Directed Reading Program

General Information:
The Directed Reading Program (DRP) is a program in the math department that pairs interested undergraduates and graduate students for independent or small-group study projects. The focus is generally to read a book or paper(s) related to the common interests of the mentor and mentee(s). Each project runs for the length of the semester and does not count for course credit. 
 
Benefits of the Program:
  • Get to know other students and mentors at DRP social events.
  • Learn some cool math outside the standard curriculum.
  • Learn background material for future reading course or research project.
  • Learn to work independently through studying a topic of their choice, well-suited to their interests.
  • Gain valuable experience in mathematical communication by giving a presentation on their work to an audience of their peers.
  • Develop a topic for a senior thesis.
  • Have fun!
Requirements:
  • Mentors and mentees are expected to meet regularly, once a week, for at least an hour. 
  • Students should expect to do a good amount of independent study alongside these meetings, about three to four hours per week, in order to get the most possible out of the program.
  • Students are encouraged to sign up to give a 10–15-minute talk at the end-of-term party, explaining their semester's work to the rest of the DRP participants.  

Application:

Applications for the Directed Reading Program are sought and considered on a semesterly basis. Shortly before the beginning of the semester, applications from students are sought. The deadline for applications is typically the Saturday following the first week.

For Spring 2024, undergraduates can apply at the following link https://forms.gle/LGNyiY4hfojyd1rZ8 The deadline to apply is Saturday, January 20. Applications will be considered for one week after this but will not be given priority.

NOTE: Please remember that the DRP is an additional voluntary activity and coursework takes priority. A well-done DRP is not a substitute for a good course grade.

Contact Information:
The directed reading program is an independent activity run by graduate students. The current DRP organizing committee members are Nate Lesnevich and John Naughton. 
If you have any questions, you can reach us at mathdrp "at" email.wustl.edu