Mathematics Summer Research Programme 2023-4
Each year, the University of Birmingham (UoB) School of Mathematics offers paid research opportunities to undergraduate students. This Summer Research Programme gives a formal framework for the School to connect interested second and third year students with academic supervisors, to undertake 6-week long research projects over the summer.
Why do a summer project?
This is an opportunity for undergraduate students to experience a taste of academic research in the mathematical sciences. We offer many potential projects from a large number of supervisors across the breadth of research areas in the School: you can find these in the Projects for 2023-4 section below.
You can learn more deeply about a specific topic and carry out exciting, topical research in the area. We expect supervisors and their students to have regular meaningful contact (an average of at least 1 hour per week meeting in person/online is the minimum expected) for the duration of the project.
In particular, if you’re considering further study in mathematics, whether it be at Master’s or PhD level, this can be a good way to get firsthand experience to inform your decision, or to bolster your application.
After completing your research, the final components of the summer project will be to write a short report on the work conducted, as well as to share your research in a short talk as part of a Presentation Day which will be open to all members of the School of Mathematics. Dissemination is an integral part of research, and developing these skills will also help you in your future studies (e.g. Year 4 MSci project and Year 3 Research Skills in Mathematics) and beyond.
A testimonial from a student who took part in a past round of summer projects:
“I wouldn't be able to imagine giving a talk in math three years ago. It was UoB that gave me confidence and showed me the magic in math. [My supervisor] and the project made me believe that I can do things that are heavy in math! I will certainly carry these assets with me all the way in the future.”
Of course, this experience is also useful for building your CV. As well as applying for funding from the School of Maths, UK-based students can also apply for bursaries from the London Mathematical Society. This external source of funding is a prestigious award for which the competition is open across the UK, and would be an excellent addition to your CV: for more information, see Eligibility & Funding below.
Projects for 2023-4
List of possible projects and supervisors for 2023-4 (last updated 18 Mar 24; pdf) (word)
Before submitting an application to the Summer Research Programme, students must make contact with the academic supervisor they are seeking to work with: see How to apply below.
Eligibility & Funding
Who can apply?
The Summer Research Programme is open to UoB undergraduate students studying mathematics:
B15 students (i.e. students studying on the Edgbaston campus): those currently in their second year, and those in their third year who are continuing in mathematics education next academic year.
J-BJI students: those currently in their third year.
In order to be considered for the Undergraduate Research Bursary (URB) schemes described in Funding sources below:
Applicants to the School of Mathematics URB scheme will normally be expected to be on track for a 2.1 or First Class degree.
Applicants to the London Mathematical Society URB scheme (UK-based only) will normally be expected to be on track for a First Class degree.
Funding sources
The two sources of funding that support our programme are:
UoB School of Mathematics Undergraduate Research Bursaries (SoM URB)
[for B15 applicants only] London Mathematical Society Undergraduate Research Bursaries in Mathematics (LMS URB)
Students who apply for an LMS URB through the Summer Research Programme will be automatically considered for an SoM URB, except that those students who have previously been awarded a SoM URB will not normally be eligible to receive a further SoM URB.
To apply for one or both URB schemes through our Summer Research Programme, see How to apply below.
Under either URB scheme, successful applicants will receive a bursary of £291 per week, i.e. £1,746 in total for the 6-week project.
The School of Mathematics has committed to match-funding any successful applicants to the LMS URB from the Summer Research Programme, so that they will receive the same total amount of funding as those in receipt of an SoM URB.
Selection criteria
More applications for are expected to be received than funded places are available. The scheme is competitive, and applications will be judged primarily on the quality and merits of the student, their suitability for the proposed project, and the experience the student is likely to have whilst working on it. From the LMS URB Guidelines for 2024:
“Preference will be given to:
Students who are expected to achieve a first-class degree, who are considering a career in research, but who have not yet had an opportunity to experience research.
Research projects that have a clearly defined objective which is achievable by the student in the time available.
Projects which give scope for thought and initiative on the part of the student and do not use the student as a general assistant.”
We recommend that you carefully read the LMS URB Assessment Guidance. In particular, supervisors should discuss the project in detail with the student who should also contribute to the project design.
The SoM URB selection criteria follow similar guiding principles. You may find the following points useful to consider when putting together your application:
Do you have the relevant prerequisites for the project, if any?
How did you perform in any relevant modules that have been taken?Can you demonstrate motivation for the project, and describe how you will benefit from this experience?
How does doing a summer research project fit in with your future plans?In discussion with the proposed supervisor:
Will the proposed aims of the project be feasible within the given timeframe?
Can the research goals be suitably adapted depending on how the project progresses?
How might the experience still be beneficial even if not all of the aims are achieved?
How to apply
Students from backgrounds that are typically under-represented in Mathematics (e.g., but not limited to, students with disabilities, students from ethnic minority backgrounds, female and non-binary students, first-generation students, students from the LGBTQ+ community) are strongly encouraged to apply.
To apply to the Summer Research Programme:
Look at the list of projects for 2023-4, and contact the supervisor(s) whose project(s) you would like to pursue.
Discuss with the supervisor:
Possible research directions and aims for the project.
