BAMM! - A Pathway to the PhD
By: Jana Talley, Co-Editor of DUE Point, Jackson State University
2022 BAMMFest with the 1st and 2nd cohort of participants
The BAMM! program, Bolstering the Advancement of Master’s in Mathematics to Prepare for Doctoral Mathematics Programs, is a collaborative S-STEM grant between three California State University (CSU) campuses: Fresno State, Cal Poly Pomona, and San Francisco State. The heart of BAMM! is a community of Master's students in mathematics and math-related fields who plan to pursue doctoral degrees. BAMM! strives to support students from underrepresented backgrounds by creating connections with mathematicians and math educators with similar identities. The BAMM! team shared with us their inspiration for and insights about cultivating a pathway to the PhD for students who may not otherwise persist.
Tell us how the idea for the BAMM project grew out of a need you identified among graduate students.
The idea for BAMM! came out of a similar S-STEM program and conversations with the National Math Alliance about graduate student mentoring. We recognized that, upon graduation, undergraduate students needed more content training for Master’s level study as well as guidance on the process of entering a PhD program. Also, unlike PhD students, there are few sources of funding for Master’s students. Most urgently, the culture of mathematics programs often lacks representation of students from minoritized groups, targeted mentoring, and intentional community building activities. Throughout the 5-year grant period, BAMM! will provide 30 scholars with these tools in addition to scholarship funding and a complete set of benchmarks for preparing competitive doctoral program applications.
Tell us about the key aspects of the BAMM! Program.
One essential aspect of the BAMM! program is a multi-faceted approach to mentorship. Participants receive mentorship from the PIs at all three campuses, a mentor through the National Math Alliance, and recent graduates. Another core element is a set of explicit benchmarks that guide scholars through the PhD application process. The BAMM PIs monitor scholars’ progress through these benchmarks, which include developing a CV, researching doctoral programs, interviewing potential research advisors, and applying to summer research programs.
Describe the value in collaborating across multiple campuses.
Across the three campuses, the PIs coordinate through frequent check-ins. We draw on our varied academic skills, professional networks, and life experiences. For example, two of the PIs ran study groups and summer courses in Analysis and Algebra, while two others offered Math and Social Justice classes. Several of the BAMM! scholars joined these classes to sharpen their content knowledge and broaden their view of mathematics and community. Our collective network yields a wide range of seminar and conference presenters. Additionally, our collaboration with the National Math Alliance extends our inventory of faculty mentors and connects faculty, departments, and programs throughout the country with similar goals. Through these connections, we share strategies for assisting BAMM! scholars and enhancing the effectiveness of our respective departments.
What innovation does this project bring to graduate mathematics?
The BAMM! model provides a bridge for students in a variety of ways. As described above, the set of PhD application benchmarks we have developed make explicit a process for navigating from a Master’s into a PhD program. It can be used to foster more intentional and consistent advising for students. Student-to-student connections and a sense of community have been well documented as factors in succeeding in mathematics. BAMM! is unique in that opportunities for students to share their lived experiences as underrepresented students in a STEM field are built into the program activities, rather than left to chance. Lastly, we are providing students with opportunities outside of their classes and their research groups to practice talking about mathematics in problem-solving workshops, our annual BAMM!fest event, formal conference presentations, and supplementary course offerings.
Tell us about someone impacted by the project. (Again, if this is a personal story please be sure they are ok with your sharing it.)
Two of our former BAMM scholars shared their feelings about the program.
“Doing the MA program with BAMM! support allowed me to prepare for things other than the academic side. For the most part it helped with knowing how to socialize, get comfortable with [the] grad school experience…The biggest thing is how organized we were about getting our applications ready…I don’t think that I would have gotten into a place like University of Washington without that. A lot of things that Robin Wilson and John Rock (BAMM! co-PIs at CPP) would always tell us about were funding opportunities that we would not know about. Having that information from people you know and trust, and who you think know you, you are more inclined to look into it. It comes from a place of love”.
“Community – having a community that I can connect with at the beginning of my program has been instrumental in my persistence to complete my degree. The people in my cohort and I regularly studied together and naturally we had expanded to other people in our classes. I am happy to say that our little community of graduate students are not just colleagues, but I consider them as lifelong friends. This friendship got me through the days (and nights!) when I doubted myself, both in my mathematical abilities and in my self-worth as a woman of color pursuing higher education. I assert that this combination of a welcoming mathematics community…is what helped me complete my degree and led me to where I am today”.
Learn more about NSF DUE (Award #) 1930373, 1930419, and 1930553
Full Project Name: Bolstering the Advancement of Mathematics Master's Students to Prepare for Doctoral Mathematics Programs
Project Contact: Kimberly Seashore, San Francisco State University, kimseash@sfsu.edu