Two Weeks at WATERLOO - A Summer School for Women in Math

The Summer School for Women in Mathematics is a two-week residential mathematics enrichment program for outstanding senior female undergraduates. The school will be held from August 12-25, 2012 at the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Up to 16 students will be selected to participate in the program.

Our goal is to encourage these gifted young women to continue on to graduate work in mathematics. The program will provide both enrichment of the undergraduate curriculum and a research component, in a collaborative environment.
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Eligibility Requirements
The summer school is open to female undergraduate students studying mathematics or a related discipline at a Canadian university, with at least one year of studies remaining in their program. Priority will be given to senior students. Canadians and permanent residents studying outside Canada are also eligible to apply. Each participant will receive on campus room and board and an allowance for travel expenses from within Canada.

Sources of Funding
The Summer School for Women in Mathematics has received generous funding from several sources. For a complete list of sponsors please visit the Sponsors page.

Schedule
The program will run from August 12-25, 2012.

Courses
There will be two mini-courses, running through the two weeks, taught by female instructors on the topic of their choice. Our instructors for 2012 will be Professor Matilde Lalin, University of Montreal, and Professor Gail Wolkowicz, McMaster University. One course will meet in the mornings, the other in the afternoons. The students will do group projects with presentations the last day for each course. Each course will also have a graduate student TA/mentor.

Course Descriptions

Guest Speakers
There will be four female guest speakers invited, who will give a presentation related to their work and will talk about their life/work experiences. One of these speakers will be invited to give a distinguished lecture open to the public. For 2012, the distinguished lecture will be given by Professor Charmaine Dean, Dean of Faculty of Science, University of Western Ontario.

Lectures
Speaker: Charmaine Dean, Dean of Science, Western University
Title: Historical Trends in Forest Fires: Assessing Insurance and Health Effects

Abstract: Assessing trends forest fire risk is of significant concern to fire managers as well as for the insurance and health sectors because of impacts of such risks in these areas. In particular, determining trends in forest fire ignition risk as measured by increasing annual trends in ignitions, or the lengthening of the fire season within each year, or both of these factors, requires urgent attention. This talk focuses on annual and seasonal changes in forest fire ignition risk, observed over the last 50 years. How fire is linked to climate effects is also discussed along with an identification of those factors that need to be considered before one can attribute observed changes in forest fire occurrence to climate change. The talk then attends to insurance assessments of such forest fire risk as well as an examination of new tools based on satellite imagery to assist in determining what the health risks related to forest fire smoke exposure actually are.

August 16, 2012
Reception 4-5pm DC 1301 (Fishbowl)
Talk 5-6pm DC 1302

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Field Trips
One day each week will be for field trips to businesses employing mathematicians. We anticipate spending one of these days in Waterloo and a second in Toronto. Additionally we will have an excursion to Niagara Falls on the middle weekend of the summer school.

Application
The application deadline is January 31, 2012 although early applications are encouraged. We expect to notify successful applicants around March 1, 2012. For the complete application form please visit the Application page.

Summer School Program Schedule

Waterloo Map and other information