AWM Student Chapter Awards

The Executive Committee of the Association for Women in Mathematics established the Student Chapter Awards to be awarded annually each summer at MAA MathFest. The purpose of these awards is to recognize outstanding achievements in chapter activities among the AWM Student Chapters.

Awards will be given out in four categories:

  1. community outreach,
  2. funding and sustainability,
  3. professional development, and
  4. scientific excellence.

These awards are made possible by the generous donations of former AWM Executive Director Magnhild Lien. First awarded in 2018, these awards reflect Magnhild’s commitment to supporting women in mathematics by strengthening cohorts, research networks, and student chapters.

University of Texas, Austin

2023 Award for Fundraising and Sustainability

Nomination Period: April 1 – May 15 on MathPrograms.org.

Nominator: Any active AWM chapter may nominate itself.

The nominations should consist of: a report of 500-1500 words which contains a brief introduction and a description of the chapter’s membership, activities, and funding sources. If the chapter is seeking a specific award, it should be described in detail.  General applications not tailored to a particular award are also welcome.

Nomination materials should be submitted online at MathPrograms.org.

  • Login to Mathprograms.org as a Program applicant, Program nominator, or as Writer of reference letters or proxies (creating an account if you don’t already have one).
  • Using the menu bar across the top (or bottom) click “Programs.”
  • Search through the list for Association for Women in Mathematics (good, because you see what else there is to apply for!), or in the upper right search bar, search on “Association for Women in Mathematics” to see all current AWM listings on Mathprograms.org.

All submitted materials become the property of the AWM.

Award Criteria: Student Chapter Awards will be awarded in up to four categories:

  • Award for Community Outreach: To reward a student chapter for its outstanding engagement with the local community. Such engagement could take the form of a mentoring program for grade school or high school students, a series of programs that highlight women in mathematics or demonstrate the power and fascination of mathematics.
  • Award for Fundraising/Sustainability: To reward a student chapter for an innovative and successful funding model that provides financial support for its activities. This could include organizing review sessions prior to exams, soliciting support from local industry sponsors, writing proposals for university or government grants.
  • Award for Professional Development: To reward a student chapter for its recruitment and development of students’ professional involvement in mathematics. It could be for a mentoring program run by graduate students for undergraduates headed to graduate school. It could be for the development of a substantial program to prepare students for their next professional steps by giving talks, writing expository or research articles, inviting alumni and other speakers to discuss a range of professional opportunities in mathematics and related fields.
  • Award for Scientific Excellence: To reward a student chapter for organizing and hosting a scientific program of excellent quality in the form of a local conference or speaker series, or for its collaborative work with nearby industry or government organizations.

Nominee Requirements. Any active AWM student chapter may nominate itself.

Presentation of Award. Winners will be presented with their certificate at the MAA MathFest Ice Cream Social.

2023 Community Outreach: Western Ontario University
2023 Fundraising/Sustainability: University of Texas at Austin
2023 Professional Development: Rutgers University
2023 Scientific Excellence: University of Pittsburgh

2022 Community Outreach: University of California, Riverside
2022 Fundraising/Sustainability: University of Alabama
2022 Professional Development: Wake Forest University
2022 Scientific Excellence: Rice University

2021 Community Outreach: Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
2021 Fundraising/Sustainability: Rutgers University 
2021 Professional Development: University of California, San Diego
2021 Scientific Excellence: Virginia Tech

2020 Community Outreach: Texas A&M University
2020 Fundraising/Sustainability: University of Maryland
2020 Professional Development: Cornell University
2020 Scientific Excellence: Columbia University/Barnard College
2020 Scientific Excellence: The University of Utah

2019   Community Outreach: University of Kentucky
2019   Fundraising and Sustainability: Florida Atlantic University
2019   Professional Development: Colorado School of Mines
2019   Scientific Excellence: University of Houston

2018   Community Outreach: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
2018   Fundraising and Sustainability: Florida Atlantic University
2018   Professional Development: Purdue University
2018   Scientific Excellence: University of Oregon

2017   Community Outreach: University of North Carolina
2017   Fundraising and Sustainability: University of Texas at Arlington
2017   Professional Development: Youngstown State University
2017   Scientific Excellence: Brown University

Questions? Call the AWM Administrative Specialist at 401-455-4042 or email awm@awm-math.org.