has been working hard to generate momentum and get a research program started. In Spring 2008, Terry Jo Leiterman managed to find funding ($8000) to support two St. Norbert students to do research in the summer. Both students presented their results at that summer's Mathfest. The cost per undergraduate student includes a modest stipend, on-campus housing, and FICA. Leiterman worked with the students for no pay and members of the math faculty have agreed to continue mentoring future summer research projects without compensation.
Affording students an opportunity to pursue their academic curiosities in math at St. Norbert College can not be realized without the support of our alumni. We need an income of at least $8000 per year to ensure that future students can have the same experience. Under the direction of a faculty mentor, this amount pays two students to work full time for 10 weeks on a research project. The income minimally offsets the loss of summer employment, which is often necessary to cover our students' educational expenses during the semesters.
We are modifying the current Math Club Travel and Travel Endowment funds to include the use of the funds to support student research. The first money that is received each year will be set aside to fund student research in the current summer. After the immediate needs are met, money will then go into the endowment fund. Supporting two students each year through this program leaves us with a goal to meet of $160,000 in the endowment.
Update on the Challenge
To motivate your support, Rick Poss has set up a challenge. Rick will match your gifts on a 1-for-2 basis up to $50,000 on his part. That is, for every $2 you give, he will pledge $1. We encourage you to
MAKE RICK PAY! And, we are pleased to announce some early support from alumni. Their generosity amounts to a total of $11,000 already. Thank you. This means that Rick is personally committed to giving at least $5500. The Mathematics Discipline is hoping you will offer your support. Updates on the challenge will be posted here.
Make a Gift
We need your support. Please consider offering a gift. There are several ways to do so.
1. Make a gift by mail.
Please send your gift of support to:
Terry Jo Leiterman
St. Norbert College
100 Grant Street
DePere, WI 54115.
2. Make a gift online.
Offer support online at the
College Advancement website.
Apply your gift to this program by typing "Math Research."
3. Make a pledge.
Fill out the
Gift Intention Form and mail it to Terry Jo Leiterman.
Research Projects
Summer 2008: Mathematical Ecology
Modeling Diatom Growth in Trout Lake
by
Corey Vorland
(left) and
Stephanie Schauer
(center) under the direction of
Dr. Terry Jo Leiterman
(right).
Aulacoseira is a freshwater diatom whose abundance and colony size has been measured at varying depths in Trout Lake in Northern Wisconsin. Its population growth patterns are influenced by temperature, light availability, and nutrients. In this project, the vertical distribution of Aulacoseira is investigated through a mathematical model which incorporates natural characteristics of the lake as well as effects of the diatom's buoyancy. Predicted outcomes are compared to measured observations of growth by Dr. David Poister, an environmental chemist at St. Norbert College.
Stephanie Schauer began this research project at the end of her sophomore year. She is a native of New Franken, WI. Stephanie is a mathematics major with secondary education emphasis. She gave her first research lecture in November 2007 at the PME Conference on work she completed through the freshman fellows program at St. Norbert College. Stephanie was a student in the Fall 2007 MATH 489 course which built the popular
Square Wheeled Bicycle.
Corey Vorland also began this research project at the end of his sophomore year. He is a native of Neenah, WI. Corey is a double mathematics and computer science major with a minor in history. He gave his first research lecture at Mathfest held in August 2008 at Madison, WI on the results of the Summer 2008 project.
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Funding Update
Alumni Challenge
Research Projects
Summer 2008: Mathematical Ecology
Advisors
Terry Jo Leiterman
Rick Poss
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