The AMRE program includes three kinds of participating members. They are Faculty Advisors, Student Researchers, and Clients.
Faculty Advisors are members of the Mathematics and Computer Science Department and more recently, the Economics Department. The advisors are assigned a team according to the content of the project and the professor's area of expertise. The advisors involvement in the program is primarily in one of two roles. First, they aid students in developing relations with their client. Advisors usually attend the first few meetings between the client and the student team to ensure that communication between the two goes smoothly. Second, advisors aid the student teams throughout the duration of the project. This aid includes teaching student teams information necessary for completing the project, as well as providing insight or advice should the team get stuck.
Student Researchers apply through the College's undergraduate research office by submitting a resume and an application form, and are chosen by the faculty advisors. Criteria for becoming an AMRE researcher include past mathematics or computer experience, work experience, reasons for wanting to join the research program, and personal strengths. Those students chosen for the project are hired into one of two positions: Sophomore Research Assistant or AMRE Associate. The positions are primarily distinguished through their funding means. (Both types of positions receive a portion of their funding through client fees.) Both research positions are compensated by a combination of monetary stipends and room and board.
Sophomore Research Assistants are students who are completing either their first or second year at the College of Wooster when they apply to work for AMRE. The funding for Sophomore researchers comes from the College of Wooster Office of the Vice-President of Academic Affairs. Because the AMRE program relies on sophomore research funding to help finance its employees, there are several places open to first and second year students each summer. AMRE Associates are funded through the Department and additional outside sources. These positions are given primarily to third and fourth year students. Despite the age difference, their is no hierarchical rating among the student employees. Teams are comprised of both types of researchers, and work together to accomplish the tasks required of them.
Clients are businesses, corporations, or industries which, for a reasonable fee, employ an AMRE team for the eight week program period. Clients benefit from the AMRE program because they may inexpensively employ researchers to examine a situation they might not be able to address otherwise. Clients are found through a fairly extensive outreach campaign by the director of the program. Interested businesses are invited to submit project proposals to the AMRE director for consideration. Projects are chosen based on the following criteria:
Professor John Ramsay
Director, AMRE Program
Department of Mathematics and Computer Science
Taylor Hall 306
The College of Wooster
Wooster OH 44691
330 263 2579
JRamsay@Wooster.edu