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Ben Chan --MASS program at Penn State
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Posted by Michael Gage, 1/21/01 at 1:02:36 PM.
In the fall of 2000, I joined a semester-long program at Penn State University called the MASS (Mathematics Advanced Studies Semesters) Program. I took three classes with topics chosen in each of the three major branches of Mathematics (Analysis, Algebra, and Geometry), completed three projects and presented them at the final examinations.
The program has given me a broader view of mathematics, as the classes intermingled together nicely and they united the discrete fields of mathematics for me. Despite the short duration of the program, classes were offered in a challenging level that was often hard for me to keep up with, yet, it should be manageable if you have a fair background in calculus, linear algebra, and favorably complex variables and number theory. I also gained a perspective on some of the topics less touched upon by undergraduates, such as billiard or hyperbolic tessellation, through the regular seminars I attended.
In general, the living environment at Penn State is comfortable and convenient. The temperature is mild most of time and it doesn't snow until mid-November. It has a very lively downtown (5 to 10 minutes walking distance) and Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are only 2 hours away by car. The department there is very friendly and the school offers a great deal of extracurricular activities.
-- Ben Chan
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