Dear Math Honors Students,

If you will have finished a research project (here or at another REU) by
the end of the summer and are interested in giving a talk at the Young
Mathematicians Conference at Ohio State University on August 27-29 then
read on (especially including the application hints at the bottom of this
message)....

The conference is an excellent chance to present your research and be seen
by both mathematicians and other students, get more information about
graduate school, get yourself noticed (which could help you get graduate
assistantships and fellowships), and learn some mathematics being done by
other students. As long as you are accepted to give at least a 10 minute
talk (not a poster session!), your travel and lodging expenses will be
fully covered. If at least 2 or 3 of you are accepted, I may also go to
the conference.

If you are interested in going, time is short. You will need to contact
your research adviser to coordinate with possible other presenters from
your research group. Application materials and other information are
available at:

http://www.ymc.osu.edu/2010/index.php

Even though the deadline is August 2, I urge you to apply ASAP--sometimes
the organizers of such conferences will look at applications as they come
in, and if yours arrives with the flood that will happen 2-3 days before
the deadline it might not get as much attention.

Application Hints:

(1) If you decide to apply, let me know ASAP.

(2) You should apply for a Report Talk for one or two people. Choose two
people only if you have a research partner on the same project and the two
of you would like to share a 20 minute slot. You may apply for a poster
talk, but the math honors grant will not provide any funding for travel to
give a poster talk, and you will have to rely on whatever the conference
will provide for you.

(3) On the application form there is a section for alternate funding. You
should choose the option that says you have full funding but only for the
primary presentation type. What this means is that the math honors grant
will pay for any travel expenses that the conference does not pay
for--provided you are invited to give a Report Talk. If you are willing to
spend your own money to give a poster talk then you could choose one of
the other options. But to get math honors funding you must be invited to
give a Report Talk for one or two people.

(4) I strongly urge you to have your research adviser help you with, and
review the final version of, your abstract.

(5) If you are accepted, let me know immediately so travel and funding
issues may be worked out.


Conrad Plaut
Professor, Director of UT Math Honors
Math Department
Aconda Ct. 104
1534 Cumberland Ave.
University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN 37996-0612

Office: Aconda Ct. 401A
Phone: 865-974-4319
http://web.utk.edu/~cplaut