Chico State University

Title: Summer 2005 NREUP in Knot Theory at Chico State

Director(s): Thomas Mattman, Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Dates of Program: June 13 - July 22, 2005

Summary: Under the supervision of Thomas Mattman, four student researchers from underrepresented groups will be investigating cutting edge problems in knot theory. Topics include spatial graphs, knot colouring, and boundary slopes of two-bridge knots.

Student Researchers:

Jennifer Jones:
"My intentions for attending this program at CSU-Chico are to allow me to widen my mathematical knowledge by introducing me to a foreign topic in the subject and also teach me how to research mathematical concepts. I believe that this program will greatly help me in furthering my education in math and prepare me for graduate school in future."
James Godzick:
"I heard about this REU in mathematics via e-mail. I then looked into the program on the web page of Thomas Mattman. A paper resulting from this program, 'The Alexander Polynomial, Coloring, and Determinants of Knots' (2003) coincided with my interests in combinatorics and matrix theory. Because of this, the opportunity to gain research experience, the stipend, and softball, I am here today."
Matt Rodrigues:
"I heard about this program a year ago from a friend of mine who worked with me at the tutoring center at Yuba Community School. I was lucky enough to be accepted to this program that summer and jumped at the chance to do it again this summer. This program was and is a good fit for me. The subject is interesting and the CSUC campus is close enough to my home town to allow me to visit my family. My participation in this program last summer gave me a good taste of what is involved in math research and also broadened my academic horizon. I am sure this year will be just as enriching and I am very excited about the presentations Professor Mattman has lined up for us."
Kristin Robinson:
"I plan on majoring in math and am interested in becoming a high school teacher. I have been lucky enough to realize how important math is and I would love nothing more than to be able to teach kids what I know. The knot theory program seemed like a perfect opportunity for me. I have never taken a class in knot theory, so it is a completely new field of math for me. In addition, I have never had the opportunity to explore the topic the way we are able to through this program. We are able to use our creativity and knowledge to produce previously unknown results."

Program Contacts:

Bill Hawkins
MAA SUMMA
bhawkins@maa.org
202-319-8473

Michael Pearson
MAA Programs & Services
pearson@maa.org
202-319-8470