Volume: 63; 2019; 211 pp; Softcover
MSC: Primary 97;
Print ISBN: 978-1-4704-4934-6
Product Code: CLRM/63
List Price: $55.00
AMS Member Price: $41.25
MAA Member Price: $41.25
Electronic ISBN: 978-1-4704-5393-0
Product Code: CLRM/63.E
List Price: $55.00
AMS Member Price: $41.25
MAA Member Price: $41.25
Supplemental Materials
A Mathematician’s Practical Guide to Mentoring Undergraduate Research
Share this pageMichael Dorff; Allison Henrich; Lara Pudwell
MAA Press: An Imprint of the American Mathematical Society
A Mathematician's Practical Guide to Mentoring Undergraduate Research is a complete how-to manual on starting an undergraduate research program. Readers will find advice on setting appropriate problems, directing student progress, managing group dynamics, obtaining external funding, publishing student results, and a myriad of other relevant issues. The authors have decades of experience and have accumulated knowledge that other mathematicians will find extremely useful.
This book is published in cooperation with the Council on Undegraduate Research (CUR)
Readership
Researchers interested in supervising undergraduate research.
Reviews & Endorsements
Compared to other books on the market, this one stands alone as a complete 'how to' guide to create a URP from scratch, including the benefits and challenges of doing so (the only thing it is missing is an index). Other books on the market are more limited in scope: some simply summarize the myriad benefits of a URP as a high-impact practice; others give specific examples of open problems in mathematics that are accessible to undergraduate students; yet others help students navigate their way through the undergraduate research experiences, as well as introduce higher levels of mathematics as a 'boot camp' to help students jump in. This book alone offers complete support to faculty in establishing a new URP, including a wide variety of useful examples and links to more information.
-- J. W. Gaberdiel, MAA Reviews
This book is a wonderful resource for those interested in engaging undergraduates in research. The authors' extensive experience in mentoring undergraduates in research is evident throughout.
-- Joseph A. Gallian, Director of the University of Minnesota Duluth REU, Former President of MAA, Former Director of MAA Project NExT
You do not need to be a mathematician to appreciate “A Mathematician's Practical Guide to Mentoring Undergraduate Research”. The book is filled with useful information, advice, and ideas for faculty engaging in undergraduate research based on the most successful ideas from the undergraduate research community.
-- Julio Rivera, Emeritus President of the Council on Undergraduate Research
A remarkably entertaining compendium of useful information for anyone interested in mentoring undergraduates in mathematical research. With wisdom gathered over their collective decades of experience, the authors provide a complete starter kit for successful undergraduate research groups in the mathematical sciences.
-- Kathryn Leonard, Director of the Center for Undergraduate Research in Mathematics at Occidental College
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
A Mathematician's Practical Guide to Mentoring Undergraduate Research
- Cover Cover11
- Title page iii5
- Copyright iv6
- Contents v7
- Teach Them to Fish vii9
- Foreword xi13
- About this book xiii15
- Acknowledgments xvii19
- Chapter 1. Why should undergraduatesdo research? 121
- Chapter 2. A beginner’s guide to mentoring undergraduates in research 1131
- 2.1. The six fundamental steps 1131
- 2.2. Step 1: Picking an appropriate research problem 1333
- 2.3. Step 2: Recruiting and selecting students to mentor 1535
- 2.4. Step 3: Setting expectations and dealing with group dynamics 1737
- 2.5. Step 4: Starting the research and moving it forward 1838
- 2.6. Step 5: Helping students develop communication skills 2141
- 2.7. Step 6: Preparing for the future 2242
- Chapter 3. Choosing appropriateresearch problems 2545
- Chapter 4. Choosing students and managing group dynamics 4363
- 4.1. Where can I find students to work with on research? 4363
- 4.2. How can I choose research students from a bigger pool of potential researchers? 4666
- 4.3. Discussing expectations and group dynamics 4767
- 4.4. Working with students from underrepresented minority groups 4969
- 4.5. Individual and group dynamic scenarios 5373
- Chapter 5. Helping students communicate their results 6181
- Chapter 6. How to write a successful grant proposal and get fundingfor undergraduate research 85105
- 6.1. Having a great idea 86106
- 6.2. Building a track record 88108
- 6.3. Finding sources for funding 91111
- 6.4. Matching your idea with an appropriate funding opportunity 97117
- 6.5. Writing a clear and persuasive proposal 98118
- 6.6. Writing a budget 103123
- 6.7. Submitting your proposal 104124
- 6.8. Aftermath 105125
- Chapter 7. Summer REU Programs 107127
- Chapter 8. Assessment of undergraduate research programs 125145
- Chapter 9. The future of undergraduate research: Enhancing curricula,building partnerships, launching careers 137157
- 9.1. The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) 137157
- 9.2. Integrating and building undergraduate research into curriculumand coursework 141161
- 9.3. Careers for mathematics majors and innovation and collaborationin undergraduate research 146166
- 9.4. Internationalization and undergraduate research 155175
- 9.5. Other future directions 160180
- 9.6. Conclusion 164184
- Appendix A. Sample Grant Proposals 165185
- Appendix B. Acronyms 199219
- Bibliography 203223
- Back Cover Back Cover1232