Welcome

James Madison University (JMU) has been chosen for a National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site in mathematics. All qualified undergraduates are encouraged to apply for this eight-week program, in which students will work in groups of two under the supervision of their faculty mentor.

JMU's College of Science and Mathematics will be hosting undergraduate research students working on projects in mathematics, materials science, and chemistry. The September 2003 issue of the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) Quarterly [Volume 24, Number 1] featured an article on the JMU REU programs entitled, "Building a Summer Research Community," and the April 2004 issue of the Association of American Colleges and Universities' AAC&U News online member newsletter featured JMU's REU programs in an article entitled, "JMU Advances Integrative and Engaged Learning through Summer Research Programs in the Sciences." Also, the Februrary 2006 issue of Math Horizons contains an article about our REU program. JMU was also listed as one of the top 35 institutions spotlighted for excellence in "undergraduate research/creative projects" opportunities in the 2007 US News and World Report America's Best Colleges guide.

On-campus housing will be provided for mathematics REU students in the same building as the research students in the other sciences, and there will be a number of common social activities among these groups during the program. So there will not only be interaction among the research groups in mathematics, but also among the research groups in other disciplines in the sciences.

We have photos from the 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005 REUs, as well as abstracts of past REU projects.

Projects for Summer 2007

Dates and Numbers

• Program dates. June 4 through July 27, 2007. (Arrive on campus Sunday, June 3.)
• Application deadline. March 7, 2007.
• Stipend. $3250. As it says above, housing is also provided.
• Eligibility. Participants must be US citizens or permanent residents, and must be enrolled in an undergraduate program.

Application Procedure

1. An application form. (You can paste these questions into another document, and submit it as a Word document, a pdf file, or a plain text file. Please do not submit any additional materials like vitas, papers, etc.)
2. A current transcript. Unofficial copies are acceptable.
3. Two letters of recommendation from professors familiar with your mathematical capabilities. These can be e-mailed, faxed, or sent via regular mail.

The Area

JMU is located in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley, bordered on the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains and on the west by the Allegheny Mountains. With sections of the George Washington National forest in both mountain ranges, there are excellent opportunities for hiking and camping in the area. Mountain biking is also very popular, and the rolling countryside makes for excellent road riding as well. There are a number of historical sites in the area, including the New Market Battlefield, for history buffs. Washington, D.C., with all its cultural opportunities, is only a 2-hour drive to the northeast.

Questions?

For more information, contact Leonard Van Wyk (vanwyk@math.jmu.edu, 540-568-2514).

Other Sites

A complete list of NSF-sponsored REU sites exists.