Anisah N. Nu’Man, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, Spelman College, @_nudoc_ 

July marked the 1-year anniversary of the NAM-MAA Math Values Blog. Over the past year, we hope that this blog has become a place where our readers come to learn about new teaching ideas, discuss current issues within mathematics, and develop a sense of community within the broader mathematical community.  As a professional organization, the National Association of Mathematicians (NAM) seeks to promote excellence within the mathematical sciences and promote mathematical development of underrepresented minorities, in general, and Black mathematicians in particular.

The NAM-MAA Math Values opening blog post discussed finding community at MAA MathFest and I thought it would be fitting to revisit the topic of community within the mathematical community. As mathematicians in academia the task of balancing teaching, research, and service is ongoing, with moments feeling less like a balancing act and more like a juggling act with one arm tied behind your back. Carving time in your schedule, specifically for research and teaching, has become key to maintaining an active research program and staying attentive to students’ needs. Yet, for many, even when we are able to find time in our schedules the question of how to find research collaborators can be a challenge. This challenge can be exacerbated for those who have not conducted research recently or desire to branch into a different research area. So the question that comes to mind is: What are some ways that one can reconnect with the mathematical research community if you have not engaged in research in the past few years and/or are trying to branch out into different research areas? 

One program I want to highlight is the African Diaspora Joint Mathematics Workshop (ADJOINT) hosted by the Mathematical Science Research Institute (MSRI), Berkeley, CA.  The main goal of ADJOINT is to provide mathematicians and statistical scientists with opportunities for in-person research collaboration, especially those from the African Diaspora. An underlying goal of ADJOINT is to increase the number, productivity, and visibility of Black research mathematicians by providing space and time for organized collaborative research, formal mentorship opportunities, and by facilitating networking activities among Black mathematicians in the hope of creating a sense of belonging to a community of peers.

This past summer, ADJOINT 2020 was a two-week, research-intensive program held virtually in June. During the two-weeks, under the guidance of 5 research leaders, 18 participants worked on projects including mathematical physics, the transmission dynamics of COVID-19, Hamilton-Jacobi partial differential equations, numerical computations for mathematical functions, and inverse spectral geometry.  Several of these research groups are continuing their research collaborations and plan to present their results at the Special Session on ADJOINT for the 2021 Joint Mathematics Meetings. 

ADJOINT workshops were created to bring about research collaborations, provide support for conferences to increase the visibility of researchers, and to develop a sense of community among those involved in the program.  One participant from ADJOINT 2019 commented that “It was great working with other African Americans. However, for me the best part about the program is that more African Americans will be writing papers together and presenting to the math community. [ADJOINT] can make a direct impact on the number of research papers authored and conference presentations given by African Americans. That is a huge positive.” Another remarked, “I felt more comfortable working with this group than any other research group I have worked with.” ADJOINT aims to enhance the mathematical and statistical sciences and its community by positively affecting the research and careers of Black mathematical and statistical scientists and supporting their efforts to achieve full access and engagement in the broader research community. 

After completing another successful ADJOINT program, MSRI announces ADJOINT 2021 to take place June 21-July 2, 2021 in Berkeley, California. MSRI welcomes applications from U.S citizens or permanent residents with a Ph.D. in the mathematical or statistical sciences and currently employed at a U.S. institution who are interested in conducting research in a collegial environment. Applications are now open until December 15, 2020 and can be submitted through MathPrograms. Research topics for ADJOINT 2021 include explorations into Galois theory, Steinberg modules for braid groups, racial and ethnic disparities in health, and using decision modeling to personalize policy in complex human-centered problems. 

If you are looking to reconnect to the mathematical research community, expand your current research community, or branch out into a different research field I encourage you to apply for ADJOINT 2021. A complete application will include a cover letter, CV, a 1-page personal statement highlighting how your professional goals and the program’s goals are aligned, and a statement describing your current research interests and aspirations.  All applications received by December 15, 2020 will receive full consideration. For more information and to apply, go to: https://www.mathprograms.org/db/programs/976

Dr. Anisah Nu’Man is an assistant professor of mathematics at Spelman College. Originally, from Atlanta, GA Dr. Nu’Man obtained her Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Her research interests lie in geometric group theory.