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An intensive four-week summer mathematics program for eighteen talented undergraduate women will take place at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, June 22 - July 20, 2008. The courses will be in dynamical systems, taught by Karen Brucks of The University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, and in topology, taught by Erica Flapan of Pomona College. The students will immerse themselves in mathematics, living and working in a supportive community of women scholars (undergraduates, graduates, and post-graduates) who are passionate about learning and doing mathematics. The program's intent is three-fold: to excite these young women about mathematics and mathematical careers, to provide them with the tools they will need to succeed in a mathematical career, and to connect them with a network of fellow female mathematicians.

Eligibility: To be eligible for this program, applicants must be female mathematics students who are finishing their first or second year of undergraduate work,  who have completed linear algebra but have not completed more than one year of mathematics past linear algebra, and who are U. S. citizens. (If you are a junior and interested in a summer program in mathematics for women, you might consider The George Washington University Summer Program for Women.)

Program Structure: In each of their two classes, the students will be introduced to fields of mathematics beyond calculus that students usually do not have the opportunity to study in a standard undergraduate mathematics program. Through these courses, and the homework assigned in them, the students will have the opportunity to improve their skills in conjecture and proof, writing mathematics, and giving presentations. Students will not receive course credit for, or grades in, these courses. Each student will receive, at the close of the program, written evaluation from her instructors of her performance and accomplishments. Students selected for this program will receive a $1600 stipend, campus room and board, and a travel allowance. Carleton College is a premier liberal arts college located in scenic, rural Northfield, Minnesota, one hour south of Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Other Activities: Recreational problem solving will be offered each Monday evening for those students who want to work on solving interesting problems of a variety of difficulty levels. Each Tuesday afternoon there will be a discussion on a topic pertaining to the students' continued scholarship: succeeding as a math major; career options in the mathematical sciences; and choosing,surviving, and succeeding in a graduate program. Each Tuesday and Thursday there will be a colloquium on a stimulating area of mathematics.  The weekends will be reserved for homework, social gatherings and outings such as tubing, canoeing, watching a ball game, or wandering around Minneapolis. As a special treat, at the end of the second week, former SMP participants who now hold PhDs in mathematics or mathematical sciences will return to Carleton for our 2nd annual SMPosium.


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