For Undergraduates

As an undergraduate in mathematics or a related field, you can broaden your experience with a range of programs. Included on this page are short programs and semesters abroad, summer research opportunities, and even post-baccalaureate programs for after you graduate!

You can build your network and experience by joining an AWM student chapter (or starting your own!), and by  joining the AWM Mentor Network.

The AWM also offers the undergraduate Schafer Prize for excellence in mathematics, and the Student Essay Contest on biographies of women in mathematical careers.

Many of the programs listed on this page are dependent on NSF funding, so check the individual websites for the current status of each.

  • The SACNAS Modern Math Workshop takes place before the SACNAS National Conference designed to encourage undergraduates from underrepresented minority groups to pursue careers in the mathematical sciences.
  • Nebraska Conference for Undergraduate Women in Mathematics is open to outstanding undergraduate women mathematicians at all stages of their careers. Students will have the opportunity to meet other women who share their interest in the mathematical sciences, and those who have already done research will be given an opportunity to present their results. Conference participants will also have a chance to learn about life in graduate school from the perspective of current women graduate students representing math departments from across the country. Also see this page.
  • Women in Mathematics in New England Conference (WiMiN) at Smith College celebrates women in mathematics. We feature talks by dozens of undergraduates, graduate students and invited guests working in various mathematical fields.
  • Hudson River Undergraduate Mathematics Conference is a one-day mathematics conference held annually each Spring semester at rotating institutions, and attended by students & faculty from various universities, colleges, & community colleges in New York & New England (so far!). The conference features short talks by students & faculty and a longer invited address by a noted mathematician.

For more conferences, see the MAA’s listing of conferences with opportunities for undergraduate participation.

Also check the toggle for Funding Opportunities on this page for Travel Grant information.

  • Future Computing Summer Internship at the National Security Agency gives rising senior math, computer science, and computer engineering students a chance to work on projects in high performance computing (HPC) at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC).
  • The Naval Research Enterprise Internship Program provides an opportunity for students to participate in research at a Department of Navy laboratory during the summer.
  • The National GEM Consortium is a network of universities and employers to promote the participation of underrepresented groups in post-graduate science and engineering education and the technical workforce. GEM conducts two programs: an undergraduate program, called GRAD Lab (Getting Ready for Advanced Degree Laboratory); and a graduate program called FFP (Future Faculty and Professionals) to support successful completion of rigorous STEM graduate programs.GEM offers graduate fellowships and summer internships.
  •  AAAS Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellowship is a 10-week summer program places science, engineering, and mathematics students at media organizations nationwide. Fellows use their academic training as they research, write, and report today’s headlines, sharpening their abilities to communicate complex scientific issues to the public.
  • The Park City Mathematics Institute of the Institute for Advanced Study: the Undergraduate Summer School provides opportunities for talented undergraduate students to enhance their interest in mathematics. This program is open to undergraduates at all levels, from first-year students to those who have just graduated and completed their undergraduate studies. There will be many organized activities, with some specifically targeted at students at the introductory level and others at more advanced students.

Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU’s) are summer-long research projects at locations across the country, and provide an excellent opportunity to get some mathematical research experience.

Internships

Mid-Year and Other Programs

  • Junior Year for Women at Smith College For women in the junior year to attend Smith College to get intensive training in mathematics while building the skills and confidence needed to succeed in graduate school mathematics.
  • Budapest Semesters in Mathematics:  (BSM) provides a unique opportunity for North American undergraduates. Through this program, mathematics and computer science majors in their junior/senior years may spend fall, spring or summer semester in Budapest and study under the tutelage of eminent Hungarian scholar-teachers (in English). An optional intensive language course is offered about two weeks before regular semester classes begin.
  • Institute for Advanced Study program provides week-long intensive courses for undergraduate and graduate students.
  • The Math Alliance wants to be sure that every underrepresented or underserved American student with the talent and the ambition has the opportunity to earn a doctoral degree in a mathematical science. They provide advice on how to prepare for grad school as well as mentors. They have more than 700 mentors for 260 universities nationwide.

Planning on heading to graduate school?

  • EDGE Program is administered by the Sylvia Bozeman and Rhonda Hughes EDGE Foundation with the goal of strengthening the ability of women students to successfully complete PhD programs in the mathematical sciences and place more women in visible leadership roles in the mathematics community. Along with the summer session, EDGE supports an annual conference, travel for research collaborations, travel to present research and other open-ended mentoring activities. Also see this page.

Graduating but not sure you are ready for graduate school?

  • Smith College Post-Bac Program: If you are a woman who is strongly considering graduate school in the mathematical sciences but did not major in mathematics or your mathematics major was light, the post-baccalaureate program provides an opportunity to study mathematics intensively for one or two semesters at the advanced undergraduate level. Also see this page.
  • NIH’s Post-bac Research/Education Program is a 2 year program to strengthen the research skills and academic competitiveness of participants for pursuit of a Ph.D. degree in biomedical sciences.

Research Scholarships

Education-Specific Scholarships

  • The US Department of Education has advice about finding scholarships.
  • NSF’s Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program provides funding to institutions of higher education to provide scholarships, stipends, and programmatic support to recruit and prepare STEM majors and professionals to become K–12 teachers. Search the Noyce web site to locate projects that offer Noyce scholarships and to read profiles of Noyce scholars.
  • Knowles Science Foundation Teaching Fellowships are designed to support beginning high school teachers. Selection criteria include at least a bachelor’s degree (or the equivalent) in a discipline related to the subject applicants intend to teach.

Travel Grants

  • SIAM Student Travel Awards are given to help students gain the experience and exposure that comes from attending and presenting at SIAM conferences.

Mathematics Honor Societies

Awards for Undergraduates

  • AWM Schafer prize for excellence in undergraduate mathematics.
  • AMS-MAA-SIAM Frank and Brennie Morgan Prize for outstanding research in mathematics
    by an undergraduate student.
  • The Putnam Exam is a national mathematics exam for undergraduates. The examination will be constructed to test originality as well as technical competence. It is expected that the contestant will be familiar with the formal theories embodied in undergraduate mathematics. It is assumed that such training, designed for mathematics and physical science majors, will include somewhat more sophisticated mathematical concepts than is the case in minimal courses.

Essay Contests

  • AWM Essay Contest on biographies of contemporary women mathematicians and statisticians in academic, industrial, and government careers.
  • ASA student paper competitions for undergraduates and graduate students. Winners of best paper competitions earn travel awards to ASA-sponsored conferences

There are a number of other programs which may or may not have current funding, but are worth looking into.

More resources for opportunities in computing can be found at the Berkeley School of Information page on Women in Computing under Additional Resources.