Abstract
The EDGE Program (Enhancing Diversity in Graduate Education) was initiated in 1998 by two mathematics professors from women’s colleges, with the goal of helping women persist in graduate programs in the mathematical sciences. The program initially focused on the transition to and preparation for the first year of graduate school, with a commitment to diversity among participants, faculty, and staff. A four-week summer session featured courses that bridge undergraduate and graduate work, study groups, graduate student mentors, and professional and academic visitors, as well as social and team-building activities. Gradually EDGE expanded to support women throughout their graduate school and professional careers. What began with two founders and eight EDGE participants has grown to a diverse community of alumnae, more than 48% of whom are from groups underrepresented in the mathematical sciences. This article chronicles the impact of the EDGE Program on participants and the emergence of a new generation of leaders in the mathematics community. Lessons learned that may benefit others involved in related efforts are shared.
Sylvia Bozeman and Rhonda Hughes are the EDGE Co-Founders. Susan D’Agostino is the first EDGE participant to have earned the Ph.D. in mathematics.
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Notes
- 1.
This program was also called the Spelman-Bryn Mawr Summer Mathematics Program for two years.
- 2.
The phrase “subsequent summer sessions” refers to subsequent years other than 2007, a year when there was no summer session and no new participants.
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Acknowledgments.
We owe a debt of gratitude that we can never pay to so many people who helped to lay a foundation for the EDGE Program, beginning with the two program officers, Lloyd Douglas at NSF and Danielle Carr at the Mellon Foundation, who were early and steadfast champions of the EDGE Program and insured its support and ultimate success. In addition, we owe deep gratitude to our first Program Coordinator, the creative and energetic Diana Dismus Campbell, who worked out of her home for years bringing professionalism and flair to our “mom and mom” operation. She was followed by Linda Pace, who deftly guided us through a period of growth and transition. Deep thanks also to Carol Auster for her years of careful evaluation and her work with the EDGE PhD Survey. We owe much of the visibility and connectedness to Ann Dixon who maintains the www.edgeforwomen.org website and facilitates other modes of communication.
We thank the many faculty and graduate mentors who we do not have space to identify by name. We express sincere appreciation to Ami Radunskaya and Ulrica Wilson who accepted the leading roles as co-directors when the founding directors retired. Finally, we thank all of the EDGE alumnae who continue to inspire us every day.
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Bozeman, S.T., D’Agostino, S., Hughes, R.J. (2017). An EDGE in Mathematics for Women: The Enhancing Diversity in Graduate Education Program. In: Beery, J., Greenwald, S., Jensen-Vallin, J., Mast, M. (eds) Women in Mathematics. Association for Women in Mathematics Series, vol 10. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-66694-5_20
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