Boise State University assistant professor of mathematics Liljana Babinkostova has been awarded a three-year, $329,000 Research Experiences for Undergraduates Site grant by the National Science Foundation (NSF).
The REU Site “Complexity in Algebra, Geometry and Applications” will introduce undergraduate students who are motivated by math’s application to information security or genome biology to research in the field. An objective of this program is to produce a cohort of young researchers whose work and vision will transcend the artificial boundary between mathematics and real-world applications.
“The ongoing revolution in communication technology and cloud computing is driving demand for information security tools and specialists,” said Babinkostova. “Likewise, the revolution in molecular and cell biology is driving a rapidly emerging demand to mathematize biology and for professionals competent in both mathematics and biology. The nature of computing and complexity are central themes for both.”
Each summer in 2011, 2012 and 2013, eight awarded undergraduate students, alongside their faculty mentors, will engage in eight weeks of mathematics-based interdisciplinary research. Each cohort of students will include two students recruited from Boise State and six students recruited from other academic institutions.
In addition to targeted research projects, the site program provides a broad array of professional development elements designed to prepare student participants for STEM careers. The summer experience will conclude with a symposium where students will present the results of their summer research. The NSF grant provides each awarded student participant with a summer stipend, free on-campus housing, a meal allowance, financial assistance to out-of-state students for travel to the REU site, and financial assistance for each awarded student for travel to participate in a subsequent national undergraduate research conference. Boise State also is supporting the REU program by funding three upper-division undergraduate credits for each awarded student.
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Media Contact: Kathleen Tuck, University Communications, (208) 426-3275, kathleentuck@boisestate.edu
About Boise State University
As an emerging metropolitan research university of distinction, Boise State University plays a crucial role in the region’s economic development and famed quality of life. Idaho’s largest institution of higher education offers nearly 200 degrees and certificates in seven colleges. While remaining committed to the strong teaching legacy that has resulted in 11 Idaho Professor of the Year awards since 1990, Boise State’s added emphasis on innovation and creativity is fueling the fastest growing research program in Idaho.