Author: Prof. Bockting

Summer 2023 Undergraduate Research

Prof. Bockting Math Activity, Student Opportunities

In Summer 2023, nine local undergraduates will spent 8 weeks engaging in full-time mathematical research, thanks to funding from the Mathematical Association America’s (MAA) National Research Experience for Undergraduates Program (NREUP) and the DePaul University’s Undergraduate Summer Research Program (USRP). The 2023 Math REU at DePaul University was run by Department of Mathematical Sciences faulty Dr. Emily Barnard and Dr. Sarah Bockting-Conrad with support from graduate research assistant Reed Acton.

The following undergraduate students participated: Ugo Alozie (UIC), Daniel Chacon (Aurora University), Erik Dahlen, Daniel Gawel,  Blair Johnson, Joosung Lee, Jiahui Li, Dominic Morgan, Tosin Shokunbi (IIT).

Students’ research focused on the relatively new field of graph b-colorings. A b-coloring is a special kind of proper vertex coloring in which every color class must have at least one vertex which is adjacent to all other color classes. The largest number of colors that can be used in a b-coloring is called the b-chromatic number of the graph. Our students built on existing results about b-colorings and b-chromatic numbers and proved their own results on b-colorings of various graph families. At the end of the summer, students presented their findings at the 2023 DePaul Mathematics Summer Research Symposium.

More information about the research program, including a list of talks given by outside speakers, can be found here.

Are you interested in conducting mathematical research? (Great!) You can start by talking to the faculty members you know or by reaching out the the MAT department’s undergraduate research coordinator, Emily Barnard (e.barnard@depaul.edu).

Proviso Math & Science Academy Visits DePaul

Prof. Bockting Outreach

This past spring, the department was pleased to host 20 enthusiastic students from the Proviso Math & Science Academy, in an event planned by Associate Chair Karl Liechty and Proviso’s Rebecca Resnick.  Drawn largely from the Math Club at PMSA, the students spent the late afternoon of Thursday, April 27 at DePaul, touring the Lincoln Park campus, talking to various DePaul undergraduates, faculty, and administrators, and learning about the department’s programs in the mathematical sciences.

After a quick tour of the Lincoln Park campus, the students settled in with several pizzas and various other treats for a Q&A session with Dr. Michael Roberts, Asst. Dean of Student Success, who answered many questions about matriculation and student services in the College of Science and Health.  That segment was followed by an informative discussion with DePaul undergraduates Sarah Rashed, Max Scholz, and Kathryn Griggs, focusing on what it is like to major in one of the department’s programs. Of particular interest to the PMSA students was the student representatives’ experience with mathematical research.  The students seemed eager to know how one goes about doing research in mathematics and in what areas of Mathematics or Statistics research might be fruitful.

That discussion wrapped up with a lively participatory session, led by Prof. Bill Butterworth, featuring the mathematics behind some of the games played on the CBS game show The Price is Right.  Students played along with hosts Bob Barker and Drew Carey on video clips from the show, guessing prices and weighing in on other strategic decisions, to explore some of the elements that go into being a contestant.  (Unfortunately, no prizes were available.)

The Math Club from PMSA has visited several times in the past 10 years, but this was their first visit since the end of the pandemic.

 

 

PMSA students pictured above: Virdiana Angon, Brandon Arnold-Wallace, Antonio Beavers Jr., Zoie Brown, Brianna Carreno Ayala, Da Miah Carter, Ivan Diggs, Diego Figueroa, Denize Grimaldo, Vanessa Guerrero, Jamaria Harrington, Amy Hernandez De La Rosa, Mayte Hernandez-Morales, Muhib Khan, Kaylianna Lewis, Cameron Neely, Michelle Rivera, Emily Rodriguez, Jordan Shorter, Julissa Velasquez

 

MAT Scholarships – Applications due 11/18

Prof. Bockting Student Opportunities

For those of you who are earning a degree from the Mathematical Sciences department, there are some scholarships that you are likely eligible for.  We would like to encourage you to apply.  The application process is very quick. Be sure that you upload your transcript on the application form.  The scholarships can be found here: https://depaul.academicworks.com/users/sign_in

The deadline for applications is Friday, 11/18.

MAT Tea & Coffee Hour on F 10/28

Prof. Bockting Events

Throughout the year, the Math Department hosts a number of informal events meant to help build and sustain our mathematical sciences community here at DePaul. These events provide an opportunity to meet with fellow math students, at both undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as MAT faculty members in a relaxed setting.

Our next event will take place this Friday, 10/28 at 1:30 pm in the Math Department office suite (on the 5th floor of SAC). Light refreshments, such as coffee, tea, and cookies, will be served. We hope that you can join us.