Diversity Programs in Mathematics Receive Honor
April 14, 2008
Providence, RI---The American Mathematical Society announced today honors for two exemplary programs that aim to increase diversity in the mathematics profession: the Summer Undergraduate Mathematical Science Research Institute (SUMSRI) at Miami University (Ohio), and the Mathematics Summer Program in Research and Learning (Math SPIRAL) at the University of Maryland, College Park. The Society's Committee on the Profession chose SUMSRI and SPIRAL as "Mathematics Programs that Make a Difference".
"The mathematics community has struggled to increase the participation of minority groups in our profession," said Dr. Kimberly Pearson, a research fellow in the Department of Biostatistics at the Harvard School of Public Health and chair of the selection committee. "The American Mathematical Society's Committee on the Profession seeks to further this goal through the Mathematics Programs that Make a Difference award. Since one of the criteria for the award is that the program model be replicable, we hope that the attention brought to the honored programs will lead to the creation and growth of similar programs across the country.''
The selection of SUMSRI and Math SPIRAL recognizes the programs' outstanding work in training and mentoring students from minority groups underrepresented in mathematics. The programs provide the students with the background and skills they need to excel in PhD programs in mathematics and to launch successful careers in the field.
SUMSRI
SUMSRI, conducted under the guidance of Miami University's Department of Mathematics and Statistics, is aimed at talented undergraduate students in the mathematical sciences who are interested in pursuing advanced degrees. Because of the shortage of minority and women mathematical scientists, the program is especially focused on, but not limited to, African Americans and other underrepresented minorities and women.
The main goals of SUMSRI are to encourage minority students and women to become mathematical research scientists and to help the students improve their research abilities. In addition, SUMSRI aims to foster the students' ability to work in groups, to give them a long-term support group, and to provide them with professional role models. In the program, students increase their technical writing skills and are given an opportunity to write a technical research paper and present a talk at a mathematics conference. They also receive information about available financial aid and opportunities for graduate school, and about career opportunities in the mathematical sciences.
SUMSRI runs for seven weeks on Miami University's campus in Oxford, Ohio. During that time, students participate in problem seminars in mathematics or statistics. The program also includes a technical writing seminar, a GRE preparation workshop, two short courses on algebra and real analysis, and colloquium talks given by well known mathematical scientists. In addition, there are panel discussions about graduate school and career opportunities. SUMSRI pays for participants' travel, room, board, and supplies and provides each student with a stipend. Funds are available for travel and support to selected national meetings.
The ideal candidate for SUMSRI is a sophomore or junior student who has completed with distinction the calculus series and at least one proof-based mathematics or statistics course. All SUMSRI students return to their home institutions as undergraduates after participating in the program.
Math SPIRAL
Math SPIRAL, a multi-year summer program funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Security Agency (NSA), brings gifted rising sophomores and juniors to the University of Maryland, College Park, for a six-week intensive program to help prepare them for graduate study in the mathematical sciences. Math SPIRAL was developed in close coordination with a group of nine affiliated minority-serving colleges and universities; this network is a central strength of the program.
Math SPIRAL has three core components: academics, research, and professional development. Students are enrolled in a 3-credit summer course consisting of two parallel sub-courses. The first focuses on combinatorics and a strategic analysis of winning strategies for a variety of games, while the second emphasizes the core methods of mathematical reasoning and proof. In addition to solving problems, students must accurately communicate their solutions both in writing and verbally. Formal public presentations of the academic and the research results are a key part of the SPIRAL program.
The research program has focused on the analysis of games, an area that provides a genuine research experience without requiring knowledge of higher-level mathematics courses. Research teams of three or four students carry out the investigations. Teams meet frequently with a graduate student mentor and a faculty advisor and make weekly oral presentations of their progress. The highlight of the program is the final formal presentations by the students.
Professional development activities comprise field trips, colloquia, and panel discussions. Past field trip destinations have included Booz Allen Hamilton, GEICO, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the National Security Agency, and Northrup Grumman. Colloquia are given by established figures from academia, government, and industry to offer personal insights. The panel discussions provide advice on preparing for and succeeding in graduate school as well as on how to obtain financial support.
For more information on these two programs, visit the web site http://www.ams.org/employment/makeadiff.html. See also the article "Mathematics Programs that Make a Difference" in the May 2008 issue of the Notices of the AMS.
Contact:
Annette Emerson or Mike Breen, Public Awareness Officers
American Mathematical Society
201 Charles Street
Providence, RI 02904
Tel: 401-455-4000
paoffice@ams.org
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Founded in 1888 to further mathematical research and scholarship, the more than 30,000-member American Mathematical Society fulfills its mission through programs and services that promote mathematical research and its uses, strengthen mathematical education, and foster awareness and appreciation of mathematics and its connections to other disciplines and to everyday life.
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