Applied Math Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (AM-SURE)
The Summer 2023 application form is now closed.
Information for applicants
What: An in-person summer research program for undergraduate students interested in applied mathematics, both modeling and simulation. The main goal is for each student to complete a research project under the joint guidance of graduate students, postdocs, and faculty in the mathematics department at NYU. Some projects will involve theoretical modeling and computer simulation, and others may involve Courant's Applied Math Lab, where students will help conduct experiments to validate models and simulations. The program will include a set of coherent activities such as frequent group academic meetings and social gatherings. Students will be given office space and computational resources to complete their projects. It is important to note AM-SURE is not an REU program; our program is smaller and less funded / structured than a typical REU program, and is primarly meant for NYU students, even though we admit US students from other institutions.
Here is a list of projects and research reports for past AM-SURE research programs.
When: May 22 - July 28 2023 (10 weeks)
Who: Upper-level undergraduates (primarily juniors, though seniors or strong sophomores may apply too.) Students should have have excellent mathematical ability, strong computational skills, an interest in physical modeling, and a creative and independent approach to problem-solving. All undergraduate students from any major, year, or university are welcome to apply, provided they are US citizens or permanent residents. Non-US citizens may apply too provided they are a student at NYU or one of its associated campuses.
Expectations: Students must commit to be full-time research and to be present for the entire duration of the program. There will be frequent group meetings that students will be expected to attend. Students will keep a "lab" report, and will give presentations on their work at the end of the summer; NYU students will also be expected to present in the NYU math department Fall undergraduate research gathering. Students will receive a salary comparable to full-time employment at ~$15 per hour ($6,250 for 10 weeks).
How to apply: Fill out an application form by Tuesday, March 1. If you are accepted you will hear back by the end of March.
Questions? Please contact Prof. Aleksandar Donev (donev at cims dot nyu).
FAQ:
- Do I have to find a mentor and research project before applying?
No. You are neither expected nor encouraged to. You will be matched with a project and mentor (with some room for input) at the start of the program.
- Can I apply as a team?
No. We only accept applications from individuals, not from teams. If you are involved in a team project, please describe your individual contributions to that project.
- Is housing provided?
No. You are expected to find your own housing. You can find out about on-campus housing options here and off-campus options here.
- When will I hear back about my application?
We will begin emailing applicants in mid-March. We will know our final decisions by mid-April. You will receive an email from the math department once we have made our final decisions.
Information for admitted students
After receiving your initial notification of admittance, you will receive a formal offer letter.
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The program is full time (~40h week, M-F), May 22 - July 28 2023 (10 weeks); students are expected to participate in the program throughout its duration. The salary is $6,250 for the 10 weeks, payed in three installments.
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Please let us know by Monday, March 27 whether you accept our admission offer.
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Travel expenses to and from NYU will be reimbursed for students not already living in NYC, for reasonably-priced economy class travel (including one checked bag) purchased about one month before travel. For more information email Aleks Donev.
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Non NYU students have to register with an NYU office via a web form. They will be enrolled in a zero course credit for the summer term at NYU. NYU students will be able to enroll as well if they wish for the program to show up on their transcript.
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In mid to late April, we (the organizers) will solicit proposals for research projects from faculty and postdoctoral research at the institute (faculty may co-advise with a senior graduate student and/or a postdoc). Each project will give a description of the problem, typical tasks involved in the research, a set of expectations/deliverables, a list of reading materials, and required skills (e.g., programming languages). We will compile that list and send to all admitted students. Students will rank the proposals in order of preference, and we will then match students to projects as best as possible. You will know your assigned project in early May. If a student is already working on research with a mentor that will be around during the program, they can continue to work on it with the approval of the mentor.
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You are welcome to (but not required to) contact potential mentors you may be interested in working with ahead of time, and the mentor can then submit a project proposal. Feel free to contact faculty via email. The faculty member does not have to be in the mathematics department; typically we have some advisors from Computer Science and the Center for Data Science, and mentors can also be from the Tandon School of Engineering or a science department at NYU.
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Students from outside of NYU that need financial aid for housing costs should obtain a letter from the financial aid office at their university stating that paying $5,000 for summer housing would present a financial burden. We understand this letter may be challenging to get and we will work with you, but we cannot verify financial need status ourselves -- it has to come from your university. Note that neither campus housing nor financial aid is guaranteed, but we will do our best to ensure everyone admitted into the program has the opportunity to attend.