Math 586

LINK TO CURRENT SCHEDULE

Math 586a (Fall semester) 2 units: 

In the first semester, students are introduced to the scientific methodologies of data analysis, mathematical modeling, and applied mathematics through (a) faculty presentations once a week;  (b) student independent study of a research topic in applied mathematics.

(a) Each week, for approximately 10-12 weeks of the semester, a program professor will give a presentation on his/her research. Students are expected to attend, host at least 1 speaker, ask questions during the talk and then write a short essay (1/2 page) describing in your own words the field of study presented, formulating the main points of research inquiry in the field (potentially of interest for you if you choose to work with this professor in the future). Students are expected to submit the 1/2 page report via D2L for each lecture no later than Sunday, 12pm (four days after respective lecture). 

(b) Each student is expected, within the first three weeks of the semester, to pick an adviser for this semester independent research study. Check the Applied Math faculty listing, communicate with him/her over e-mail or in person, and then inform the Program when an agreement is reached by submitting (a) name of advisor, (b) description of the subject, and (c) list of papers to study (at least 2) no later than September 30th.

• You will have the whole semester to complete the research.  Please schedule regular meetings with the project adviser (recommended pace is once a week).
• We will have one session during the last week of the semester when all students from the class present the results of the independent research study in a short (15 min + 5 min for questions) presentation.  Presentation drafts (.ppt or .pdf) should be e-mailed to the Program a day before the actual presentation.
• Your overall participation in the class will be graded as a letter grade A-E.

Math 586b (Spring semester) 2 units:

The class has two components: (a) faculty presentations once a week;  (b) student independent study of a research topic in applied mathematics:

(a) Each week, for approximately 10-12 weeks of the semester, a program professor will give a presentation on his/her research. Students are expected to attend, host at least 1 speaker, ask questions during the talk and then write a short essay (1/2 page) describing in your own words the field of study presented, formulating the main points of research inquiry in the field (potentially of interest for you if you choose to work with this professor in the future). Check the schedule of presentations. Students are expected to submit the 1/2 page report via D2L for each lecture no later than Sunday, 12pm (four days after respective lecture). 

(b)  Each student is expected, within the first three weeks of the semester, to pick an advisor for this semester independent research study. Check the Applied Math faculty listing; communicate with him/her over e-mail or in person, and then inform the Program when an agreement is reached also submitting the name of the advisor and description of the subject (title) no later than January 30th.

• You will have the whole semester to complete the research.  Please schedule regular meetings with the project adviser (recommended pace is once a week).
• We will have one session during the last week of the semester when all students from the class present the results of the independent research study in a short (15 min + 5 min for questions) presentation. Presentation drafts (.ppt or .pdf ) should be uploaded a day before the actual presentation to D2L.
• You are also expected to submit a written report (~10 page latex-produced, .pdf formatted document) before June 15th to D2L.
• Think of the report as a research paper in making.  Explain what the problem is? Why it is important? What is state of the art? Then detail your original approach, showing some results, and outlining path forward if you are to continue the studies.
• Your overall participation in the class will be graded as a letter grade A-E.

Math 599 (or Dept 599) 3 units; Fall semester of 2nd year in Program:

In their third semester, students conduct advanced individual study of a research topic in applied mathematics. Each student is expected to select an advisor for this semester/term-long advanced independent study. Students should:

• present results of the independent study at the fall workshop;
• submit a written, research paper grade report (~ 20 page latex-produced, .pdf formatted document) by 11:59pm of December 31st. In other details, this activity follows generic rules of the Math586 sequence described above. (586C is the new, yet unofficial, number for the Research and Tutorial Group, Math 599)
• Your overall participation in the project will be graded as Pass/Fail.

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