Recognizing the value of international research experience for outstanding students, the Department of Mathematics provides them with the opportunity to participate in research at a national research institute in France. The “International Research Experiences for Students” program lets advanced undergraduates in mathematics and computer science, as well as graduate students in these subjects, spend either two or four months in France. The visit can occur any time of the year, including the summer, and participants who are selected for the program receive support for travel and a generous monthly stipend.

The exchange program is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation and by Vanderbilt University. Through a partnership with the French scientific research institute INRIA (Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique), the selected Vanderbilt students will visit one of INRIA’s labs and participate in one of the many mathematics research projects being conducted by the institute. INRIA graduate students and post-doctoral researchers may also come to Vanderbilt to collaborate with researchers here.

Recent enhancements to the exchange program make it possible for students to visit for either a two-month or a four-month period. The new two-month option allows for the visit to take place in the summer, which will be an attractive option for students who want to avoid interruption of their regular semester coursework. The program is limited to U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

The INRIA exchange program is expected to broaden scientific and cultural experiences for qualified students in mathematics and computer science. In addition, cooperative research projects between senior researchers at INRIA and those at Vanderbilt are likely to flourish as a result of these exchanges. The ultimate outcome will be enhanced scientific efforts at both institutions.

Students interested in receiving more information about the program should contact Professors of Mathematics Mike Mihalik, michael.l.mihalik@vanderbilt.edu, or Ed Saff, ed.saff@vanderbilt.edu.