UIC Young Scholars Program

The goal of this free program is to give Chicago-area students who are interested in STEM careers ideas about the kind of mathematics being done in industry and academia. (We also have a lot of fun!)

This program is a fun introduction to exciting topics in mathematics, applications of mathematics, and the work mathematicians do in education, research, and industry. Each of the four one-week sessions will focus on a particular area of mathematics not covered in a typical high school curriculum, and its applications to science, technology, and society.

Every day students will learn something new, get hands-on practice solving problems and exploring new topics, and hear a guest speaker describe their work and how it relates to mathematics. Students will learn what it’s like to major in math in college, learn about how math is used in different careers, and meet fellow students excited about learning math. The program is run by UIC faculty, and instruction will be provided by UIC faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students. We have guest speakers most days of the program who talk about careers in math and science. Past guest speakers have included faculty members at universities, professional magicians, and employees at IBM and the National Security Agency. 

The YSP at UIC is inspired by the YSP at the University of Chicago which has been running since 1988. The focus of the two summer programs is different: while the U Chicago YSP is a four-week, deep dive into one particular area of mathematics, the YSP at UIC is a series of one-week introductions to different topics in and applications of mathematics. Rising 8th and 9th graders (and younger students) should also consider the Math Circles of Chicago Summer Program. We will prioritize rising 9th grade and older students, but we may have space for some rising 8th grade students as well. See more information in the application materials at the button above.

The goal of the YSP at UIC is to introduce a diverse group of high schoolers from all over Chicago to exciting topics in mathematics and to show them what it would be like to major in math or other STEM-related fields in college. Through excellent instruction, creative hands-on activities, and guest lectures we aim to inspire students and give them the confidence and skills to pursue mathematics in their future endeavors. 

The YSP program will take place in-person on UIC's East Campus. 

YSP started in 2021 - this will be our fourth exciting year. 

Organizers: 

Professor Brooke Shipley

Professor James Freitag

Professor Vishesh Jain

Professor Marcus Michelen

Please write us at shipleyb@uic.edu with any questions not addressed here or in the FAQ.

UIC acknowledges support for this program from the Institute for Mathematical and Statistical Innovation (co-PI Brooke Shipley) through its grant DMS-1929348 from the National Science Foundation. YSP at UIC is also supported by the NSF CAREER grants of James Freitag (DMS-1945251) and Vishesh Jain (DMS-2237646).