CaNSaM Projects and Associated Faculty
Project: A four week course in scientific visualization. A crash course in computer graphics and techniques for constructing images of the results of numerical simulations. Software will include the Visualization Tool Kit as well as graphics capabilities in Mathematica and Maple.
Have you ever wondered how a supercomputer such as IBM Blue Gene connects all the processors? (No, we do not put a link between every pair. )The underlying structure governing these connections is the system topology or an interconnection network. There are many classes of interconnection networks. Many interesting questions regarding structural properties, vulnerability and routing properties of some of these classes remain open. In this program, we will conduct research to find answers to a couple of these questions. There are many to choose from, so the final project depends on the interests of the students.
Harvey Qu Project: High throughput screening (HTS) is a process central to drug discovery. It searches through million of chemical compounds to find molecules (“hits”) that bind to a biological target. The REU project will focus on the false positive and false negative errors in HTS. Students will first get acquainted with the HTS process, and then work on real data to form a statistical model to estimate both error rates. Based on the error rates, students will be encouraged to apply techniques in statistical decision theory to choose a cutoff point for HTS. Since HTS process is costly, primary screens use a single concentration to determine the activity of each compound. A computer simulation of the HTS process using the R language will be studied to show the benefits of replication in reducing both false negative and false positive errors.
Tony Shaska Project: We are looking for two talented undergraduate students with the following qualities, strong background in abstract algebra, strong programing skills, students who are interested to do research of the very highest quality, committed individuals who are planning to go to graduate school. The projects will involve algebraic curves, Riemann-Roth theorem, automorphisms of algebraic curves, and Jacobians of curves. Knowledge of computational algebra packages, especially GAP, is a big plus.
Project: "Models and Simulations for Chagas Disease with Controlled Spraying."
The project involves various issues related to the recent model for Chagas Disease, which is related to malaria and afflicts about 18 million people in Central and South America. Some part of the model will be investigated as they have interest in and of themselves. Other parts will be simulated numerically and the computational aspects investigate. Finally, the model will be modified to describe the evolution and spread of related diseases.
