MAPS REU

Starting in June 2014, the Norbert Wiener Center's own Professor Kasso Okoudjou has organized the an REU at the Norbert Wiener Center. The Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, and Statistics Research Experience for Undergraduates (MAPS-REU) is an eight-week summer program in which undergraduates investigate open research problems in mathematics, applied mathematics, and statistics. Project topics included: Applied Harmonic Analysis, algebra/number theory, geometry, statistics, and topology.

The official MAPS-REU website contains information on the program, a description of past and current projects, and the application form.

A description of the project hosted by the Norbert Wiener Center is included below:

Finite frames, graphs and optimal configurations, directed by John J. Benedetto and Kasso Okoudjou

In this project students will study frames for finite dimensional Euclidean spaces. Applications of finite frames abound. In particular, they will explore construction methods for tight frames by exploiting (a) the fact that these frames minimize certain potential functions, and (b) the association of this class of frames to certain finite graphs. To gain intuition, the students will start by investigating some of these questions for small dimensions, e.g., dimension 2 or 3. The project will involve theory as well as computer simulations. Applications of finite frames abound. For example, certain class of generator (or window) functions for finite Gabor frames lead to sparse solutions in deterministic compressive sensing. These generators are number theoretic sequences constructed to obtain optimal ambiguity function behavior and are used in radar and communications.