TRIPODS NSF
REU-STEM FOR ALL 2022
NEURAL
NETWORKS, JULY 18-AUGUST 12, 2022
urstemforall2022@gmail.com
Application Deadline:
While the application deadline has passed, StemForAll is
an on-going program! Please contact me at the email
address above if you are interesting in getting involved
in undergraduate mathematics research!

Overview:
One of the most beautiful ideas generated by modern science in
the past few decades is the concept of neural nets, a
computational framework that imitates the workings of the
human brain. These networks have been used to understand the
outcome of scientific experiments, make weather prediction and
political forecasts and even aid mathematical research. In
this program, we are going to take a comprehensive approach to
neural nets, with focus on both the theoretical and applied
aspects of this beautiful emerging discipline. To this end, we
are going to develop the basic theory of neural nets in the
mornings, followed by intensive programming sessions in the
afternoons. We are looking for participants who are equally
excited about the pure and applied aspects of data science-
those who are just as willing to delve into the mathematical
intricacies as they are to write complex code to implement the
resulting ideas.
The program is particularly focused on recruiting participants
who are women and members of underrepresented groups.
In addition to the research aspects, the program will also
have an outreach component. A small group of middle school
students from the inner city Rochester schools will be exposed
to mathematical explorations using python. The participants in
the program will be asked to assist in this wonderful and
rewarding process.
Structure of the TRIPODS REU program:
The Tripods REU program is conducted under the auspices of
the Tripods
NSF grant. The Principal Investigator at the University
of Rochester is Mujdat
Cetin, and the Principal Investigator at Cornell is David
Matteson.
The basic structure of the REU is the following. The
participants are going to be selected in the last week of
February 2022. They will be asked to learn the background
material prior to the start of the program. To this end, they
will be provided with notes, videos and computer code that
will give them the necessary skills for the research phase of
the program. Regular (hybrid) meetings will be held starting
in March 2022, to reinforce the material. Early in May 2022,
the participants will be given a description of the research
projects, and they will be asked to make a preliminary
selection within a few weeks, at which point they will begin
hybrid meetings with their research group. The composition of
the research groups will remain in flux until the first few
days of the program in July 2022, to give the participants an
opportunity to explore several different groups and get a
better feel for the projects.
The program is going to run for four weeks, July 18-August 12,
2022. The program will run in person in Rochester, NY.
Fifteen (15) Tripods NSF participants will be accepted and
each is going to receive a $1600 stipend for successfully
completing the program. The application procedure is described
below. The application deadline is February 21, 2022.
Once the preliminary phase of the program starts in late
April, 2022, after the selection process is finalized, a
variety of study materials will be placed on the following
website: Tripods2022 Study
Materials.
Structure of the STEM FOR ALL 2022 program:
Several mini-courses in a variety of areas of mathematics
are going to run July 18-August 12, 2022. These will be
announced in the coming weeks and months. Each mini-course is
going to focus on computational aspects of one or more of the
advanced undergraduate courses at the University of Rochester.
A broader question that is going to be asked is, how can
modern data science techniques contribute to the understanding
of a given set of concepts in mathematics, and vice-versa. A
limited amount of financial support for STEM FOR ALL 2022
participants has been secured from University of Rochester. If
you need financial support to participate in the program,
please indicate this in your application.
TRIPODS/STEM FOR ALL 2022 TEAM: (this list will
increase in the coming weeks and months)
Coordinator and organizer: Alex Iosevich,
(University of Rochester), co-I of the Tripods NSF grant, and
Azita Mayeli (CUNY)
Co-organizers: Ayla Gafni (University of Mississippi),
Alex Iosevich (University of Rochester), Mandar Juvekar
(Boston University), Scott Kirila (Parker Avery), Steven
Kleene (University of Rocester), Azita Mayeli (CUNY), Yujia
Zhai (University of Nantes), Charles Wolf (University of
Rochester), Emmett Wyman (University of Rochester).
Faculty mentors: Yesim Demiroglu (CalTech)
Industry advisory panel: Georgiy Arutyunyants,
Ph.D. in Mathematics (Parker Avery), Michael Mugo, Ph.D. in
Statistics (Walmart), Erin Terwilleger Ph.D. in Mathematics
(Parker Avery), Daili Zhang, Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering
(Walmart)
Mini-courses (July 18-22): We are going to run four crash-courses on linear
algebra, probability, basic inequalities and multi-variable
calculus. You will be provided with the resources to implement
at least some of the concepts you are going to cover in
python. You will be expected to go over the material and work
on the python implementation every day after the lectures.
Linear Algebra (Week 1)
Instructor: Ayla Gafni
Time: 1.00-2.30 p.m.
Probability (Week 1)
Instructor: Emmett Wyman
Time: 10.00-11.30 a.m.
Basic inequalities (Week 1)
Instructor: Alex Iosevich
Time: 8.00-9.30 a.m.
Multi-variable calculus (Week 1)
Instructor: Steven Kleene
Time: 3.00-4.30 p.m.
Schedule:
First
week: 8 a.m. - 4.30 p.m. Mini-courses (see above)
Second, Third and Fourth weeks: 8 a.m. - 9.30 a.m.
mini-courses, and research the rest of the day!
Special events:
Industry Advisory Panel (see above):
Wednesday, August 10, 1.00 p.m. EST
Tripods/StemForAll2022
Projects and Supplementary Materials
The following are the requirements for applying to the
TRIPODS REU 2022: (the application deadline is February 21,
2022)
i) The applicant must be a U.S. Citizen or a permanent
resident. If you are not a U.S. Citizen or a permanent
resident, you can still apply to this program under the
auspices of STEM FOR ALL 2022 (see below)
ii) The applicant must be an undergraduate student at the
University of Rochester, Cornell University, or a college or
university in the Rochester area
ii)i Good knowledge of linear algebra and multi-variable
calculus
iv) Good knowledge of mathematical analysis at the level of
Rudin's "Principles of Mathematical Analysis" book or
equivalent
v) Good knowledge of elementary probability, including moment
generating functions, central limit theorem and related
concepts
vi) Proficiency in python programming, including knowledge of
numpy and other computational packages
vii) Willingness to prepare for the program diligently by
reading the introductory materials and carefully going over
the python code depository that will be prepared ahead of the
program
To apply, please send an email to
urstemforall2022@gmail.com by February 21, 2022 with the
subject heading "Application to TRIPODS REU 2022" containing
the following information:
i) Official college transcript
ii) One letter of recommendation from a mathematics
instructor, preferably from an upper division course, and one
from a computer programming instructor. The letters should be
emailed by the letter writers directly to
urstemforall2022@gmail.com.
iii) A page-long statement describing your interest in the
program and future plans.