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Undergraduate Research Opportunities

Research Opportunities for undergraduates include the Research Experience for Undergraduates and the Butler Summer Institute. Detailed information is listed below for each of these.

Additional information regarding the research opportunities provided at Butler University is available on the CHASE (Center for High Achievement & Scholarly Engagement) website.  Just click on the drop-down menu labeled "Undergraduate Research." 

REU - Research Experience for Undergraduates

• What is it? The acronym stands for Research Experiences for Undergraduates, a program funded by the National Science Foundation to encourage budding mathematicians and to provide opportunities for summer enrichment. There are about 30 different sites, i.e., colleges or universities, which run these programs.
• How does it work? A typical REU program runs for 6-8 weeks during the summer, selects applicants competitively, and offers a student stipend of $2000-$3500 (to compensate for not having a summer job) as well as housing on the campus. Students usually work together on a project under the guidance of a faculty member. Each site has its own set of topics, some suitable for students who have completed the calculus sequence and perhaps one or two more courses and others suitable for students who have completed several higher-level mathematics courses. The National Science Foundation website contains information for students searching for an REU opportunity.  
• What's in it for me? Besides the stipend (always nice), it's a chance to see what professional mathematicians really do (no, we really do more than teach calculus, etc.), to build a resume for graduate school (gives you an edge in admissions) or employment (employers LOVE group work), to present your work at a professional meeting (and maybe win a $100 prize!), and to have fun with some other undergraduates who like mathematics. Typically there are numerous social events held in conjunction with the program.
• How can I find out more? Talk to Dr. Johnston and/or see the NSF Specialized Information page and start applying!

BSI - Butler Summer Institute

• What is it? The acronym stands for the Butler Summer Institute, a program funded by Butler to provide an opportunity for summer research for Butler students.
• How does it work? BSI runs for 8 weeks during the summer, selects applicants competitively from all disciplines, and offers a student stipend of $2000 (to compensate for not having a summer job) as well as housing in Resco. Students work on a project under the guidance of a faculty member. See the BSI web site for more information.
• What's in it for me? Besides the stipend (always nice), it's a chance to see what professional mathematicians really do (no, we really do more than teach calculus, etc.), to work one-on-one with a Butler faculty member, to build a resume for graduate school (gives you an edge in admissions) or employment, to present your work at a professional meeting, and to have fun with some other Butler students who are in the program. Typically there are numerous social events held in conjunction with the program.