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.
