Bryan Summer Research Program

Program Description

The Dr. Albert H. & Greta A. Bryan Summer Research Program in Mathematics is an opportunity to spend eight weeks of the summer engaging in mathematics at Simpson College. Each summer six students are selected to work on undergraduate research projects with Simpson College faculty members. Each student receives a stipend and paid on-campus housing during the program. In addition, the students receive funding to present their results at a national mathematics conference.

Tentative 2025 Program Dates

  • Bryan Summer Research Program: May 5-June 27, 2025
  • Conference Presentation: August 6-9, 2025 at MathFest in Sacramento, California

 

Research Topics and Faculty Advisors

There will be two research projects this summer (pending continued funding).

  • Adam Brustkern (Professor of Chemistry) will lead a project on modeling the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease in Iowa whitetail deer.
  • Shekoofe Saadat (Assistant Professor of Exercise Science) will lead a project on transferring a MATLAB program for motion data analysis to Python.

The two research groups will give at least three talks at Simpson College: At the conclusion of the program in Summer 2025, at the Summer Research Symposium in Fall 2025, at the Midwest Undergraduate Mathematics Symposium and at the Simpson College Undergraduate Research Symposium in Spring 2026.  They will also travel to present at MathFest (a national math conference) in Sacramento, CA on August 6-9, 2025.

To apply for the program, a student must satisfy the following requirements:

  1. Plan to graduate from Simpson College no earlier than April 2027, OR be a transfer student in your first summer as a Simpson student.
  2. Declared a major in Mathematics, Actuarial Science, or Data Science.
  3. Commit at least 40 hours each week for the dates listed above. A participant may take a class or have a part-time job only if approved by their faculty advisor.
  4. Participate in all required activities during and after the program, including making several presentations throughout the subsequent academic year.
  5. Attendance at MathFest in Sacramento, CA August 6-9, 2025 is a requirement for Bryan Summer Research Program groups.

Applicants must submit paper copies of both a mathematical resume and a personal statement by 3:30pm on Friday, March 14. A description of the information that should be included in each of these documents appears below. The mathematics department will meet to review the applications and applicants will be notified by Friday, March 28.

Mathematical Resume

Your mathematical resume should contain the following information:

  • Overall GPA and your GPA in the Mathematics, Actuarial Science, or Data Science major (this information can be found on your degree audit).
  • All declared majors and minors. List of the mathematics courses you have completed and are currently enrolled in.
  • All participation in mathematics department activities.
  • Participation in other relevant activities since arriving at Simpson College.
  • The name and office phone number of one Simpson College faculty member who is not in the mathematics department to serve as a reference.

Your personal statement should contain the following information and should be no longer than two pages.

  • Why should you be selected to participate in the program?
  • How would you benefit from participating in the program?
  • What special skills would you bring to your research team?
  • What are your goals for the summer?
  • What are your career plans and/or graduate school plans?
  • Briefly describe your level of interest in each project. Clearly indicate your order of preference.