Math 197 internship program
At UC San Diego, Math 197 is the Department of Mathematics version of AIP 197, the course corresponding to external internships. I am currently the department's Math 197 supervisor; as such, all requests to enroll in Math 197 should be directed to me. (Other department faculty have been instructed to redirect Math 197 inquiries to me.)
Starting in 2025, the Department of Mathematics will offer a more structured version of Math 197 for summer internships, modeled on CSE 197. This will also include the opportunity to participate in the CSE Internship Symposium. Watch this space for more details.
What to do before enrolling in Math 197
These instructions apply regardless of which term(s) you plan to enroll in Math 197.
- You must be a declared math major or minor.
- You must find your own internship. I cannot help with placements.
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You must have an offer letter confirming that your internship meets the following requirements.
- It must be full-time (at least 30 hours per week) and of at least 8 weeks in duration. These dates do not need to align to the UCSD academic calendar.
- It must be a paid position for on-site, hybrid, or remote work.
- You must be assigned a named mentor/supervisor who works full-time for your employer.
- You do not need to contact me beforehand, but feel free to do so if you have any questions.
How to enroll in Math 197
You will need to submit an EASy (Enrollment Authorization System) request and follow the following instructions:
- Indicate me (Kiran Kedlaya) as the instructor.
- Register for up to 4 units of credit.
- Select the pass/not pass grading option. If you sign up for a letter grade I will assign a B upon successful completion.
- Attach an offer letter from your employer meeting the listed requirements.
- Under "proposed plan", please give a brief explanation of your project and how you expect it to relate to your major. If possible, make connections with courses that you either have taken or plan to take at UCSD.
Starting in summer 2025: After your enrollment is confirmed, you will receive (via your UCSD email address) an invitation link to join the Math 197 Zulip discussion server. Please do this as soon as possible so that I can provide you with updates as needed.
What to do during your internship
- Stay in touch! Send me periodic updates about your work; barring an emergency, every other week or so should suffice. (These instructions will be made more specific starting in summer 2025.)
- Be sure not to disclose any information your employer considers to be proprietary. If in doubt, check with your supervisor.
- UCSD holds me responsible for "assuring that the student receives proper safety training and works in a safe environment." If this safety is ever at issue, please contact me immediately.
- Start thinking about how you will document your work (see below).
How to receive credit for Math 197
- Prepare some documentation of what you did. This can take one of various formats, including a short writeup (1-2 pages) or a GitHub repository that I can access via my account. If you plan to present at the CSE Internship Symposium (see below), I recommend submitting a first draft of your poster.
- Again, do not include any material that your employer considers proprietary.
- Show your documentation to your supervisor before sending it to me.
- Submit your documentation to me via Zulip (preferred) or email.
The CSE Internship Symposium
Every fall quarter, CSE (the Department of Computer Science and Engineering) holds an Internship Symposium at which CSE 197 students have the opportunity to meet each other and present their work in a poster session. By special arrangement, Math 197 students who will be in San Diego in the fall (enrolled or not) are also eligible and strongly encouraged to participate; I will provide signup information when I receive it.