NOTE: CURM will be on hiatus for the coming year while we apply for new funding, so we will not be accepting applications in Fall 2022.
Application deadline is November 15 of each year. The Summer Faculty Training Workshop will be held remotely until it is safe to travel, and all grant recipients are expected to attend. Notifications of awards are typically sent by the end of February.
The Center for Undergraduate Research in Mathematics (CURM) provides funding for academic year undergraduate research groups throughout the United States. These groups develop student enthusiasm for the mathematical and computational sciences, provide mentorship to support students through graduation, and develop essential research skills to prepare them for success in graduate school and their careers.
The basic components of CURM are:
- Training professors as mentors for undergraduate students doing research;
- Advising professors on how to maintain undergraduate research groups at their institutions;
- Fostering connections to the broader mathematical community through cross-institution partnerships, regional networks, and community engagement requirements;
- Preparing undergraduate students to succeed in graduate studies and careers in the mathematical sciences;
- Revitalizing faculty research programs.
Founded in 2007 by Michael Dorff at BYU, CURM has had tremendous success in promoting academic year undergraduate research in the mathematical sciences. Since its inception, CURM has provided financial support to 392 undergraduate students (50% female, 29% minority, 4% with disability, and 27% 1st generation college students) mentored by 110 professors (49% female, 20% minority) from over 84 universities and colleges nationwide (21% HSI/HBCU). During that time, CURM students have written 168 joint research papers, 47 of which have been published to date. In addition, the students have given over 360 single/joint conference presentations or poster presentations, and have received 36 awards for their presentations or research. Finally, data shows that at institutions participating in the CURM program, 63% of the CURM students go on to graduate school while only about 18% of the total math majors at these schools do so. For these reasons and others, CURM received the 2015 Programs that Make a Difference award from the American Mathematical Society.
CURM is funded by the National Science Foundation DMS awards 0636648, 1148695, and 1722563.
Contact: Kathryn Leonard, kleonardci@gmail.com