(last updated: 30 July 2019)
Additional topics here.
Logistics for final year projects (FYP) with me
My FYPs have two types:
- Research: projects where you discover new mathematics. (e.g. descriptions from 2017-18.)
- Expository: projects where you read about old research that I (personally) don't know about and explain it to me. See this list for possible topics.
If you want to do an FYP with me, you should let me know in March, so we can find a topic that we both enjoy. In April I will fix the topics and you will only be able to choose from those. In particular, they may be all research or all expository projects (e.g. all 2016-17 projects were expository, all 2017-18 projects are research).
If you are considering a research FYP with me, and you did not contact me in March, then you should contact me before you choose your projects. It is difficult to describe research projects in writing, so talking to me will give you a much better idea of what the project requires and whether you will enjoy it.
I strongly recommend that research FYP students start their projects in the summer, because research is unpredictable. We may be stuck for ideas, so there may be long periods where we cannot make progress.
Logistics for summer research projects (SRP) with me
My SRPs are independent of the math department. Contact me directly if you are interested, the earlier the better.
The SRP topics are not fixed in advance: depending on the students who are interested, I will choose something suitable for their backgrounds and interests.
The difference from FYPs:
- For non-final-year math students, including students graduating that summer who will start postgraduate studies in math afterwards. (If you are starting your final year, I would recommend starting your FYP in the summer, rather than doing SRP and also FYP.)
- There is salary, at a similar rate to math department SRPs.
- It is not for a grade, and you can be 2 or 3 friends working together on one project.
- It is for a shorter time period (2-3 months between May and August, depending on your plans and mine), so it will be harder to understand how your small piece fits into my research topic.
The difference from math department SRPs:
- Formally, you are hired as an "undergraduate student helper" rather than a summer research student.
- You cannot earn credit under MATH3095/3096.
- You receive your salary at the end of every month, not at the beginning.
- The timing is flexible: you can probably withdraw or extend your project at any time.
Selection criteria
For research FYPs and SRPs: I treat my research students seriously as research collaborators. I'm giving you a real part of my research project, and I will acknowledge your contribution in papers and talks. In return I expect you to work seriously on the project, to the best of your ability. (You are NOT expected to have significant results, given the short time period.) If you expect to be too busy to give enough time to the project, you are advised to choose another supervisor or an expository project.
- Essential: someone that I will enjoy working with mathematically, and who can come up with new views and ideas, not just follow my instructions.
- Preferable: good grades in Linear Algebra and Mathematical Analysis, exposure to Advanced Linear Algebra or Abstract Algebra.
For expository FYPs: you must be interested in the topic, and have the motivation to read independently about it. No minimum GPA.
In all cases: if you do not meet with me about the projects, and have never talked to me in office hours or after class, it is very likely that I will reject you.
Possible expository FYPs
You need to tell me in March that you want to do one of these, otherwise I might not set it.
If there's something else you want to read about, please suggest it! I always want to learn more math.
Some guidelines / tips about FYP
This file is a draft and will be updated from time to time.
My own FYP - I wrote this in my masters' year so it's longer and mathematically harder than what I expect from you, but this is so you can see the style. (The pictures are missing.) It is an expository thesis, there is no new mathematics there.