Undergraduate research program opens students' eyes
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:
"I can do anything."
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.
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.
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.
Classes are the typical graduate-level courses with an emphasis in math/biology, said Shanae Blunt, MTBI Coordinator.
In addition to taking classes, students team up for research projects on topics of their choosing.
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.”
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.
"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."
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.
"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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
"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."