Collaborative Research: Undergraduate Research Groups in the CSU Alliance for PUMP: Preparing Undergraduates through Mentoring toward PhDs

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This project focuses on increasing the participation of underrepresented students in PhD programs in the mathematical sciences. These students include undergraduates currently at a California State University (CSU) which are ethnic minorities, first-generation college, or financially disadvantaged. This will be accomplished by a CSU Alliance including all 23 campuses, which provides a robust recruitment process, training for faculty on how to be a strong mentor, and frequent assessment. Students are equipped with the tools to be successful in doctoral programs through high-quality, personalized activities. PUMP has already had tremendous success on southern CSU campuses and is now being extended to include northern campuses as well.The activities for this project include (a) an orientation workshop for faculty geared to maximize the success of mentoring students from underrepresented groups; (b) at least one year of undergraduate research projects for junior and senior math majors; and (c) a PUMP symposium where the undergraduates will present talks on their research. The PUMP undergraduate research group (URG) is structured so that students master the mathematical content while developing the ability to go from general course work to independent work and research. The program requires that topics for the URGs, while accessible to students, make meaningful contributions to the mathematical sciences, allowing the faculty from institutions with limited research opportunities to keep current and active in their fields. This project shall contribute to increasing the quantity, quality, and diversity of the mathematical sciences workforce.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.