The Carleton College Summer Mathematics Program (SMP) has operated since 1995. It is designed to support, encourage and mentor the female participants through all the intellectual, professional, and personal transitions from early undergraduate math major through early career as a practicing professional mathematician. The literature on increasing female and underrepresented minority participation in mathematics suggests that among the most effective techniques for increasing confidence and success are: emphasizing effort over ability, providing exposure to role models, normalizing struggle (i.e., show that everyone struggles), and employing group work that builds interdependence. The SMP consciously and deliberately uses all these techniques. The instructors and directors design the program and the courses so that every participant is deeply challenged and maximally supported so that her efforts lead to success. The large SMP community ---consisting of approximately three hundred female mathematicians ranging from undergraduate mathematics majors, to graduate students, to young PhDs and mid-career professionals--- provides a rich resource of ready and willing mentors and role models. SMP participants self-report in post-program evaluations increased knowledge of graduate school and the mathematical community, increased confidence in their ability to earn a PhD, and increased likelihood of doing so. SMP alumnae surveyed post-PhD report that SMP was an important source of inspiration, knowledge and confidence building.
This proposal will fund i) a four-week intensive program of mathematical immersion for undergraduate female mathematics majors held at Carleton each summer from 2010 to 2014, ii) an annual summer reunion conference for program alumnae who subsequently earned PhDs in mathematics, and iii) an annual winter workshop for advising and mentoring program alumnae in graduate school working towards the PhD. These activities are designed with the goal of increasing the number of female mathematical scientists in the US. The summer undergraduate program does an exceptional job at helping our student participants make the transition from a computational view of mathematics to a more theoretical understanding. We advise and assist our alumnae in finding an appropriate experience for the summer between the junior and senior undergraduate years. And we provide counsel and support as they choose graduate programs and, increasingly in recent years, extensive advice and counsel to our PhD alumnae as they enter the academic job market. The winter workshop for graduate students, a new feature with this proposal, is designed to renew our contacts with alumnae and aid them as they choose an advisor, make the transition from coursework to research and later from student to young professional. By 2014, the end of the period of support sought under this proposal, we expect that SMP alumnae will have earned approximately 140 Masters degrees and at least 70 PhDs, with another 50-60 SMP alumnae in or entering graduate programs in mathematical sciences. Ultimately the community of PhD alumnae of SMP supported under this and previous grants should number approximately 140. (There is a seven- to ten-year lag in completing a PhD after completing SMP since program participants are women in their first two years of undergraduate study.) These women will not only have PhDs, they will have productive careers and the inclination to give back in the form of mentoring and encouraging other young women.
