April 19, 2018

Manchin and Capito Secure $16K for Marshall University Conference

Washington D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced $16,000 from the National Science Foundation for Marshall University Research Corporation and the 30th Cumberland Conference in Combinatorics, Graph Theory and Computing being held at Marshall University on May 19 -20, 2018.

“Marshall University is at the cutting edge of research and I am excited to see this funding to support this annual conference. I am proud of the scientific contributions Marshall researchers and students are making and I will continue advocating for the support they need on the Senate Appropriations Committee,” Senator Manchin said.

“An understanding of mathematics and computer science is critical in the 21st century economy,” Senator Capito said. “This funding will help Marshall University host students, researchers, and outsider speakers for a conference to discuss the latest advances in their fields and build crucial networks. I will continue to be a strong advocate for STEM education and broadband access for young West Virginians because, if given the tools, they can compete with anyone.”

This is the latest in a series of conferences, usually held annually, that provide a venue for students and researchers, particularly but not exclusively from the southeastern United States, to discuss the latest advances in discrete mathematics and computer science. Discrete mathematics is a rapidly expanding field with applications in communication, network and information science, life sciences and engineering. The conference will promote applications of discrete mathematics in computer science and encourage participation by students and groups underrepresented in mathematics. It provides a setting where researchers at all levels can present their work, exchange information and collaborate on solving problems. It strengthens the regional network of researchers while connecting that network to broader national and international communities.

The conference scope includes all areas of discrete mathematics. Four featured internationally-known speakers will give 50-minute plenary presentations. Estimated attendance is around 100 participants, and about 60 contributed 20-minute talks are planned. Abstracts from the conference will be available indefinitely through a conference abstracts service. Funding from this award will support travel, accommodation and meal expenses for the featured speakers, and other participants identified through a selection process. The selection process will prioritize women, members of underrepresented minorities, people with disabilities, early-career mathematicians, and researchers without federal funding. Visit the conference website here.

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