| NSF Org: |
DMS Division Of Mathematical Sciences |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | August 16, 2019 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | August 16, 2019 |
| Award Number: | 1936209 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Joanna Kania-Bartoszynska
jkaniaba@nsf.gov (703)292-4881 DMS Division Of Mathematical Sciences MPS Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences |
| Start Date: | September 15, 2019 |
| End Date: | August 31, 2022 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $117,130.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $117,130.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
10889 WILSHIRE BLVD STE 700 LOS ANGELES CA US 90024-4200 (310)794-0102 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
460 Portola Plaza Los Angeles CA US 90095-7121 |
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Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| NSF Program(s): | MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES RES INST |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.049 |
ABSTRACT
Cultivating diversity and broadening participation of historically underrepresented groups in the mathematical sciences are national goals that are essential components of the innovation engine that drives the nation?s economy. It is a complex problem to solve, and doing so requires a concerted effort. The Mathematical Sciences Institutes Diversity Initiative (MSIDI) is an ongoing collaboration among the NSF-funded mathematical sciences research institutes that aims to address this issue with a series of events targeting members of historically underrepresented groups in the mathematical sciences, including women of all ethnicities. There is no ?one size fits all? approach to increasing participation from underrepresented groups. In this specific project, MSIDI partners with a team of mathematicians from underrepresented groups to enhance several conferences and workshops that aim to address this underrepresentation. These special conferences and workshops are complementary to the core activities of the mathematical sciences research institutes and are important for the goal of increasing participation in key activities that are integral to a career in the mathematical sciences, as well as to core programs at the associated research institutes. Under this project, MSIDI will organize the following events. The Modern Mathematics Workshop will be a pre-conference event at SACNAS in Fall 2020 and planning will be led by the Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics (ICERM). The Blackwell-Tapia Conference will be in Durham, NC in Fall 2020 and planning will be led by the Statistical and Applied Mathematical Sciences Institute (SAMSI). The Latinx in the Mathematical Sciences Conference will be in Los Angeles, CA in Spring 2021 and planning will be led by the Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics (IPAM). There will be another Modern Mathematics Workshop at SACNAS in Fall 2021and planning will be led by the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute (MSRI). And Spring Opportunities will be in Princeton, NJ in Spring 2022 and planning will be led by the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS). Details about these events can be found at https://mathinstitutes.org/diversity/
Modern Mathematics Workshops focus on contemporary research in mathematics and take place in conjunction with the national meeting of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS). These workshops are for mathematicians at all levels and include some special programming for undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers. The Blackwell-Tapia Conference includes a mix of activities designed to inform the next generation of mathematicians about career opportunities in the mathematical sciences and provide a chance for them to network with mathematical scientists who play a leadership role in their communities. During this conference the prestigious Blackwell-Tapia Prize is awarded. This prize recognizes a mathematician who has contributed significantly to research and to addressing the problem of underrepresentation of minorities in the mathematical sciences. The Latinx in the Mathematical Sciences Conference showcases the research contributions and achievements of Latinx mathematicians and includes activities for high school students, undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty. The Spring Opportunities Workshop allows attendees to explore what it takes to thrive in a variety of mathematical careers. Collectively, the goals of these MSIDI activities are to recognize and showcase the research of mathematicians from underrepresented minority groups; disseminate successful efforts to address underrepresentation; inform students and early career mathematicians about career opportunities in the mathematical sciences; build a community around shared interests related to the problem of underrepresentation; and provide networking and development opportunities for current and future mathematicians at all points in the career trajectory.
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.
PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
Program Objectives
The goal of the Latinx in the Mathematical Sciences Conference was to encourage members of the Latinx community to pursue careers in the mathematical sciences, to promote the advancement of Latinx currently in the discipline, and to build a community around shared academic interests. The programmatic aim of the conference was to feature talks by prominent researchers, as well as activities for high school students, undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows and faculty. Participants for this conference were to come from organizations across North America, including Puerto Rico. The target demographic was Latinx at all stages of their mathematical career from undergraduate and graduate students to junior and senior faculty.
We aimed to provide a mix of enriching and multifaceted experience for all participants, including:
- Drawing a strong and diverse participation from the target population.
- Ensuring diversity in terms of gender, geography, institutions, and subject matter expertise.
- Facilitating mentorship for students and junior faculty to learn about career pathways.
- Encouraging Latinx youth to choose STEM majors and flourish in academia or industry.
Program Outcomes
After two postponements due to the COVID pandemic, we were excited to finally host the Latinx in the Mathematical Sciences Conference on 7 – 9 July 2022. The three-day conference was held at the Luskin Conference Center at UCLA and was attended by over 165 participants from all across the continent and Puerto Rico. The third in the series, the conference brought together Latinx mathematicians and scientists from all stages of their careers including senior and junior faculty, researchers, career professionals, industry leaders, postdocs, as well as graduate, undergraduate, and high school students.
Our programmatic goals were fulfilled as we offered activities that included:
- A poster session targeted at undergraduate and graduate students.
- A public event with Dr. Richard Tapia.
- Scientific sessions.
- Career panels spanning academic, industry, and government careers.
- Dedicated time for networking and mentorship.
- Reading of testimonios (story telling) where Latinx and Hispanic mathematicians shared their stories and experiences that led to careers in math and sciences.
- Hosting high-school students from Hispanic serving schools to engage their interest in mathematics through problem solving and discovery.
- A musical evening with banquet as the culminating event.
The conference facilitated professional growth and mentorship opportunities by providing a platform for professional networking and relationship building.
Measuring Success
The Conference was a great success. A survey tool was used to get feedback from participants on ways to improve future programming. The survey assessed all components of the conference including the plenary talks, career panels, scientific sessions, and networking activities.
We were thrilled to receive extremely positive feedback. The conference offered a rewarding, enlightening, supportive, and fun experience to all who attended as participants reported finding the event to be “an incredibly supportive environment for mentoring and it was inspiring in terms of both mathematics and giving back to the mathematics community”.
Seeing a group of strong, successful Latinx mathematicians was reportedly “incredibly inspiring” for most participants. The conference overall was an “open and welcoming atmosphere” which allowed for a tremendous amount of networking to occur over three days.
The following impact statements are worth showcasing here:
“I loved the conference. I am usually really shy and don’t talk to people I don’t know at conferences, but something about this conference helped me get out of my comfort zone and just talk to people. I am proud to say that for the first time, I was talking to everyone around me and that I now have the courage to do the same at other conferences.”
“Fantastic conference. The connections I made were you excellent. Seeing a group of strong, successful Latinx mathematicians has been very inspiring to me.”
“I loved coming to this conference to catch up with my fellow Latinx mathematicians, network, and meet the next generation.”
The survey report can be obtained upon request.
Next Steps
With the successful execution of the 2022 conference, we are committed to utilize the momentum by organizing the fourth Latinx in the Mathematical Sciences Conference in 2025. We hope that the MSIDI initiative will continue to support us in bringing this plan to fruition. We shall seek funding support for this in due course of time.
Appendix
The Latinx in the Mathematical Sciences Conference 2022 is part of the MSIDI initiative of all the math institutes. The organizing committee of this conference were comprised of a diverse group of subject matter experts from prestigious institutions across the nations:
- (Chair) Prof. Anthony Várilly-Alvarado, Rice University
- Dr. Selenne Bañuelos, California State University, Channel Islands
- Prof. Rodrigo Bañuelos, Purdue University
- Dr. Pamela Harris, Williams College
- Prof. Mariel Vázquez, University of California, Davis
Last Modified: 08/31/2022
Modified by: Christian Ratsch
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