Conference: Online Undergraduate Resource Fair for the Advancement and Alliance of Marginalized Mathematicians (OURFA2M2)

This project serves the national interest by providing undergraduate and graduate students in the mathematical sciences with "insider" knowledge that will allow them to make informed decisions about their educational and career choices. Specifically, this project will support the fourth offering of the Online Undergraduate Resource Fair for the Advancement and Alliance of Marginalized Mathematicians, a two-day online conference organized by current students.

Building from three prior offerings from 2021 to 2023, the 2024 conference will include six main activities for participating students: (1) Our Stories talks, where recent PhD recipients will share their experiences; (2) crash courses that provide brief overviews of fields of mathematics common in undergraduate research; (3) a summer opportunities panel; (4) a student experiences panel; (5) two plenary presentations; and (6) two virtual networking lunches. Each activity is designed to shine a light on aspects of graduate education and career opportunities that can be complex for participants to explore on their own.

Too often, students can be excluded from educational and career opportunities simply because they are not "in the know." This may be due to insufficient mentorship, underdeveloped institutional advising systems, or other circumstances. This is a particularly common challenge for individuals from low-income backgrounds, first-generation students, and students from populations that have historically been underrepresented in the mathematical sciences.

This conference looks to provide mentoring and networking opportunities to promote access to opportunities for all students. The conference builds upon three pillars: (1) sharing information about resources and opportunities through conference presentations and panel discussions; (2) providing access to role models and representation through a careful selection of speakers with diverse identities and experiences and a history of supporting students; and (3) providing access to networking opportunities.

A participant overview will be disseminated and an assessment of the conference's effectiveness will be conducted using data from a Zoom meeting report, a survey immediately after the conference, and a second survey four months after the conference. The NSF IUSE: EDU Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students.

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.