Math department announces Undergraduate Research Award winner

LAWRENCE – The Department of Mathematics at the University of Kansas has awarded an Undergraduate Research Award in Mathematics (MathUGRA) to Cayden Williams, senior in mathematics, philosophy and pre-law, to support his project for the fall 2022 semester.

MathUGRAs are $1,000 scholarships provided to undergraduate math majors pursuing original research or creative projects under the general guidance of a KU math faculty member.  The awards are funded by the department’s endowment funds.

Williams, who is from Lee’s Summit, Missouri, is working on “The Mountain of Cats: Finding “Mice” (Kakeya Sets) in Finite Fields,” a research project to make new strides in the understanding of finite field Kakeya sets by examining their mechanisms. His research mentor is Shuanglin Shao, associate professor of mathematics.

MathUGRAs are awarded to students conducting semester-long independent projects culminating in an oral presentation or written work, demonstrating the student’s own development of a topic in mathematics and its applications. Recipients of the award are selected on the merit of the applicant's proposal, the applicant's academic record and the recommendation from a faculty member who is familiar with the applicant and the proposed project.