REU Site: National Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program in the Mathematical Sciences

Mathematical Association Of America, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

Each year mathematical sciences faculty are invited to apply for a grant to host the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) National Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program (NREUP) at their own campus over the summer. NREUP is structured both to increase undergraduate completion rates and encourage more students to pursue graduate study by exposing them to research experiences after they complete their sophomore year. NREUP is designed to reach minority students at a critical point in their career path - midway through their undergraduate programs. As course work becomes more abstract, many promising students are not able to adjust to the demands of a major in mathematics, but with a strong connection to a faculty mentor established through the NREUP, students are given the tools they need to succeed. The NREUP program reaches students at a critical transition point in their studies. By the summer after their sophomore year, students typically have a strong background in calculus and a course such as linear algebra or differential equations with some degree of exposure to the proof-based mathematics needed prior to undertaking a research project in mathematics. At this transition point, between lower division and upper division studies, faculty will provide mentoring in a challenging summer program that supports students as they continue their undergraduate studies and encourage students to pursue graduate studies and careers in mathematics. Longitudinal external evaluation data collected from students in this program over several decades helps us better understand the STEM pipeline. 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.