Your interest, suitability and background for the proposed topics.
When the project will take place. The supervisor and student should agree on a 6-week period during Summer 2024. Weeks need not be consecutive but must finish by the start of the 2024-5 academic year (approx. late September 2024).
If you wish to apply for an LMS URB, whether supervisor will support the application.
If you are a B15 student:
For your first-preference project, decide whether to apply for an LMS URB or only an SoM URB (see Funding sources for more information).
Second-preference projects, if any, will be considered only for an SoM URB.
If you wish to apply for an LMS URB:
You must confirm with the supervisor that they are willing to support your application. Supervisors may only support at most one application to the LMS URB scheme.
You will also need to provide contact details for an academic referee who is not the project supervisor (e.g. tutor or another academic who you have regular contact with). You must confirm that they are willing to write a supporting statement for you if needed.
The involvement we will need from supervisors and academic referees in January 2024 is described in the LMS URB applications section below.
All students: submit an application form by the relevant deadline. These should be submitted by the student, not the supervisor.
B15 students wishing to apply for an LMS URB: application form (for LMS URB)
All other students: application form (non-LMS URB)
Pdf versions of each form have been provided here (for LMS URB, non-LMS URB) so that you can see all of the questions that you need to prepare for, before beginning your application.
London Mathematical Society UG Research Bursary (LMS URB) applications
Applications to the LMS URB scheme require support from the Head of School, and each institution may only submit a maximum of 6 applications.
The Summer Research Programme Selection Committee will assess those applications to the Programme from B15 students wishing to apply for an LMS URB, and then contact the supervisors and academic referees for those projects which the School will support. This will take place in the second half of January 2024.
Those supervisors (not the students) will then be required to submit an LMS online application form by Thursday 1 February 2024; a supporting statement from the academic referee will be required as part of this application.
Further instructions and guidance will be provided in due course.
Please note that each supervisor may only support at most one application to the LMS URB scheme, and that it must be an individual project. (The same supervisor may additionally supervise SoM URB-funded students.)
Postdoctoral researchers and new lecturers early in their careers are also encouraged to apply, and should note this on the LMS application form.
School of Mathematics UG Research Bursary (SoM URB)-only applications
Other than conducting discussions with students as described above, no additional actions are required from supervisors for the application process.
The Summer Research Programme Selection Committee will assess all student applications and then allocate bursaries under the SoM URB scheme. Supervisors will then be contacted in order to finalise allocations of funded students; we expect this to take place in March 2024.
Deadlines
The deadline for B15 students wishing to apply for an LMS URB is Monday 15 January 2024, 09:00 GMT.
The deadline for B15 students wishing to apply only for an SoM URB, and J-BJI students, is Friday 22 March 2024, 17:00 GMT. [Note: the deadline has been extended.]
Late applications will not be considered.
LMS URB funding decisions are expected to be made by Monday 1 April 2024. The Summer Research Programme aims to communicate all funding decisions (i.e. both SoM and LMS URB) to students shortly after, together with information on which supervisor and project they have been allocated if funded. We will endeavour to allocate first-preference projects where possible.
What happens next?
Students who have successfully applied for funding should receive their bursary by 1 July 2024.
Supervisors and funded students should decide on some practical details, including:
Where multiple students successfully receive funding to work with the same supervisor, group and/or individual projects may be undertaken, to be agreed upon by the supervisor and students involved. LMS URB-funded students must undertake individual projects.
How and when regular project meetings are conducted.
After the completion of the project, students should submit a short report and prepare a short presentation on the work that they have conducted. LMS URB-funded students should submit a final report and financial statement to the LMS by 30 September 2024.
Further guidance will be provided in due course.
Other information
In the 2022-3 round, directed by Dr Yuzhao Wang, 20 School of Maths students across the B15 campus and the Jinan-Birmingham Joint Institute completed summer research projects in mathematics, with eight out of the 20 projects being undertaken by female students. Of the students based in the UK, three were successfully supported by LMS Undergraduate Research Bursaries, jointly with the School of Mathematics. Find out more about the 2022-3 Presentation Day.
Some useful links:
Additional sources of work experience funding, in particular the EPSRC Vacation Internship scheme: for full details please see their application guidance document for 2024.
Contact
If you have any queries about the 2023-4 round of the Summer Research Programme, or wish to withdraw your application, please contact Dr Stacey Law at: s dot law at bham dot ac dot uk.
Last updated: 3 May 2024.
Updates to this webpage:
[30/11/23] Regarding the requirement for projects to finish by the start of the 2024-5 academic year, note added above to say that we expect projects to finish by approximately late September 2024.
[14/02/24] School of Mathematics URB deadline extended from Friday 1 March to Friday 22 March 17:00 GMT.
[14/02/24] List of available projects updated (new projects added).
[20/02/24] Projects offered by J. Sun: 3SI/3AS no longer required as prerequisites.
[12/03/24] List of available projects updated (new projects added).
[18/03/24] List of available projects updated (new project added).
[03/05/24] Link to EPSRC Vacation Internship scheme guidance document for 2024 added.
This webpage was first published on 20 November 2023.
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