The three-year Program Enhancing the Mathematical Sciences Workforce in 21st Century Mentoring Through Critical Transition Points (MCTP) at Arizona State University (ASU) will establish a learning through research community in the mathematical sciences that relies on mentorship, academic support and summer research opportunities for at least 25 undergraduate students each year. The Mathematical and Theoretical Biology Institute (MTBI)- devoted to the training of undergraduate and graduate students in the application of mathematics will: (1) recruit and select summer REU students; (2) guarantee sequential research summer opportunities for undergraduates; (3) keep track of their academic status after leaving the program for three years; and (4) prepare the students for graduate school and/or future employment.
The program is part of a systemic effort that will insure the successful transition of selected students from community college and colleges will enroll in a graduate graduate program in the mathematical sciences. The MTBI long-term overarching goal is to build a large community of researchers from which additional Ph.D.'s in the mathematical sciences primarily from underrepresented groups will emerge. It is anticipated that this project, like our previous REU (MTBI) projects, will succeed in increasing the enrollment and the graduation of students from groups that have traditionally been underrepresented in the mathematical sciences or in fields that demand strong mathematical training. For example, MTBI has served 220 undergraduate students over nine years-with many participating in two or more sequential summer research experiences selecting between 23 and 36 undergraduate participants each summer. The success of MTBI's programs is evident from the number of its alumni who continue on to graduate school. Specifically, the total percentage of underrepresented minority alumni of MTBI in graduate school is 62.5% (87 out of 139); the percentage pursuing Ph.D.'s is 34.5% (48 out of 139); the percentage of women in graduate school is 64% (64 out of 100); the percentage of women pursuing Ph.D.'s is 29% (29 out of 100). Participation in MTBI provided the research experience, mentorship and support needed to successfully continue their studies in mathematics. The proposed program will establish a model for education through research in a collaborative setting that focuses on actions at critical transition points from college to the Ph.D. level. The goal is that this model will instigate systemic and large-scale educational and mentorship changes at ASU and other emergent urban universities.
