Research Opportunities

Available to freshman - seniors, including non-majors, there are numerous opportunities for access to research in the Math Department. Below is a list of various programs for students to look over.

Although some programs might not be available to you at this time, we recommend that you look through the entire list to get a sense of what is available so that you can take advantage when the time is right and not miss an opportunity.

UReCA

The Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (UReCA) at the University of Oklahoma helps support undergraduate students who are involved, or wish to become involved, in any kind of research. This includes providing financial support, mentorship, and presentation opportunities. Possible avenues for funding are the Provost’s Summer UReCA Fellowship and First Generation UReCA fellowships.

Another program run by UReCA is the First Year Research Experience (FYRE). The FYRE program is available to Honors College freshman to provide access to a research lab in a STEM field. In mathematics, several professors regularly run projects in the FYRE program, some with minimal background required; e.g. Calculus is often enough for participating. More details and the application can be found here.

Directed Reading Program

The Directed Reading Program (DRP) in Math at the University of Oklahoma pairs undergraduates with graduate student mentors to explore a math topic of mutual interest. Groups may work through selected portions of a math book or paper or work on a project. The program is suitable for undergraduate math majors as well as other undergraduates with mathematical interests. It allows undergraduates to get a feel for higher-level mathematics in a low-pressure setting. At the end of the semester, all undergraduate participants submit a short report summarizing what they learned during the program.

To enroll in the program for Spring 2026, complete this form by Tuesday, February 17. The form includes a list of possible topics suggested by the graduate students, ranging from topics with real world applications to topics that are more pure mathematics. You can also consult directly with the graduate students to come up with a topic.

Participants are selected on a first come, first served basis if there are more students than mentors, so please do not delay.

If you are interested in learning more about the Directed Reading Program, please feel free to email the organizers.

Organizers

REU

For several decades, the National Science Foundation has supported and funded programs called REUs, i.e. Research Experiences for Undergraduates. Often, these programs run in the summer, across the United States, and are aimed at students who have finished their junior or senior year. A list of REU programs in mathematics can be found on this NSF website.

Research with faculty

In addition to the programs above, students often work directly with faculty on projects inside their research program. There are several ways that students can work with faculty, including

• Mentored research for credit (Math 3440)
• Independent study for credit (Math 3990)
• Senior thesis

Students can apply for internal research support for stipend and materials support from OU. Further, some faculty have grant funds to support undergraduate research during the summer.

Journals

Some undergraduate research rises to the level of being worthy of publication. Here are some well-known journals that publish such research.

• The American Mathematical Monthly
• Involve

If you have worked on a research project, and think that it might be worthy of publication, consider talking with your faculty mentor.