Research Experiences for Undergraduates programs (REU's) offer summers full of challenge and enjoyment. Students will travel to one of several universities for 8-10 weeks to do research under the guidance of a faculty member. The students often work in groups, so there can be plenty of camaraderie. The participants often write a paper on their research and publish it in an established journal. REU students typically receive a stipend and help with housing.
One of the goals of the National Science Foundation (NSF), along with many other technically oriented groups, is to assure an adequate supply of high quality mathematicians, scientists, and engineers for the future. The NSF has established the REU Program to help make sure this goal is met.
In the early spring, the Math Major's Monthly will describe several REU's and tell you how to apply. Many more REU's are listed in publications such as SIAM News and Notices of the AMS, or on the World Wide Web. See the Undergraduate Director for information.