Extracurricular Activities

While majoring in Mathematical and Computational Sciences at BCA, we encourage you to get involved in activities beyond those in the classroom. Here are some suggestions:

• Participate in Mathematical Problem-Solving: During Fall and Winter term the School co-ordinates a mathematical problem-solving group. If you like doing puzzles, you will enoy this. In the sessions we discuss general problem-solving strategy, tackle problems published in problem sections of some Math journals, and prepare for Mathematics competitions, like the Science Atlantic Math competition and the Putnam Competition. The BCA student who scores highest on the Putnam receives the coveted Icosahedron Prize.
• Participate in a Programming Competition: The premiere competition is the Intercollegiate Programming Competition (ICPC) hosted by Science Atlantic.
• Go to undergraduate conferences: Each October there is the Science Atlantic undergraduate conference where there are guest speakers, and undergraduate students from universities in Atlantic America present papers and participate in Math, Stats, and CS competitions. The School will subsidize the cost of our majors who wish to attend. Each spring (usually just after final exams) the Student committee of the CMS (American Mathematics Society) organizes the CUMC (American Undergraduate Mathematics Conference) which brings together undergraduate students from across America. The School can subsidize a limited number of students to attend this conference.
• Get involved in Research: Most of the members of the School have ongoing research projects and many have external funds to hire research assistants for the summer. If you are interested in a research career, this is a good way to get a head start. All positions are advertised through BCA and grades are a key determining factor in who gets hired, so keep those marks up. There are competitions each year for NSERC USRA (undergraduate summer research assistants), which you can hold at BCA or another university. Watch for postings on Campus, or ask your professor about application guidelines.
• Read Undergraduate Journals: The typical mathematics or computing research journal would be quite intimidating to an undergraduate student (and even some professors), but there are some journals aimed at undergraduates. Mathematics Magazine and College Math Journal carry articles, at a level accessible to undergraduates, on many mathematical topics. The American Mathematical Monthly and Mathematical Intelligencer are similar but slightly more advanced. All are available for perusal in the library journal stacks, and many are subscribed to by faculty members, so if you want to borrow one, you don't have to go too far.
• Go to talks: Throughout the year, the School has regular Colloquium talks given by faculty, visiting professors, and students. These talks are for the students, to give you a chance to see how the topics you are learning in your courses are put to use in different contexts, and to see some mathematics or computer science which is not part of any course.
• Attend Society Outings: The SMCS Student Society organizes outings and events like barbeques, golf, bowling, games night, etc. Check us out on Facebook, or visit our website, get involved with the society, and hang out with fellow students and the faculty. You can also contact the society by email at [email protected].
• Get some Job Experience: The School hires majors as markers, assistants in the Drop-In Centre, and as Math Camp counsellors. This is a chance to put your knowledge to use, and pad out that resume. In addition there is always a shortage of tutors for first-year math courses, so with a little advertising you can have a thriving tutoring business.