NAM/MSU Undergraduate MATHFest Conference

Morgan State University, Baltimore MD

Investigators

Abstract

The National Association of Mathematians' MATHFest is a conference designed to expose undergraduate mathematical science majors from minority serving institutions, primarily HBCUs, to the possibility of attending graduate school and exposing them to career opportunities in the mathematicalsciences. MATHFest 2010 will be at Miami Dade College in Miami, FL on November 18-20. The main goals of the conference are: -- To address the shortage of minority mathematicians by encouraging minority students to get advanced degrees in the mathematical sciences -- Provide role models -- Give the undergraduate students an opportunity to make a presentation -- Familiarize the students with graduate schools -- Make the students aware of career opportunities in the mathematical sciences To achieve these goals, MATHFest offers undergraduate presentations, a graduate faculty panel, a graduate student panel, an industrial mathematician panel, and an informal session called spotlight on a mathematician. Among the conference attendants are high achieving students in the mathematical sciences from about a fourth of the HBCUs. Small institution will have proportionally small mathematics programs, leaving mathematics students in an isolated situation on their campuses. Hence, these institutions graduate one or two mathematics majors a year. The conference is a time when students from these schools will see approximately 120 students that are doing the same things and are in similar situations.