Eunice Denice Smith

“I promise myself to be so strong that nothing can disturb my peace of mind…to look at the sunny side of everything and make my optimism come true…” (My Attitude, unknown) In August 2000, I entered Elizabeth City State University, as an optimistic, self-motivated person, looking forward to mathematical research. During the summer of 2001, I worked as a summer student in the Summer Internships in Science and Technology program at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FermiLab). After some exposure to computer science and programming, I chose to double major in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science with scientific concentrations. I am currently an Office of Naval Research and Nurturing ECSU Research Talent Research (ONR-NERT) program student. I look forward to more challenges in the future.

In Spring 2001, I was part of the Mathematics of the Great Dismal Swamp Team. The Mathematics of the Great Dismal Swamp project enabled me to obtain experience in research. Our team related mathematical concepts to research data we collected from and about the Great Dismal Swamp of Northeastern North Carolina and Southeastern Virginia. While participating in this project, we learned how to research, write lesson plans, and compose activities for grade school children. This will help me in my future endeavors when I plan to do research in graduate school and later teach in the school system.

My experience at FermiLab was remarkable. As a summer student, I was assigned a mentor group and project. Each student worked under a supervisor. The purpose of my summer project was to expand a Perl program that produced a web page used by the D0 Run II experiment at FermiLab. The D0 Run II experiment at FermiLab examines particles and properties of matter that emerge as the result of colliding protons and antiprotons. This experiment uses complex software to evaluate and store data. The complex software is grouped into packages. Compilation and other types of errors in one package can lead to errors in other packages. The web page was designed to display the presence of errors in one package and their affect with other packages. I learned to enjoy programming and using the Linux operating system.

“I promise myself…to give so much time to the improvement of myself that I have no time to criticize others... to think only of the best, work only for the best, and expect only the best…”(My Attitude, unknown) I believe that my experiences will continue to teach me and lead me to achieving many of my long-term goals. Upon earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, I plan to attend a prominent graduate school. There, I plan to obtain my masters and doctorial degrees. As a career goal, I would like to become a computer programmer and mathematician, working for the government, a firm, and eventually myself. I would also like to give back to the community by teaching middle school or college students.