The 2023 Gulf States Math Alliance Conference and Faculty Development Workshop

University Of Texas At Arlington, Arlington TX

Investigators

Abstract

This project serves the national interest by working to broadening participation of students from underrepresented and underserved populations in the mathematical sciences. Specifically, this project will organize the 2023 Annual Gulf States Math Alliance (GSMATH) Conference and offer a faculty development workshop to support the use of collaborative mentoring strategies by mathematics faculty at participating institutions. The GSMATH Conference will be held at Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas during February 24-26, 2023. The conference is organized by GSMATH, which is the regional mathematics alliance covering the states of Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi that includes an active and strong network of faculty mentors in over 25 HSIs (Hispanic Serving Institutions), HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), and other institutions that serve a diverse population of students. Building from six prior GSMATH conferences, it is anticipated that 125 students will attend the conference with an additional 25 faculty also participating in the faculty development workshop. The conference will provide multiple sessions centered on demystifying the pathways through undergraduate degree programs in the mathematical sciences. Keynote speakers, panel discussions, a student poster session, and a graduate and undergraduate program fair will provide multiple opportunities for students to network, ask questions, and receive mentoring. The faculty workshop will focus on equitably supporting students as they grow from 2-year and 4-year colleges into graduate education or the workforce. The GSMATH conference will directly contribute to efforts to broaden participation and promote equity in the mathematical sciences. This, in turn, has potential to improve STEM education and academic outcomes for students across disciplines. Panels like “What I wish I knew Before Graduate School”, “Math Career Pathways (Academic and Non-Academic)", and “Research Opportunities for Undergraduate Majors” will allow participating students to get advice from faculty and experienced peers. The involvement of community college mathematics faculty and students is a critical element of the GSMATH conference, as 2-year colleges are a starting point for many students pursuing bachelor’s and graduate degrees in the mathematical sciences. The faculty development workshop will not only enable faculty to collaboratively mentor those students throughout the year but will also address important issues in DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), critical transition from CCs to four-year undergraduate studies, and from undergraduate to graduate studies. Faculty development will also strengthen connections between participating institutions, supporting the growth of a responsive community of mentors across the discipline. The HSI Program aims to enhance undergraduate STEM education, broaden participation in STEM, and build capacity at HSIs. Achieving these aims, given the diverse nature and context of the HSIs, requires innovative approaches that incentivize institutional and community transformation and promote fundamental research (i) on engaged student learning, (ii) about what it takes to diversify and increase participation in STEM effectively, and (iii) that improves our understanding of how to build institutional capacity at HSIs are supported by this program. 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.