Grant meant to boost math enrollment, training

In an effort to boost the number of Americans pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees in mathematics, the National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded the mathematics department a three-year, $1.5 million grant to enhance and broaden research and training opportunities for UW–Madison students.

The grant is part of a national program to increase the flow of domestic students into the math education pipeline, and to meet a growing demand in U.S. industry and higher education for qualified graduates, according to Richard A. Brualdi, a UW–Madison professor of mathematics.

Since the department’s establishment at UW–Madison more than 100 years ago, more than 900 math doctorates have been awarded by the university, and UW–Madison continues to supply qualified mathematicians to universities and industries worldwide, Brualdi said.

But the need in the United States for well-trained mathematicians, especially for work in industrial settings, continues to outstrip supply, and NSF, in concert with universities like UW–Madison, have joined in an effort to attract and provide enhanced educational opportunities for American students.

The grant will fund research opportunities and other creative experiences for undergraduates as well as graduate and postdoctoral fellowships. Goals of the program include:

• Broadening math education to improve interaction and communication between mathematicians and scientists and engineers.
• Strengthen core educational programs in math at the graduate and undergraduate levels.
• Decrease the time it takes to earn a doctorate.

The grant was awarded under NSF’s Vertical Integration of Research and Education in Mathematical Sciences program and may be renewed for an additional $1 million to extend the program for another two years.