Smooth Transition for Advancement to Graduate Education (STAGE) for Underrepresented Minorities in Mathematical Sciences: A Pilot Project

美国总人口和劳动力的性别和种族构成比其科学和工程劳动力要多样化得多。根据最新数据，在1998-2008十年间，代表不足的少数族裔(URM)平均获得了美国公民数学科学博士学位的6.6%，尽管URM约占总人口的25%[来源：美国数学学会]。“数学科学领域少数族裔升学到研究生教育的平稳过渡(STAGE)：试点项目”旨在更好地帮助更多的城市管理人员在数学科学和其他STEM领域攻读研究生课程。Stage项目设想主要与历史悠久的黑人学院和大学(HBCU)合作，为三年级和大四学生提供严格的暑期培训计划，其中包括与路易斯安那州的五所HBCU合作。在为期三年的时间里，合格的学生将在每年夏天被带到路易斯安那大学拉斐特分校(UL Lafayette)校区，在一个由四名教职员工组成的项目团队(PT)的密切监督下工作。学生们将参加相关主题的高强度速成课程，然后是有指导的研究项目。他们还将接受其他专业活动的培训，包括论文写作、研讨会演示和课堂教学。这一阶段的目标包括：(I)帮助学生开阔他们在其他领域应用数学科学的视野；(Ii)提高学生解决应用问题的求知欲；以及(Iii)创造一个培养学生的环境，让他们沉浸在现实的研究生院体验中，从而提高他们从本科生顺利过渡到研究生课程的能力。该阶段的更广泛的影响将包括：(I)使数学科学界多样化；(Ii)创造一批更合格的劳动力，创造一个更好的经济氛围；(Iii)帮助缩小多数群体和国际数学管理群体在高级数学培训方面的成就差距；(Iv)为国内其他地区树立榜样，使HBCU可以与其他大学合作，增加国际数学管理在数学科学研究生学习中的参与。在这个试验项目成功完成后，Stage将扩大到包括更多的URM学生、HBCU的研究教员和来自其他大学的URM教员。

The gender and ethnic composition of the general US population and workforce is far more diverse than its science and engineering workforce. According to the latest data, during the decade 1998 -2008, underrepresented minorities (URMs) received an average 6.6% of the doctoral degrees awarded to US citizens in the mathematical sciences even though URMs constitute about 25% of the general population [Source: The American Mathematical Society]. The "Smooth Transition for Advancement to Graduate Education (STAGE) for Underrepresented Minorities in Mathematical Sciences: A Pilot Project" is designed to better prepare more URMs to pursue graduate studies in the mathematical sciences and other STEM areas. The STAGE project envisages a rigorous summer training program for juniors and seniors in cooperation primarily with Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs), which includes a partnership with five Louisiana HBCUs. Over a period of three years, qualified students will be brought to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (UL Lafayette) campus during each summer to work under the close supervision of a project team (PT) of four faculty members. The students will attend intense crash courses on relevant topics followed by guided research projects. They will also be trained in other professional activities including paper writing, seminar presentations, and class-room teaching. The goals of STAGE include: (i) helping students broaden their vision about applications of mathematical sciences in other fields; (ii) enhancing students' inquisitiveness in solving applied problems; and (iii) creating a nurturing environment where the students will be immersed in a realistic graduate school experience which will enhance their ability to make a smooth transition from undergraduate to graduate studies. The broader impacts of STAGE will include - (i) diversifying the mathematical sciences community; (ii) creating a critical mass of a more qualified workforce for a better economic atmosphere; (iii) helping bridge the achievement gap between majority and URM communities in advanced mathematical training; and (iv) setting a model for the rest of the country where HBCUs can partner with other universities in a cooperative manner to increase URM participation in mathematical sciences graduate studies. Upon successful completion of this pilot project, STAGE will be expanded to include more URM students, research faculty members from HBCUs, and URM faculty members from other universities.