EDT: Montana Partnership for Enriching Mathematical Knowledge and Statistical Skills (MT PEAKS)

MT PEAKS计划将扩大数学科学博士生的培训，使他们能够超越传统的学术领域追求职业道路，并能够认识到应用数学和统计学解决各种环境中问题的机会。该项目是数学科学系（MathStat），蒙大拿州多大学材料科学（MTSI）跨学科博士课程和商业，工业和政府（BIG）合作伙伴之间的合作。MT PEAKS计划活动包括三个主要支柱：涉及BIG启发项目和MTSI实验室轮换的跨学科研究项目活动，与BIG合作伙伴的实习经验，以及预备课程和专业发展活动。MT PEAKS学生将在为期一年的研究项目的背景下应用他们的数学和统计技能，该项目是通过与MathStat和MTSI教师的咨询团队以及BIG合作伙伴合作开发的。 他们还将参加与BIG合作伙伴的暑期实习。该计划将产生一个广泛准备的博士数学家和统计学家的劳动力，准备应用他们的技术技能和多学科的接触，以帮助解决传统学术环境之外的无数区域，国家和全球挑战。该项目由NSF Research Traineship（NRT）Program共同资助，致力于通过创新、循证、符合不断变化的劳动力和研究需求的综合培训模式，在高优先级的跨学科研究领域有效培训STEM研究生。实验室轮换、跨学科研究项目和BIG实习的协调是MT PEAKS计划的一个标志。实验室轮换将使MT PEAKS参与者接触各种复杂的大型和实验室规模的仪器，实验方案，实验室安全实践和团队动态。MT PEAKS的学生将接受MTSI博士生导师的培训，学习如何使用实验所需的实验设备和与实验项目相关的数据收集。MTSI导师将被选择，使他们的研究重点补充MT PEAKS参与者的实验室项目。跨学科研究项目将包括一个组成部分，涉及从MathStat和MTSI教师的核心小组和一个大的合作伙伴的实验数据和技术信息的收集和分析。BIG合作伙伴将为学生提供实习经验，促进沟通和团队合作技能的增长，以及学生对现代技术工作场所中数学和统计学无处不在的认识的提高。学生还将参加专业发展研讨会，以提高网络和其他专业技能。 MT PEAKS研究生培训方面的成果将通过在线媒体和教育期刊传播。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估来支持。

The MT PEAKS program will broaden the training of doctoral students in the mathematical sciences so that they are equipped to pursue career paths beyond the traditional academic tract and are able to recognize opportunities to apply mathematics and statistics to solve problems in a variety of settings. The project is a collaboration between the Department of Mathematical Sciences (MathStat), the Montana multi-university Materials Science (MTSI) interdisciplinary doctoral program and business, industry and government (BIG) partners. MT PEAKS program activities consist of three main pillars: interdisciplinary research project activities involving a BIG-inspired project and MTSI lab rotations, an internship experience with a BIG partner, and preparatory coursework and professional development activities. MT PEAKS students will apply their mathematical and statistical skills in the context of a year-long research project developed through collaboration with an advisory team of MathStat and MTSI faculty and a BIG partner. They will also participate in summer internships with BIG partners. The program will produce a broadly prepared workforce of PhD mathematicians and statisticians ready to apply their technical skills and multidisciplinary exposure to help address a myriad of regional, national and global challenges outside the traditional academic environment. This project is co-funded by the NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) Program, which is dedicated to effective training of STEM graduate students in high priority interdisciplinary research areas through comprehensive traineeship models that are innovative, evidence-based, and aligned with changing workforce and research needs.Coordination of the lab rotations, the interdisciplinary research project, and the BIG internship is a hallmark of the MT PEAKS program. Lab rotations will expose MT PEAKS participants to a variety of sophisticated large and bench scale instrumentation, experimental protocols, lab safety practices, and team dynamics. MT PEAKS students will be trained by MTSI doctoral student mentors on the use of lab equipment needed for experimentation and data collection related to their lab projects. MTSI mentors will be chosen so that their research focus complements the MT PEAKS participant's lab project. The interdisciplinary research project will include a component that involves the collection and analysis of experimental data and technical information from a core group of MathStat and MTSI faculty and a BIG partner. BIG partners will provide students with internship experiences that foster growth in communication and teamwork skills, as well as an increase in students' recognition of the ubiquitous nature of mathematics and statistics in the modern technical workplace. Students will also participate in professional development workshops to enhance networking and other professional skill sets. Results of graduate training aspects of MT PEAKS will be disseminated through online media and educational journals.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.