The Ross Mathematics Program is an intensive 6-week summer experience designed to encourage motivated pre-college students to explore mathematics. During those weeks, students are immersed in a world of mathematical discovery. It is being held at Ohio Dominican University, as well as Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana.
The central goal of the Ross Program has always been to instruct bright young students in the art of mathematical thinking and to inspire them to discover for themselves that abstract ideas are valuable and important. First year participants take the basic course in number theory. For most students, this is the first time they are asked to consider entirely new questions, to develop methods that they have not seen before, and to justify every answer.
The value of a mathematics education lies not only in obtaining proficiency in computational tasks, but also in building a foundation for critical thinking. Students who have never asked why things work the way they do are not prepared to lead the way to future scientific innovation. It is precisely this independence of thought and questioning attitude that the Ross Program strives to nurture.
