Jaypee University of Information Technology SIAM Student Chapter Celebrates Successful Establishment

The Jaypee University of Information Technology (JUIT) SIAM Student Chapter—one of the most recent SIAM student chapters to be established in India—has already had an impactful tenure since its founding in October 2022. In fact, the chapter grew from seven founding members to 70 members—ranging from undergraduate students to Ph.D. candidates—in its first six months. All members are actively involved in chapter activities, which are led by elected officers and faculty advisor Vivek Kumar Sehgal. The chapter is engaged with other universities and has already formed solid connections with its sister chapters in India to develop plans for future collaborations.

The JUIT SIAM Student Chapter has organized two flagship events thus far: the ongoing Distinguished Speaker Seminar Series and an “Introduction to Project Euler” workshop. The chapter launched its Distinguished Speaker Seminar Series in November 2022 by inviting eminent individuals within both the academic and industrial worlds to share their wisdom and experience with attendees. The presenters are all part of the SIAM Visiting Lecturer Program, which provides a roster of experienced applied mathematicians and computational scientists who can speak on a variety of topics that are relevant to junior researchers. Chapter leadership has organized at least one seminar per month and intends to sustain this effort as the chapter continues to grow. Thus far, the following prominent speakers from various domains have delivered virtual talks on their respective areas of expertise:

• Mark Squillante (IBM Research) discussed decision-making under uncertainty
• Bonita Saunders (National Institute of Standards and Technology) spoke about ongoing computational and applied mathematics research at her institution
• Allen Butler (Daniel H. Wagner Associates) explored possible math careers in business, industry, and government.

In February 2023, the JUIT SIAM Student Chapter organized a two-day, in-person event called “Introduction to Project Euler.” Named after famous mathematician Leonhard Euler, Project Euler is a collection of challenging mathematical and computational problems that are meant to encourage and develop problem-solving skills in mathematics, computer science, and related disciplines. The problems in Project Euler—which was established in 2001 by Colin Hughes—vary in difficulty and cover a wide range of topics, including number theory, combinatorics, algebra, geometry, and computer science. Researchers can use programming languages to solve these problems and share their solutions on the Project Euler website.

The first day of the chapter’s Project Euler event consisted of presentations and brainstorming sessions that collectively served as a crash course on the underlying mathematical logic of several Project Euler problems. During the second day, attendees took part in a hackathon and attempted to solve problems from the Project Euler collection; the winners received cash prizes.

Looking ahead, the chapter is planning to organize a workshop about ancient Vedic mathematics in the coming months. This workshop will allow participants the unique opportunity to explore mathematical concepts and techniques that are rooted in Indian history and culture. With its commitment to coordinating diverse and engaging events, the JUIT SIAM Student Chapter is a valuable resource for students who are interested in careers in applied mathematics and computational science.