Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Thank you for your interest in the 2024 Imaging Science Summer Math Crash Course. Here are some frequently asked questions regarding the course logistics/registration, etc. 

We will host an orientation session and offer 1-1 appointments with tutors to help you navigate the courses before the start of the Math Crash Course. We will announce those a little later!

  • What are new features compared to the past iterations?
    • Applied course sections
    • Beginner and Advanced curricula are offered simultaneously.
    • Choose your time commitment: we recommend 5, 10, and 15-hour/week modules. 
    • Lecture-style tutoring sessions that cover key concepts.
    • Research talks from senior students that show applications of math concepts taught.
  • Do I need to register formally (on webstac) to take this course? 
    • No formal registration is required (outside of the Google form). You do not get any credits for taking this course, and your work will not be graded! 
  • Will there be recorded sessions? I might not be able to join sessions during the day due to work/other courses/time zone etc.  
    • We do not plan to record problem sessions on Zoom at this time.
  • The pre-assessments were too hard for me. Should I still attend the crash course?
    • The pre-assessments are mainly targeted for Imaging Science Students, as the required core courses build on those concepts. If you had a hard time with the pre-assessment but wanted to learn about the topic, we highly encourage you to participate in the crash course.
  • I will be fully remote this summer. Can I still be involved? 
    • Yes! We plan to have hybrid (in-person with Zoom option to participate, or depending on the tutor and schedule only on Zoom) sessions. You can participate fully remotely, and all tutoring sessions will be accessible via Zoom. 
  • What is the course going to be like? What materials, classes, and resources will be available? 
    • We offer two main courses: Linear Algebra and Calculus. Both will have a beginner version and an advanced version with applied options.
    • There will be weekly beginner and advanced tutoring sessions that cover key concepts. You can attend all sessions independent of the course you picked.
    • All materials for all courses will be published at once on Canvas. We will guide you through which modules to pick based on whether you consider the beginner or advanced (and/or applied) portion. We will also recommend what modules to do based on your time (5, 10, and 15-hour/week modules).
    • There will be research talks from WashU PhD students and PostDocs that show how they apply linear algebra or calculus in their research. These talks are open to everyone.
    • Overall, you will have access to all course materials through Canvas. You can attend as many tutoring sessions and research talks as you like.
  • I don’t have time to follow the course timeline and join the problem sessions; what should I do?
    • We designed these courses as self-study curriculums. While we have made an effort to curate the textbooks, modules, and exercises and provide structured ways to engage with them, how you use these resources is completely your decision! The timelines and content pacing reflect our best guess of what is helpful to you. If you need additional help and cannot join the problem questions, please ask questions through our Canvas and Discord. 
  • How do I get access to the textbooks?
    • If you have trouble finding any of the resources, please reach out to your tutors. We are happy to point you towards the used textbook provided resources.

Note, all modules and guides are tentative.