Starting an Undergraduate Research Program. General contributed paper session, Math Fest 2004, Providence, RI (August 2004).

Abstract

This talk will discuss the resurection of undergraduate research at Sam Houston State University. We have effectively used topics in the history of mathematics to introduce our students in lower level courses to mathematical concepts that they might not have access to until substantially later in their careers, and have used interest in particular mathematicians to springboard undergraduate mathematics research. The enthusiasm of our students has been infectious, and has produced a community of mathematics students on our campus. This talk will describe the trials, tribulations, and joy of beginning this sort of program at our institution.