Boosting the numbers of graduate students seeking careers in mathematical sciences is the aim of a new program at the University of California, Davis. The VIGRE (Vertical Integration in Graduate Education) program is funded by a $1.9 million grant from the National Science Foundation.

Nationally, there is a shortage of mathematically trained graduate students entering the workforce, said UC Davis mathematics professor Bruno Nachtergaele, who is coordinating the program. For example, many public school math teachers in California have little formal training in math. Up to half of graduate students in mathematics are from outside the U.S. For students who complete a Ph.D. in math, employment rates shortly after graduation approach 100 per cent, with many entering the software and computer industries, Nachtergaele said.

"Demand is increasing, but the number of Ph.D.s is flat," he said.

VIGRE will help undergraduate and graduate students get earlier experience of research in math, Nachtergaele said. The program will support 15 fellowships a year for graduate students, and summer fellowships for about 20 undergraduates. It will also provide stipends for three or four postdoctoral researchers. The fellowships will allow students to spend more time on research projects and shorten the time needed to complete their Ph.D., he said.

The program is built around four thematic areas that will include faculty, postdocs, graduate and undergraduate students. These groups will run regular research seminars and workshops to connect students with active research projects and help them find a research area they want to pursue.

The UC Davis grant is one of only 40 awarded by NSF across the country, reflecting the level of recognition of the mathematics department and providing an indirect boost to recruitment, Nachtergaele said.