Optimizing the Mathematics Postdoctoral Experience: A Teaching and Research Postdoctoral Fellowship at Harvey Mudd College

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The five-year project "Optimizing the Mathematics Postdoctoral Experience: A Teaching and Research Postdoctoral Fellowship (TRPF)at Harvey Mudd College," which is cofunded by the Division of Mathematical Sciences (DMS) and the Office of Multidisciplinary Activity (OMA) in the NSF Directorate of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, will establish a new postdoctoral fellowship focused on the synergistic activities of teaching and research as well as connections between the two. These fellowships will emphasize engaging undergraduates in mathematical research and discovery. Over the five-year term this program will provide support for ten postdoctoral fellows (TRPFs) and summer support for ten undergraduate research associates. The TRPFs will develop their research with the guidance of at least one research mentor, teach an average of one course per semester in tandem with a teaching mentor, supervise a summer research student, advise a capstone research experience such as a Senior Thesis or one of Harvey Mudd College's industrial research-based Clinics, and participate in outreach activities and other vital departmental functions. The Mathematics Department will make annual assessments of the TRPFs' teaching and research progress and their preparation to enter the mathematical workforce which will be used to guide both programmatic changes and to tailor an individual work plan designed to best meet the goals and needs of the individual fellows.The TRPF Program will enhance the mathematical workforce by producing high-quality teachers who will enter the academy well prepared to both pursue their own research careers and to mentor aspiring undergraduate researchers. Their ability to engage and inspire undergraduates through the integration of teaching and research is critical for the recruitment and retention of students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees in the mathematical sciences. By cross-training the TRPFs in one of the many departmental outreach programs they will be able to more effective promote mathematical fluency beyond the traditional college boundaries. It is also expected that the TRPFs will remain networked with each other and the Harvey Mudd College faculty, providing a natural ongoing mentoring network, which should enhance their ability to thrive in their chosen careers in the mathematical sciences.