Undergraduate research program opens students' eyes

September 15, 2008

After Helme Castro spent eight weeks studying mathematics and theoretical biology at ASU this summer, and completing a research  project titled "A Cyclical Model Approach to the Nemesis of Consciousness: Alzheimer's," which modeled biological dynamics of  Alzheimer’s, he had a starling conclusion:<separator></separator>"I can do anything."<separator></separator>Castro, a Native American from Ecuador whose first language is Quecha, could be the poster student for ASU's annual Mathematical and Theoretical Biology Institute's Summer Undergraduate Research Program.<separator></separator>MTBI, directed by Carlos Castillo-Chavez, brings between 24-30 undergraduate students to the Tempe campus for a rigorous course of  study and research, with the purpose of motivating minority students --  including women -- to consider graduate study in mathematics and  theoretical biology.  <separator></separator>This year's students hailed from across the United States and  came from as far away as India, Korea and South Africa. Each U.S. student  receives room and board and a $3,000 stipend.<separator></separator>Classes are the typical graduate-level courses with an emphasis in math/biology, said Shanae Blunt, MTBI Coordinator.<separator></separator> In addition to  taking classes, students team up for research projects on topics of  their choosing.<separator></separator>The projects this year had such titles as "A Mechanism  for Stabilizing Oscillations in Certain Nonlinear Systems Possessing  Different Time Scales”; “The Effects of Estrogen and Chemotherapy on the  Dynamics of Invasive Carcinoma of Breast Cancer Patients”; and “The  Effects of Maternal Age on the Prevalence of Autism.”<separator></separator>Following a colloquium at ASU where they shared their research, the students traveled with their posters to Montreal, Canada, to present  the work to their peers and science researchers at the Society for  Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) conference.<separator></separator>"Several posters  won awards of recognition," Blunt said. "Taking the students to compete  against their peers encourages them to think about a doctoral degree. A  lot of students don't think about graduate school."<separator></separator>When the students  were asked what they learned after the eight weeks was over, "ninety  percent said that they never thought they could do such work," said  Blunt. “They’ve never had the opportunity, and they've never been  challenged.<separator></separator>"The quality of the research work easily compares to that of a MS thesis and has often resulted in refereed publications at leading journals. The National Science Foundation, The National Security  Agency, the Alfred T Sloan Foundation and the Office of the Provost at  ASU have been strong supporter of these efforts.”<separator></separator>MTBI's research experience has helped ASU recruit 35 students for its  graduate programs--a group that currently includes 22 students in the  new degree in applied mathematics in the life and social sciences and 10  in the mathematics, statistics and mathematics education.<separator></separator>Castillo-Chavez brought MTBI with him in 2004 when he came from Cornell  University to ASU. In its first 12 years, MTBI sent 153 students to graduate school, with 120 of those students from underrepresented  minority groups, and has sent 56 women into PhD programs.<separator></separator>Castro, from  the northern part of Ecuador, is an ASU student whose mother worked at  ASU as an outreach coordinator for the Center for Latin American  Research for three years before returning to Ecuador. He applied for  MTBI at Castillo-Chavez's urging, and says he is "really happy" that he did.<separator></separator>Not only did he learn that he can stretch academically, but he gained a wider perspective on his major field of study -- material  science and engineering.<separator></separator>"Prof. Castillo-Chavez wants you to have a  well-rounded balance in your life. This helped me not to polarize my goals and knowledge. I also made some really good friends."