NSF Workshop Held on Math Majors and Transition to Graduate Work

In an effort to promote broader interaction between departments trying to address the critical problems of majors and the transition to graduate work, four scientific societies -- the American Mathematical Society, the American Statistical Association, the Mathematical Association of America, and the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics -- hosted an NSF supported workshop on August 12-13, 2005, in Washington, DC which was focused solely on the mathematics major and the transition to graduate school.

For several decades, mathematicians have complained about the scarcity of undergraduate mathematics majors. Enrollment in upper division mathematics courses has steadily declined, fewer such courses are offered, and American undergraduates seem to avoid graduate school in mathematics or related fields. And those who do go on to graduate school often find the transition difficult. 

In an effort to address these problems, some colleges and universities have experimented with new approaches to attract mathematics majors, to mentor them through their undergraduate work, and to help them through the transition from undergraduate to graduate work. Solving the problem of the major means wrestling with some tough questions: What does a major in mathematics mean? How flexible should a major be? How do we create honors programs that attract the best students? What is the role of research experiences for majors? What is the best way for undergraduates to move into graduate school? How do we prepare mathematics majors for graduate work outside of mathematics?

This workshop entitled "Engaging Young Mathematicians: an NSF Workshop on Majors and the Transition to Graduate Work" was aimed primarily at doctoral granting departments in the mathematical sciences. It sought to stimulate departments to think more carefully about their major, the way in which graduate students enter their program, and the possible use of NSF workforce funds to initiate change.  The workshop consisted of six sessions:

Session 1: New views of the mathematics major

Some departments have greatly increased the number of majors in recent years, in part by varying the definition of major. How much flexibility should there be in the major? What is the goal of the mathematics major? How do we craft a major that attracts the right students?

Speakers:    

Workshop Presentation

Workshop Presentation

Speakers :   

Workshop Presentation

Workshop Presentation

Notes for the Workshop Presentation

James R.C. Leitzel Lecture, MathFest, August 6, 2005

Notes for the Leitzel Lecture

Session 3: Cultivating graduate students in the liberal arts environment

A small number of liberal arts colleges have produced top-ranked graduate students for many years. While the undergraduate environment is different in research universities, they may be able to learn valuable lessons by understanding how these few liberal arts colleges attract and mentor their best majors.

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Workshop Presentation

Harvey Mudd College Math Majors Information

Workshop Presentation

Session 4: Bridging the gap to graduate work

American undergraduates often find it difficult to make the transition to graduate work, partly because they are competing with talented (and experienced) international students. How do we accustom undergraduates to the new environment of graduate school? Can we learn from other sciences, who seem to do this more easily?

Speakers :

Workshop Presentation

Univ of Chicago Mathematics Graduate Education Stat

Workshop Presentation

Session 5: Training majors and graduate students beyond mathematics

Mathematical sciences majors may go on to many areas in the mathematical sciences, including statistics or interdisciplinary work. Training majors for all areas of graduate work should be a high priority for mathematicians.

Speakers :   

Workshop Presentation

Workshop Presentation

Session 6: Workforce programs at NSF: Philosophy behind and beyond VIGRE

For the past eight years, the Division of Mathematical Sciences has devoted much of its energy to workforce issues, first with VIGRE and then with RTG/MCTP. Much of the rationale for a greatly increased budget for mathematics was built on the need to address workforce problems. Workforce issues begin with the major and a successful transition to graduate school. What is the philosophy behind these DMS programs? What is their future? How do they fit within the larger framework of DMS funding for mathematical research? (This is not a discussion of the programs themselves but rather the underlying philosophy behind them.)

Workshop Presentation

For the latest information on graduate enrollments in science and engineering programs, visit this NSF webpage.

For a list of workshop participants, please click here.