Underrepresented Students in Topology and Algebra Research Symposium (USTARS)

University Of Iowa, Iowa City IA

Investigators

Abstract

The University of Iowa Mathematics Department has received recognition for its outstanding minority mentoring program and has made a commitment to increase the number of minority graduate students and scientists. The Underrepresented Students in Topology and Algebra Research Symposium (USTARS) is a project proposed by a group of underrepresented students in its department and will be largely run and organized by graduate students. The conference is scheduled to be held at the University of Iowa on April 1-3, 2011. It will be structured so that speakers will give 20-minute parallel research talks in topology and algebra. One distinguished graduate student will give an hour long presentation and one invited faculty member, Dr. Emille Davie Lawrence of California Polytechnic University Pomona, will give a one hour keynote address. The broader impact of this event is that graduate students who attend USTARS will be better equipped to find academic positions and continue the cycle of research and collaboration. Attendees will be exposed to a greater variety of current research, ideas, and results, and meet more underrepresented professors and students in their generation who may become future collaborators or colleagues. This is particularly important for students with great academic potential but are not attending top tier research institutions schools that can often be overlooked, despite a strong faculty and graduate student population. The conference also promotes diversity in the mathematical sciences by encouraging women and minorities to attend and give talks. The conference Organizing Committee is remarkably diverse in gender, ethnicity, and educational background, and hence is well-positioned to encourage participation by women and minorities. The participants of the conference will continue to influence the next generation of students in positive ways by serving as much needed mentors and encouraging students in the mathematical sciences to advance themselves and participate in research and conference events. http://www.mathalliance.org/ustars.asp