Braids and Knots

This is a braid. Probably not the type of braid you're used to seeing, but I assure you it is a braid.And this is a knot. A trefoil knot, to be precise!
So, as I've mentioned once, twice, every time I blog, I am a math major. Part of the awesomeness that UNCA has to offer is the fact that I get to do research with my professors before I graduate. Next semester, I'm signing up to do research with one of my professors dealing with the two shapes above. The research I'll be working on is actually continuing some research that was done by an undergraduate already, and an undergraduate before both of us as well. The paper that this all stems from was published in the International Journal of Algebra and Computations. That's a pretty big deal. That means someone who was probably my age or close to it was published in a prestigious scholarly journal. Larger schools generally leave the research up to its graduate students, but UNCA prides itself on the research opportunities it can offer all of its students, like me.
This may just seem kind of dorky if you're not into math, but there is research in every discipline on campus. One of my friends is presenting in NYC on her research dealing with student values and important international events like 9/11. Another of my friends is presenting in Oklahoma on her philosophy research. If I'm lucky, I will come up with enough results to be able to share with you what I've done!