Mathematical Sciences: Enhancing Diversity in Graduate Education (EDGE): A Transition Program for Women in the Mathematical Sciences

布林莫尔学院和斯佩尔曼学院已经建立了一个项目，其明确的目的是增加成功完成数学科学研究生课程的女性和少数民族学生的数量。 该计划，题为“增强研究生教育的多样性（EDGE）”，旨在加强目标学生群体的能力，成功地谈判从本科过渡到研究生教育的数学，并在这些研究生课程取得成功。 该计划主要侧重于本科数学课程的应届毕业生谁将参加数学科学的研究生课程在接下来的秋天。 在过去的四年里，主要研究人员共同指导了NSF赞助的Spelman-Bryn Mawr夏季数学计划，旨在识别和鼓励有才华的年轻女性从事数学科学的职业。 现在，作为这一努力的延续，这两个机构正在解决一个持续存在的问题，这个问题继续阻碍早期干预计划的努力，即数学研究生课程中有才华的女性和少数民族学生的流失。 这些群体的入学率高得不成比例，在一个项目中不成功的学生往往完全失去了管道。 为了实现其目标，该计划帮助学生在分析和代数的基本领域发展更强的背景。 此外，该方案还建立了机制，为未来的女研究生提供：（1）清楚地了解研究生院对她们的期望，（2）增加她们在研究生院竞争的信心和能力所需的基本工具，（3）一个支持网络，旨在让她们在开始研究生工作后继续从事数学科学，（4）对数学及其与其他学科的联系有广泛的认识，（5）在压力下，在小组学习中，在竞争环境中了解自己的优势和劣势。 该计划的结构包括两个基本组成部分：（1）密集的夏季计划，（2）后续辅导计划。 暑期课程包括两个为期六周的核心课程;四个为期一周的关于数学研究领域的迷你课程;以及旨在为研究生资格考试做准备的问题课程。 指导计划涉及研究生机构在确定适当的导师谁将作为倡导者的参与者从他们的研究生学习开始。 一个持续的支持网络由主要研究者，学生参与者和研究生导师提供。 此外，该项目还包括一项综合研究，该研究是与一位在调查高等教育和专业一级的性别和科学问题方面经验丰富的社会学家共同完成的，其目的是确定该方案在帮助学生顺利完成研究生教育各个阶段方面的有效性。 在四年的时间里，40到50名女性，其中至少一半来自代表性不足的少数群体，将直接支持她们坚持到博士学位。数学科学学位。 因此，预计妇女和少数民族在数学科学研究生课程中的成功率将从参与机构的成功率开始提高。 评估过程还将为数学界提供有关少数民族和妇女在数学科学研究生课程中的经验的大量数据。

Bryn Mawr and Spelman Colleges have established a program whose explicit purpose is to increase the number of women and minority students who successfully complete graduate programs in the mathematical sciences. This program, entitled "Enhancing Diversity in Graduate Education (EDGE)," is designed to strengthen the ability of the targeted student population to successfully negotiate the transition from undergraduate to graduate education in mathematics, and to succeed in those graduate programs. The program focuses primarily on recent graduates of undergraduate mathematics programs who will attend graduate programs in the mathematical sciences the following fall. For the past four years, the Principal Investigators have co-directed the NSF-sponsored Spelman-Bryn Mawr Summer Mathematics Program, aimed at identifying and encouraging talented young women to pursue careers in the mathematical sciences. Now, as a continuation of this effort, the two institutions are addressing a persistent problem that continues to thwart the efforts of earlier intervention programs, namely the attrition of talented women and minority students from graduate programs in mathematics. Attrition for these groups is disproportionately high, and students who are not successful in one program are often lost from the pipeline altogether. In order to realize its goals, the program helps students develop a stronger background in the basic areas of analysis and algebra. In addition, the program establishes mechanisms to provide prospective female graduate students with (1) a clear understanding of what will be expected of them in graduate school, (2) the basic tools needed to increase both their confidence and their ability to compete in graduate school, (3) a support network aimed at keeping them in the mathematical sciences once they have begun their graduate work, (4) a broad perspective about mathematics and its connections to other disciplines, and (5) an understanding of their own strengths and weaknesses under stress, in group study, and in a competitive environment. The structure of the program involves two basic components: (1) an intensive summer program, and (2) a follow-up mentoring program. The summer program includes two six-week core courses; four one-week minicourses on exciting areas of mathematical research; and problem sessions aimed at preparing participants for graduate qualifying exams. The mentoring program involves graduate institutions in the identification of appropriate mentors who will serve as advocates for the participants from the beginning of their graduate study. A continuing support network is provided by the Principal Investigators, student participants, and graduate student mentors. In addition, the project includes a comprehensive study, done in conjunction with a sociologist experienced in investigating issues involving gender and science in higher education and at the professional level, whose aim is to determine the effectiveness of the program in helping students to negotiate the various stages of their graduate education. Over a period of four years, between forty and fifty women, at least half of whom are from underrepresented minority groups, will be directly supported in their efforts to persist to the Ph.D. degree in the mathematical sciences. As a result, it is expected that the success rate of women and minorities in graduate programs in the mathematical sciences will increase, beginning with the rates at participating institutions. The evaluation process will also provide the mathematics community with intensive data about the experiences of minorities and women in graduate programs in the mathematical sciences.