GUIDELINES TO REU APPLICATIONS

Ariel Cintrón-Arias East Tennessee State University

November 17, 2014Research Experience in Mathematical EpidemiologySummer 2011

Instructor: Dr. Ariel Cintrón-Arias

email: cintronarias@etsu.edu

Modeling, Simulation & Validation

This course is a workshop on fundamental aspects of mathematical modeling applied to

transmission dynamics of communicable diseases. This course has four parts. First (June

27-July 8), lectures and computer laboratories will be given, conveying introductions to

deterministic models for interacting species, linear stability analysis, computer simulation, and

model validation against data. Second (July 11-22), teams of students will work on research

projects and will submit a final project typed in LaTeX. Third (July 25-29), students will attend

2011 CBMS ETSU Lecture Series on July 25-29, 2011 (http://www.etsu.edu/cas/math/cbms.aspx).

Fourth (September 1-30), students will meet with the instructor for four weeks on Fall 2011,

to read research papers and give oral presentations.

Multiple ways are available for enrollment: MATH 4900, MATH 4010, MATH 5900. For MATH 4900/5900 the number of credit hours is flexible between 1, 2, or 3 credits.

TALK TO DR. ROBERT PRICE OR DR. ANANT GODBOLE ABOUT HOW TO MAKE THIS COURSE COUNT TOWARDS MAJOR REQUIREMENTS.

Activities• Formulation of deterministic

compartmental models;

• Computer simulation of epidemics;

• Implementations in various software

packages: MATLAB, Maple, R, Sage;

• Analysis of synthetic and real

longitudinal datasets;

• Writing results of final research project

using typesetting program LaTeX;

• Creation of oral presentation slides in

PowerPoint or Beamer;

• Oral presentation in ETSU Boland

Undergraduate Research Symposium;

• Poster presentation in Appalachian

Student Research Forum.

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SPRING 2014 UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH CONFERENCES

Boland Undergraduate Research Symposium http://www.etsu.edu/honors/research/symposium.asp

Undergraduate Math Conference at UT http://www.math.utk.edu/UGConf/

REU = Research Experience For Undergraduates

An REU provides an opportunity that is not offered by traditional curriculum.

An REU can enhance your Resume for future employment.

If you perform well, then your REU supervisor is likely to write a letter of recommendation for you.

Your mathematical skill set will increase due to an REU.

TYPICAL SPONSORS OF REU’S

National Science Foundation <http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.jsp>

Institutes

NIMBioS <http://www.nimbios.org/sre/>

MBI <http://mbi.osu.edu/eduprograms/undergrad2014.html>

MSRI <http://www.msri.org/web/msri/education/for-undergraduates/msri-up>

MTBI <http://mtbi.asu.edu/summer-program>

US Department of Energy, Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships <http://

science.energy.gov/wdts/suli/>

Oak Ridge National Laboratory <http://www.orau.org/ornl/hereatornl/>

National Security Agency <http://www.nsa.gov/careers/opportunities_4_u/students/index.shtml>

NIH <https://www.training.nih.gov>

PREPARING REU APPLICATIONS

Who Am I?

Why Me?

Really, Who Am I? Says who?

WHO AM I?

You need to convey who you are in one-page using a so-called Resume.

Contact information

Educational background

Employment history

Honors and achievements

Research Experience

Skills relevant to the program

See Marquette University’s Writing an Academic Resume <http://www.marquette.edu/grad/future_req10.shtml>

See ETSU’s University Career Services <http://www.etsu.edu/students/careers/common/resumletter.aspx>

WHY ME?

Many REU’s will require to write down a statement of purpose or an essay.

In the statement of purpose you must convey...

Why are you interested in the REU?

Why is the REU a good fit for you?

Why are you a good fit for the REU?

REALLY, WHO AM I?

You will need people who will vouch for you.

Letters of recommendation from professors typically address your academic performance. Also, personal qualities are described.

It is important that the person writing the letter is informed about the program you are applying for. Additionally, you must help them understand why it is a good fit.

REU APPLICATIONS CHECKLIST

Academic resume.

Statement of purpose.

Two or three letters of recommendation.

List of potential REU’s, include top choices, medium and low priority choices. Create a file that contains...

Program names

Deadline

Pros & Cons