M.T. and T.S. - 2008: 16th MATHEMATICS TRAINING AND TALENT SEARCH PROGRAMME

M.T. and T.S. - 2008: 16th MATHEMATICS TRAINING AND TALENT SEARCH PROGRAMME
16th MATHEMATICS TRAINING & TALENT SEARCH PROGRAMME:

Funded by: National Board for Higher Mathematics

Directed by: Prof. S. Kumaresan, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Hyderabad P.O., Central University - Hyderabad 500 046.

M. T. & T. S. - 2008
This programme gives an intensive training in mathematics to the students of B.A./B.Sc./M.A./M.Sc. who want to pursue higher studies in mathematics. For more details refer to the 2nd issue in January 2008 of Employment News or visit the MTTS sites.www.geocities.com/mttsprogramme, http://mathstat.uohyd.ernet.in/~mtts/
Venues and dates:
MTTS - 2008 will held at two places: Regional Institute of Education (RIE), Mysore (May 19 - June 14, 2008) Department of Mathematics, IIT Guwahati (May 26 - June 21, 2008). RIE, Mysore will be the main centre where all the three levels will be held. Only Level 0 will be held at IIT Guwahati. Programme Director, Professor S. Kumaresan, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Hyderabad, P.O. Cental University, Hyderabad 500 046. India. Email: mttsprogramme@gmail.com, kumaresa@gmail.com

Eligibility:
Level O: First and second year undergraduate (B.Sc./B.Stat./B.Tech., etc.) students with Mathematics as one of their subjects. Level I: Final year undergraduate (B.Sc./B.Stat./B.Tech., etc.) students with Mathematics as one of their subjects. Bright second year undergraduate students are encouraged to apply. Level II: First year postgraduate (M.Sc./M.Stat./M.Tech., etc.) students with Mathematics as one of their subjects. Bright third year undergraduate students are encouraged to apply.

How to Apply:

Details and application forms can be had from the Head, Department of Mathematics of your Institution. In case of difficulties, write to Programme Director Professor S. Kumaresan by sending a self addressed and stamped (Rs. 10) envelope of size 10 cm x 22 cm to the address given below. Write "MTTS-2008 Application Form" on the cover of your letter. You can also download the application form along with the recommendation form. Both the forms should be sent together. The completed application form should reach the programme director, Professor S. Kumaresan latest by 23rd February, 2008. Only selected candidates will be informed of their selection by the second week of March, 2008. The list of selected candidates will be available at MTTS Site by the end of the second week of March 2008. Centres for Level-O participants will be decided by the programme director. Electronic version of application form will not be accepted.

Selection:

The selection will be purely on merit, based on consistently good academic record and the recommendation letter from a mathematics professor closely acquainted with the candidate. Candidates selected for the programme will be paid sleeper class return train fare by the shortest route and will be provided with free board and lodging for the duration of the course. The list of selected candidates is likely to be announced in the first week of March 2008. Only selected candidates will receive a letter of his/her selection from the director.

The aims of this programme are:

1. To teach mathematics in an interactive way rather than the usual passive presentation. To promote active learning, the teachers usually ask questions and try to develop the theory based on the answers and typical examples. At every level the participants are encouraged to explore, guess and formulate definitions and results.
2. To promote independent thinking in mathematics.
3. To provide a platform for the talented students so that they can interact with their peers and experts in the field. This serves two purposes: (i) the participants come to know where they stand academically and what they have to do to bring out their full potential and (ii) they establish a rapport with other participants and teachers which help them shape their career in mathematics.
The daily programme consists of lectures in the morning (from 9.30 a.m. to 1.00 p.m.) and problem sessions in the afternoon (from 2.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m.) Each level (I and II) has lectures in the four basic streams of Mathematics: Algebra, Analysis, Geometry and Topology. Students of Level O are offered courses in Basic Real Analysis, Linear Algebra, Geometry (curve tracing, sketching of surfaces, classification of quadric surfaces) and one of Discrete Probability, Combinatorics and Elementary Number theory.
The faculty is from various leading institutions of the country and is not confined to the institute of the venue. People who are experts in the field, who are known for their teaching and who have a commitment towards betterment of mathematics in India are chosen to give the courses. As a rule each course is taught by a single expert. This paves the way for better interaction (over a period of 4 weeks) between the faculty and students and also imparts a perspective of the field among the students. The faculty is requested to be present for all the sessions - not for their sessions only. In the problem sessions all students are asked to do problems. All the four teachers of a level will actively help the students during the problem sessions. The teachers identify the difficulties of the individual students. Giving individual attention is one of the unique features of this programme which makes the programme successful. Some reading material is also provided. There are no tests at the end of the programme as we want to make it clear that the students should learn mathematics for the pleasure of doing it and not for examinations.

The programme is advertised in the newspapers every year sometime in the month of December. For the last several years, we are directly mailing the posters to colleges which offer B.Sc.(Mathematics), universities and institutes.

Teacher Participants

College/University teachers who are interested in personally observing the methodologies of MTTS may apply to the Director of the Programme with a brief Curriculum Vitae. Those selected may visit one of the camps nearer to them for a period of at least one week. The travel by sleeper class and local hospitality will be borne by MTTS. During their stay at the camp, the teachers are expected to attend all the courses of one particular level, and interact with the MTTS faculty and participants so as to exchange their views. They will not be assigned any teaching though they are encouraged to help the participants during problem solving sessions.