National Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program

Mathematical Association Of America, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

This grant supports the Mathematical Association of America's (MAA) National Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program (NREUP). Each year faculty in the mathematical sciences are invited to apply to MAA NREUP for a grant to host a Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program at their own campus. NREUP is structured both to increase undergraduate completion rates and to encourage rising sophomore, junior, and senior undergraduates to pursue graduate study through a research experience in the mathematical sciences at their home institutions. NREUP reaches 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 the mathematical sciences, but with a strong connection to a faculty mentor established through the NREUP, students receive the training, knowledge, confidence and experience that help them succeed. In more detail, rising juniors and seniors typically have a strong background in calculus, a more advanced mathematics course such as linear algebra or differential equations, and some exposure to theoretical mathematics as required for their major. At this transition point, between lower division and upper division studies, faculty will provide a comprehensive research experience, professional development and mentoring that supports and encourages students to pursue graduate studies and careers in mathematics. Additionally, students' academic progress and research activity is monitored through the NREUP. Longitudinal external evaluation data collected from students in this program over several decades will help to better understand the STEM pipeline. More information about NREUP is available at https://maa.org/resource/nreup/. 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.