Mathematics – Previato
Professor Emma Previato
ep@bu.edu
617-353-2560
Options: UROP, Volunteer
Research Interests/Project Posting
Emma Previato
Coding Theory and Cryptography or Graph Theory and Combinatorics
Methods involve using a combination of algebra and geometry: no prerequisites
I do not need students’ work for my purposes. I simply love showing research to
students and seeing them actively involved, getting results and writing papers,
going to fun meetings like MathFest and giving presentations. I’ve enjoyed
supervising a number of dissertations (Work-for-Distinction MA401-402) and would
be glad to discuss such a project, including other areas (applied mathematics,
mathematical physics, e.g.).
I am the advisor of the BU Student Chapter of the Mathematical Association of
America www.maa.org and will be glad to assist you if you are interested in
joining our SAO Chapter at Boston University or the national society
IMPORTANT NOTE ON FUNDING:
(1) If you wish to submit your application to UROP you need to develop it;
typically this necessitates working on it: it would not be appropriate that you
e-mailed me the night before the UROP deadline, or on a similar timeframe.
(2) If you are a US citizen, and are willing to make a substantial commitment to
mathematics, I can apply for REU supplement out of my NSF grant; the amount is
flexible but comparable to UROP funding. Firstly, this involves developing a
knowledge of the mathematical techniques you are interested in: Algebra and/or
Geometry are the ones I use in my work, but I am really interested also in
Applied Mathematics (Modeling, Differential Equations), and Computer Science
(Visualization, Complexity) and would be able to guide you in the basic learning
and selection of an appropriate open problem. Secondly, you would need to
struggle with the problem for a little while and propose your original ideas for
solution (e.g., experiments; combining results from different areas;
conjecturing the existence of a pattern, etc.) Lastly, I would write the
official NSF proposal (undergraduate supplements have a rolling deadline, I can
do it at any time and I would have high chances of success) but the funding
would not begin immediately: I would estimate at least six months from
submission to availability.
(3) There is an internal application I can make by October 2009 to the Provost’s
Office for a small stipend for an undergraduate; the typical request level is
comparable to a work-study pay, and it may be cut back; I was awarded this in
the past and the student loved the project but the funding was on the scale of a
small prize. These must be extremely competitive and innovative projects, with
high chances of success and product delivery. They can be designed at will but
they must be focused on Education of the type that is transferable to a College
classroom where it should bring innovative techniques and opportunities for the
students to be involved in current mathematical research. I am open to ideas,
but they must come from you. The one I had created and was funded was the
design of a new course which combines coding theory and cryptography. The role
of the student was that of educating himself, non-technically, on the current
status of these two (separate) areas and bring them together in a step-by-step
fashion that could be taught without prerequisites and reach substantial
scientific goals.