Concord University Assistant Professor of Mathematics Dr. Christopher McClain is recipient of a $15,000 mini-grant from the Center for Undergraduate Research in Mathematics (CURM) located at Brigham Young University.
Concord has the distinction of being one of only 12 institutions selected to receive a grant out of 65 applicants.
The funding will support a year-long research project for McClain and three Concord students during the 2013-2014 academic year. Students selected to participate are: Joshua Beverly, from Beckley, W.Va.; Mariah Farley, from Lerona, W.Va.; and Felicia Stover, from Sandstone, W.Va.
McClain said the general topic of their research is “Graph Structure Theory.” He said the students will decide the specific focus of the project from two choices “Graph Coloring Problems” and “Vertex Domination of a Graph.”
The students will be required to dedicate 10 hours per week to the project.
McClain said that both of the possible projects are special cases of more general research that is accessible to undergraduates. He hopes that this and future research projects will encourage more students to further their education at graduate school.
McClain will attend a summer workshop this year where he will meet other recipients of the grant for “networking and preparations.” In Spring 2014 he and the student researchers are planning to attend “Spring Research Conference” at BYU to present their findings.
