EMSW21-VIGRE: Focus on Mathematics

该项目利用加州大学戴维斯分校数学系的资源，吸引更多的美国公民从事数学科学事业，特别关注女性和代表性不足的群体。这方面的主要工具是研究焦点小组（RFG），这是在先前的VIGRE拨款中创建的一个结构，已经取得了巨大的成功。RFG是一个由教师、博士后、研究生和本科生组成的团队，他们在一个特定的研究领域进行为期一年的深入探索。通过RFG活动，成员们接触到最前沿的研究，他们参与到研究的各个方面：探索、发现、领导、展示和演讲。特别是，研究生培养了很强的书面和口头沟通能力。每年选出并资助四个区域规划小组。除了RFGs之外，本计划还有一些新活动：小型资助计划，学生不仅可以申请夏季津贴，还可以申请会议旅行基金，甚至可以组织研讨会，开展外展活动，或接待来访的数学家。撰写小额资助不仅是一个有价值的挑战，迫使学生计划和组织一个研究项目，而且还释放了研究生和博士后的创造力。数学专业的学生被积极地利用几个工具招募：探索数学项目是一个面向高中和本科生的拓展项目，由VIGRE研究生创建。该项目支持当地的学生组织、数学俱乐部和数学咖啡馆，以促进以同伴为基础的数学专业的招聘和保留。为高中生举办的数学博览会在地理邻近地区（包括代表性不足的少数民族的大型社区）举行，以吸引即将入学的新生主修数学，并推广使用数学的职业道路。vigre资助的学生和博士后需要参加至少两项外展活动。对特定研究领域的更多关注导致学生和博士后的研究效率提高。它也可能导致RFG参与者获得新的发展和结果（例如，论文，出版物和讲座笔记）。参加会议增加了研究生接触新思想和传播研究成果的机会。这对创造一个更大、更好的从事数学工作的美国公民和永久居民群体的影响将是重大的。该项目直接影响到加州北部和中部的周边地理区域。在征聘计划中，特别注意吸引和留住目前在数学领域人数不足但在这一地理区域人数众多的少数民族。

The project uses the resources of the UC Davis Department of Mathematics to attract more US citizens to careers in the mathematical sciences, with special attention paid to women and underrepresented groups. The main tool for this is the Research Focus Group (RFG), a construct created in the prior VIGRE grant, which has been wildly successful. An RFG is a group of faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and undergraduate students, who collaborate in a year-long intense exploration of a particular research area. Through RFG activities, members are exposed to cutting-edge research, and they participate in all its aspects: exploration, discovery, leadership, exposition, and lecturing. In particular, graduate students develop strong communication skills, both written and verbal. Every year, four RFGs are selected and funded.In addition to the RFGs are activities new to this project: A Mini-Grant Program through which students can apply not just for summer stipends but for conference travel funds, or even to organize workshops, to run outreach activities, or to host visiting mathematicians. Writing a mini-grant is not only a valuable challenge that forces the students to plan and organize a research project, but it also unleashes the creativity of the graduate students and postdocs.Mathematics majors are recruited aggressively using several tools: The EXPLORE Math program is an outreach program for high school and undergraduate students that was created by VIGRE graduate students. The project supports local student organizations, Math Club and Math Cafe, to promote peer-based recruitment and retention of mathematics majors. Mathematics fairs for senior high school students are held in geographic proximity (which includes large communities of underrepresented minorities) to attract incoming freshmen to major in math and promote career paths that use mathematics. VIGRE-funded students and postdocs are required to participate in at least two of the many outreach activities.The increased focus on particular research areas leads to increased research productivity among students and postdocs. It may also lead to new developments and results obtained by RFG participants (e.g., theses, publications, and lecture notes). Attending conferences increases the exposure of graduate students to new ideas and to the dissemination of research.The impact on creating a larger and better group of U.S. citizens and permanent residents working in mathematics will be significant. The project directly affects the surrounding geographic area of Northern and Central California. In the recruitment plan special attention is given to attracting and retaining minorities currently underrepresented in mathematics but abundant in this geographic area.