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Lafayette students Alex Balan, Steve DiMauro, and Tim Fargus will be joined this summer by students from other top colleges and universities for eight weeks of intensive research in mathematics at Lafayette.
Balan is a sophomore computer science major from Bucharest, Romania. DiMauro, of Hatboro, Pa., and Fargus, of Stafford Springs, Conn., are junior math majors. The will be participating in the National Science Foundation’s Research Experience for Undergraduates, along with eight students from Princeton, Cornell, Brown, Northwestern, Bard, Belmont, Davidson, and Richmond.
“The students attending this summer will be our strongest group ever. We attracted more than 150 applications,” says Gary Gordon, professor of mathematics, who coordinates REU at Lafayette. “Over the past ten years, more than 70 students have participated in the program, and most of them have published papers in professional journals and/or presented talks on their summer research at national mathematics conferences.”
Working in small groups with Lafayette faculty the students will do research in applied combinatorics, algebra/geometry/number theory, and graph theory.
Balan’s group will delve into circuits, graphs, and non-graphs with Lorenzo Traldi, professor of mathematics. DiMauro’s group will investigate the number theory of the composition algebras with Derek Smith, assistant professor of mathematics. Fargus’ group will study either tournaments or graphs and groups with Elizabeth McMahon, professor of mathematics.
“Active research experience is considered one of the most effective ways to attract talented undergraduates to and retain them in careers in science and engineering, including careers in teaching,” says the National Science Foundation. “REU projects feature high quality interaction of students with faculty and/or other research mentors and access to appropriate facilities and professional development opportunities.”