This project increases recruitment and professional development of mathematics graduate students by focusing chiefly on the early stages of graduate education. There are three main goals; (a) to increase the number of Master's students who successfully transition to Ph.D. studies, (b) to provide advanced mathematical training for students to enter the workforce in Education or Industry upon completion of their Master's degrees, and (c) to increase success, and decrease the time to completion, of Ph.D. students. There are several factors that contribute to high retention and completion and, ultimately, to the success of the project. These include the diversified collection of high quality Master's degrees, newly created transitional and Ph.D. preparatory courses, close mentoring, and strong administrative support. Sixteen fellowships are awarded per year: 8 for students seeking a Master's degree and 8 for Ph.D. students.
The project emphasizes recruitment of students from colleges in the Atlanta area, paying special attention to students from underrepresented groups. Joint seminars and exchange programs with area colleges and Research Experiences for Undergraduates projects are used as vehicles to attract qualified students to graduate studies in mathematics at Georgia Tech.
