The 2024 Gulf States Math Alliance Conference and Faculty Development Workshop

This project serves the national interest by working to broaden participation of students from underrepresented and underserved populations in the mathematical sciences. Specifically, this project will organize the 2024 Annual Gulf States Math Alliance (GSMATH) Conference and offer a faculty development workshop to support the use of collaborative mentoring strategies by mathematics faculty at participating institutions. The GSMATH Conference will be held at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX on February 23 - 25, 2024. The conference is organized by GSMATH, which is the regional mathematics alliance covering the states of Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. GSMATH includes an active and strong network of faculty mentors in over 25 HSIs (Hispanic Serving Institutions), HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), and other institutions that serve a diverse population of students. Building from seven prior GSMATH conferences, it is anticipated that over 100 students and 50 faculty will attend the conference. Student sessions will center on demystifying pathways through undergraduate degree programs in the mathematical sciences. Keynote speakers, panel discussions, a student poster session, and a graduate school fair will provide multiple opportunities for students to network, ask questions, and receive mentoring. The faculty workshop will focus on supporting students as they transition from 2-year and 4-year colleges into graduate education or the workforce. The GSMATH conference will directly contribute to efforts to broaden participation and promote equity in the mathematical sciences. This, in turn, has potential to improve STEM education and academic outcomes for students across disciplines. Panels like “What I wish I knew Before Graduate School”, “Math Careers", and an undergraduate-graduate student dialogue, will allow participating students to get advice from faculty and experienced peers. The involvement of community college mathematics faculty and students is a critical element of the GSMATH conference, as 2-year colleges are a starting point for many students pursuing bachelor’s and graduate degrees in the mathematical sciences. The faculty development workshop will not only enable faculty to collaboratively mentor those students throughout the year but will also address critical transition points from CCs to four-year institutions and from undergraduate to graduate studies. Faculty development will also strengthen connections between participating institutions, supporting the growth of a responsive community of mentors across the discipline. This project is funded by the HSI Program, which aims to enhance undergraduate STEM education, broaden participation in STEM, and build capacity at HSIs. 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.