NSF grant awarded to Associate Professor of Mathematics Karen Yokley

Yokley and a collaborator have secured nearly $360,000 in National Science Foundation funding for multi-institutional "research experiences for undergraduates" in mathematical biology.  

Associate Professor of Mathematics Karen Yokley was recently awarded a National Science Foundation grant to support summer research experiences for undergraduates.

Associate Professor of Mathematics Karen Yokley
Yokley made the grant funding submission, “Collaborative Proposal: REU Site: North Carolina A&T State University and Elon University Joint Summer REU in Mathematical Biology,” along with Nicholas Luke, associate professor of mathematics at NC A&T State University. 

The  $359,972 award for Yokley and Luke, who will each be a principal investigator for their institution will fund research experiences for undergraduates (REUs) from 2020 through 2022. Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Statistics Kristen Mazur is among senior personnel on the grant.

The joint REU will be a 10-week residential summer program in which undergraduates participants will conduct research on a variety of topics within the field of mathematical biology mentored by faculty from the two host institutions. Research topics are drawn from a variety of fields, including pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, epidemiological and ecological modeling, and biostatistics. 

The location of the program will alternate between the host institutions, with the 2020 program being held at N.C. A&T State University.

The primary objective of the program is to provide students an opportunity to conduct and present research with a diverse group of peers. Students will also gain skills related to writing mathematical proofs and using mathematical software.