Mathematics of Planet Earth

This program, sponsored by AIM and the NSF, seeks graduate and undergraduate students for the Mathematics and Climate Research Network summer school and academic year engagement program. This program begins with a summer school in July, 2019 and continues with an online engagement in group work over the academic year. The goal is the completion of a research project by the end of the 2019-2020 academic year with a poster or oral presentation at a conference. We anticipate that most projects will also lead to a publication.

The projects are intended to complement the students’ on-campus activity or even synergize with it. For instance, for an undergraduate, it could become a senior thesis as well. For graduate students, it could be a master’s thesis, or even part of their PhD research. To enable this, we are particularly interested in students who have the support of their advisors during the program and we would welcome the involvement of their advisors either in the projects or keeping abreast of their student’s work in the program and mentoring them jointly with the program instructors.

Each project will be mathematical and based on a problem that arises, broadly speaking, in climate science and/or sustainability studies. No prior knowledge will be assumed but a willingness to learn quickly and an eagerness to get to a serious research project during the year is a must.

Themes for 2019:

Tipping points in climate and weather systems (Silber and Gemmer)
Data assimilation for ocean and sea ice models (Jones and Van Vleck)

Summer School: This will last two weeks: July 22-August 2. The first week be online and you can participate from anywhere. This will consist of lectures, online group meetings and problem-solving activities. The second week will be held in Asheville, NC. Accommodation and travel will be covered for accepted students.

Follow-up Group Work: Weekly online meetings will be held during Fall, 2019 with the goal of refining the research projects and communally seeking out all the information and background needed to tackle the problem. Small groups will be formed at the end of the Fall semester, each with a specific research project. During Spring 2020, the small groups will meet online as needed and complete their project.

Presentation: A presentation, usually in the form of a poster, will be expected over the Spring/Summer/Fall 2020. This could be at, for instance, the SIAM Annual meeting, or the SIAM-MPE meeting.

Application: Interested students should submit an application by March 25, 2019 at the link below. You will need to upload a statement of interest that includes links to: (1) a description of your career stage (your CV), and (2) a letter of support from your advisor.

There are only a small number of slots and preference will be given to students with advisors who are interested in supporting their students in this endeavor. All travel support will be provided as well as a modest stipend.