Quantitative Research in the Life and Social Sciences Program (QRLSSP)—formerly Mathematical and Theoretical Biology Institute

2023 QRLSSP application is open!

The 2023 QRLSSP application is open!  We apologize for the delay which resulted from unforeseen technical issues.

The 2023 program will take place on the ASU Tempe campus Tuesday, May 30 through Saturday, July 22.

Please direct any questions to sherry.woodley@asu.edu.  Thank you!

  • Summer Video

    This video captures 2017 summer participant testimonials and provides audiences with a brief overview about QRLSSP, formerly MTBI.

  • Math and science boot camp solves for diversity and success in STEM

    Check out the article about this REU in ASU Now!

  • Summer REU Alum Recognized with Prestigious Adams Prize

    MTBI alumna Heather Harrington, associate professor and Royal Society University Research Fellow at the Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, is a co-winner, along with Dr Luitgard Veraart (London School of Economics and Political Science) of the 2019 Adams Prize of the University of Cambridge. The topic is “The Mathematics of Networks.”.... to read more click title.

  • The Summer REU Experience: Challenging but Rewarding!

    "At this point in my academic career, MTBI has been by far the most challenging experience. However, the difficulties encountered along the way are easily offset by the rewarding feeling one gets after finishing writing a research article related to a topic you are passionate about. If you want to study something meaningful, it is more likely than not that conducting research on the topic will be frustratingly difficult at times. In that respect, students participating in MTBI have an advantage because they are not going through the process alone. Instead, you are surrounded by like-minded and talented students, mentors, and professors who all are there to help you succeed. You learn to play off one another's strengths and by doing so accomplish much more than you would ever be able to do on your own. Although you may not have all of the answers you were looking for by the end of the summer, you will certainly be more prepared and eager to address more challenging questions in the future." – Steven Manns, MTBI 2020

  • REU students complete research quantifying the impact of Lead-toxicity in bald eagles

    While wildlife can be exposed to lead from many sources, bald eagles' main source of lead is linked to the fall and winter big game hunting seasons, which happen to coincide with the eagles’ scavenging season. Lead-toxicity may cause severe clinical symptoms (including death), but also more subtle, chronic symptoms. Chronic lead-toxicity results in continual physiological damage and affected biological mechanisms, including reduced fertility and voracity. This research quantifies the impact of lead-contaminated food sources on the bald eagle’s population of the Great Lakes by formulating a system of ordinary differential equations to show the progression through the stages of lead-toxicity and its role in the eagle’s population dynamics.

  • REU students analyze the role of the homeless population in the COVID-19 outbreak in NYC.

    Homelessness in NYC at its highest level since the Great Depression, and as the NYC battles COVID-19, the advised precautionary measures are out of reach for this population. This research examines the contribution the homeless population has had on prolonging the epidemic in the city. The findings indicate that a significant number of secondary infections in the population of NYC are due to transmission of COVID-19 via the homeless, this most directly attributable to the higher effective reproductive number for the homeless population. These results could be used to study the impact of control measures.

  • Janiah Kyle wins presentation award at SACNAS

    2022 cohort participant Janiah Kyle was recently recognized with an outstanding student presentation award at the 2022 Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science National Diversity in STEM conference. Judges present these awards to students whose work surpasses expectations in each category. Janiah was recognized within the Applied Mathematics designation. SACNAS is dedicated to fostering the success of Hispanic and Native American scientists and supports all levels of students, from undergraduates to professionals.

Quantitative Research in the Life and Social Sciences Program (QRLSSP)—formerly Mathematical and Theoretical Biology Institute (MTBI) supports the development of students through educational, research and mentorship activities from the undergraduate to the postdoctoral level. Its programs include intensive multiple-summer research training institutes, long-term support for its alumni, continuous research opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral students and opportunities for national and international visitors.