Background

The Fields Undergraduate Summer Research Program (FUSRP) is an annual nine-­week program that provides competitive funding that supports undergraduate research. The program runs in July and August at the Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences, where students work either individually or in small groups in partnership with premier mathematicians and researchers on solving math-related, real-life problems. 

The Fields Institute has built a reputation worldwide for combining top ranking undergraduates, leading researchers, cutting-edge science, and challenging mathematics problems. Each summer students from across the globe are drawn to the collaborative spirit that makes that reputation a reality: hands-on learning and problem-solving define the FUSRP’s approach to education.

The inaugural FUSRP was held in 2010, in partnership with MITACS, and was attended by 22 undergraduates from six different countries and 12 faculty members from the Institute's Principal Sponsoring Universities (PSUs). In 2013 the Fields Institute began to run the program independently. 

The goal of the program has been and continues to be "to provide a high-quality and enriching mathematics research experience for undergraduates". In 2017 the program expanded to support 10 projects, 12 supervisors, and over 30 students from 11 different countries.

As much as the FUSRP is a magnet for top talent, it’s also a connector, building relationships and forging partnerships between the Institute's PSUs, and other partners and institutions eager to test their hypothesis and find solutions to complex mathematical problems.

FUSRP in the News

The 2017 Fields Undergraduate Summer Research Program was featured in the September 22, 2017, issue of the Globe and Mail. The article, written by Ivan Semeniuk, describes the program’s focus on teamwork and real-world problems. 

Read the full article here.

Chronology