Schedule of Activities, 2008

Week 1, June 30 to July 3: Introduction to graph labeling. Read sections of articles provided by the faculty mentor and a general graph theory text. Explore labelings on some families of graphs. Discuss explorations, graph properties, readings. Individual small presentations to group (based on readings and explorations). Participate in scheduled meetings daily with faculty mentor. Participate in faculty-led workshops on reading mathematics, on creating proofs, and on mathematical literature searches. Goal: identify research projects by July 3. (July 4 free)

Week 2, July 7 to July 11: Finish reading from Week 1, begin relevant additional reading based on project choices. Discuss the methods that have led to proofs regarding radio numbers or k-equitability of various families of graphs. Begin to focus on research questions. Continue meeting daily with faculty mentor.

Week 3, July 14 to July 18: Students focus on research topics. Meet daily with faculty mentor. Read as appropriate; possibly write some computer code. Interact with visitor^*.

Week 4, July 21 to July 25: Continue Week 3 activities. Participate in faculty-led workshops on preparing posters and writing mathematics.

Week 5, July 28 to Aug 1: Continue research activities and daily meetings with faculty mentor. Prepare outline of results by Wednesday. Begin writing up results. Interact with visitor^*. 

Week 6, Aug 4 to Aug 8: Focus on writing up results; continue research activities and meetings with faculty mentor. Receive individual feedback and evaluate experience formally on Friday. 

Aug. ’08 through April ‘09: Communicate with faculty mentor regarding final preparations for oral and poster presentations at conferences that may include the Young Mathematicians’ Conference, the Joint Meetings, the Fall and Spring Meetings of the So Cal-NV Section of the MAA, and the CSU Student Research Competition.

^*During each of Weeks 3 – 5, different mathematics faculty from local institutions will visit the program for several hours. The students will present their research topics, ideas, and progress to the visitor and the faculty mentor in the morning. Students, visitor, and mentor will go to lunch together, and continue the research discussion after lunch. The goal is to give the students extra practice talking about their ideas, to provide an opportunity for feedback and fresh perspectives, and (over lunch) to encourage discussions about further opportunities (grad school, careers, etc.) in the mathematical sciences.

Page last updated:  February 20, 2008.