Travel Grants for Presentations by Undergraduates at National Meetings

该奖项资助本科生在一年一度的冬季联合数学会议(JMM)和美国数学协会(MAA)夏季数学节会议上展示他们的研究成果，为期五年，从2014年开始。2014年，JMM将于1月15日至1月18日在马里兰州的巴尔的摩举行，MathFest会议将于8月7日至8月9日在波特兰举行。在过去的25年里，参与数学研究的本科生数量急剧增加。因此，本科生参与的演讲和海报演示已成为MAA夏季数学节和冬季JMM的组成部分，该活动由MAA和美国数学学会组织。参与这样的环境为本科生提供了在国家一级成为数学社区的一部分的机会，同时与执业数学家和同行进行互动。学习新的数学并与他人分享经验可以为继续学习数学提供强大的动力。尽管这一经历产生了积极影响，但对许多学生来说，缺乏旅费仍然是参加全国会议的一个重大障碍，特别是在学生人数较少的机构。拟议的项目将在五年内为近1400名本科生提供旅行津贴，使他们有机会在MAA MathFest或JMM上展示他们的工作，优先资助来自资金较少的群体和机构的学生。让本科生参与研究的价值得到了很好的证明，潜在的好处也很多。事实上，越来越多的文献表明，参与本科生研究可以提高留校率和学生参与度，对来自不同背景的学生都是有益的。此外，几项研究表明，参加本科生研究的学生比没有参加研究的学生更有可能进入研究生院。然而，研究也表明，通过口头或书面陈述交流结果是有效的本科生研究经历的一个基本特征。MAA专注于推进本科水平的数学，在其年度会议上提供了丰富和多样化的数学课程，使JMM和MAA MathFest成为本科生传播他们的研究成果的理想场所，同时与从事类似研究和实践数学家的同行互动。参加全国性会议的经历，特别是世界上最大的年度数学会议(JMM)和最大的夏季数学家年度聚会(MAA MathFest)，可以帮助学生认同成为一名专业数学家，并可能激励他们继续学习数学。拟议的项目将支持增加对数学的接触，预计最终将增加攻读数学科学研究生课程的学生人数。项目成果将广泛传播。

This award funds travel for undergraduate students to present their reserach at the annual winter Joint Mathematics Meetings (JMM) and Mathematical Association of America (MAA) summer MathFest meeting for a five-year period beginning in 2014. In 2014, the JMM will be held in Baltimore, MD from January 15 - January 18, and the MathFest meeting will be held in Portland, OR from August 7 - August 9. A dramatic increase in the number of undergraduates participating in research in mathematics has occurred over the past twenty-five years. Consequently, contributed talks and poster presentations by undergraduates have become an integral part of the MAA summer MathFest and the winter JMM, organized by the MAA and the American Mathematical Society. Participation in such settings offers undergraduates the opportunity to become part of the mathematical community at a national level while interacting with both practicing mathematicians and peers. Learning new mathematics and sharing experiences with others can provide strong motivation for continued study of mathematics. Despite the positive effects of the experience, lack of travel funding remains a significant barrier to participation in national meetings for many students, particularly at institutions with large populations of underrepresented students. The proposed project will provide travel grants to nearly 1400 undergraduates over a five-year period, affording them the opportunity to present their work at MAA MathFest or the JMM, with priority in funding given to students from underrepresented groups and institutions with less funding.The value of involving undergraduates in research is well documented and the potential benefits are numerous. Indeed, a growing body of literature suggests that participation in undergraduate research increases retention rates and student engagement and is beneficial for students from many backgrounds. Moreover, several studies have indicated that students who participate in undergraduate research are significantly more likely to attend graduate school than those who do not. Research has also shown, however, that the communication of results through oral or written presentations is an essential feature of an effective undergraduate research experience. The MAA, with its focus on advancing mathematics at the undergraduate level, provides a mathematically rich and diverse program at its annual meetings, making the JMM and MAA MathFest ideal venues for undergraduates to disseminate their research results while interacting with both peers who are similarly engaged in research and practicing mathematicians. The experience of participating in a national meeting, particularly the largest annual mathematics meeting in the world (JMM) and the largest summertime annual gathering of mathematicians (MAA MathFest), can help students identify with becoming a professional mathematician and may motivate them to continue the study of mathematics. The proposed project will support increased engagement with mathematics and is expected to ultimately increase the number of students who pursue graduate studies in the mathematical sciences. Project results will be widely disseminated.