The Applied Math Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee meets regularly to develop plans and initiatives for improving climate, building community, and increasing diversity and inclusion in the Division. Our 2024 departmental diversity and inclusion action plan may be found here (DIAPs from other academic departments can be found here).

If you have any concerns, ideas, or suggestions, please reach out to us! Our Applied Math Comment Box allows you to leave comments/suggestions and to report incidents anonymously to the department.

Spring 2025 Committee Members: Kavita Ramanan, Colden Bobowick, Rachel Daigle, Simone Donoho, Stu Geman, Pratyush Potu, Lulabel Seitz, and Rosanna Wertheimer.

Committee Charge

The Division of Applied Mathematics is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive community in the department. Our goal is to ensure that the right conditions are in place for each person to achieve their full potential. Inclusion should be reflected in our department’s culture, practices, and relationships so that a diverse community can flourish. 

The Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee of the Division of Applied Mathematics is charged with assisting with the implementation and monitoring of our diversity and inclusion programs. Specifically, the committee will meet regularly to 

1. assess progress towards the DDIAP plan and reviewing the climate in the Division;

2. address or alert the relevant departmental officers or OIED to DEI related concerns;

3. carry out tasks assigned to the committee in the DDIAP;

4. recommend best practices and policies regarding DEI to the chair; 

5. plan and coordinate departmental DEI events; and

6. communicate best practices, findings, and recommendations to the APMA community.

Incident Reporting - quick links for reporting incidents of bias, discrimination and harassment, gender discrimination, and sexual violence to the appropriate Brown offices.

Sexual Assault, Harassment, & Relationship Violence Resources - additional resources for addressing and reporting sexual assault, harassment, & relationship violence

Applied Math is home to several vibrant student groups that host social events and professional development opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students. Visit our Student Groups page for more information!

You can learn more about other University student groups through the Student Activities Office.

The Directed Reading Program (DRP) is a one-on-one mathematics mentoring program that allows undergraduates to work on semester-long independent reading projects under the guidance of graduate students. The DRP's goal is to broaden participation in mathematics and allow undergraduates to explore topics in higher level mathematics.

Learn more about the DRP here!

APMA 1910: Race and Gender in the Scientific Community

This course examines disparities in representation in the scientific community, issues facing different groups in the sciences, and paths towards a more inclusive scientific environment.  It delves into the current statistics on racial and gender demographics in the sciences and explores their background through texts dealing with the history, philosophy, and sociology of science.  It also explores the specific problems faced by under-represented and well-represented racial and ethnic minorities, women, and LGBTQ community members. The course is reading intensive and discussion based.  Bjorn Sandstede, Professor of Applied Mathematics, is a regular instructor for the course.
Contact: Bjorn_Sandstede@brown.edu

Math CoOp

The Math CoOp, founded in January 2014, is a volunteer-run organization, comprised of students, post-doctoral fellows and faculty who share a common passion for mathematics outreach. We typically meet on a monthly basis to discuss suitable mathematics outreach topics and develop presentations for students at all levels, ranging from K12 to undergraduates and also adult non-experts. We then give presentations at schools and other venues.  The Math CoOp also engages in other outreach activities such as the SEAM seminar and various Mathematics Without Borders lecture activities, including the bilingual math outreach lecture series, Mathematics Sin Fronteras.
Contact: Kavita_Ramanan@brown.edu

 

Mathematics Sin Fronteras (MSF)

Mathematics Sin Fronteras is a Pan-American (virtual) bilingual (English-Spanish) extracurricular mathematics outreach lecture series, open to any student interested in learning extracurricular mathematics in a bilingual environment. It consists of a series of extra-curricular online math lectures given by a bilingual instructor, possibly along with support from a teaching assistant. The goal of MSF is to introduce (1st and 2nd year) undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds across South, Central and North America to mathematics and its applications in an engaging way that complements the usual university/college mathematics curriculum. The aim is also to promote cross-cultural communication by connecting students across the Americas with a passion for mathematics, and provide them with the opportunity to interact with leading researchers in their fields in a bilingual environment. MSF welcomes applicants from all students, regardless of community, gender or background.
Contact: Kavita_Ramanan@brown.edu
 

SEAM Seminar

The Social Equity and Applied Mathematics (SEAM) seminar series and working group is an initiative of the Math CoOp at Brown University whose aim is to discuss mathematical models, and theoretical and computational aspects of problems that are of relevance to social equity in the world.   This seminar series aims to create broader awareness of varied societal issues and quantitative approaches used to study them, and bring together a diverse group of interdisciplinary researchers with different backgrounds and levels of experience who are deeply interested in these  issues.  We hope it also inspires new directions of both applied research as well as fundamental mathematical theory that can shed light on solutions to these problems.
Contact: Kavita_Ramanan@brown.edu
 

Previous Activities

The Prison Math Program

From 2012-2020, faculty and students from Applied Math and related departments taught introductory mathematics courses at the Rhode Island state prison. These courses were organized and accredited by the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI).  Professor Matt Harrison facilitated the connection between Applied Math and CCRI's prison teaching program.

Professional mathematics organizations are an important way to connect with the broader mathematics community: they host conferences and research events, publish papers, offer prizes and fellowships, share resources, and provide valuable opportunities for networking and connecting with other mathematicians around the world. Some organizations may have discounted or free student memberships.

The Division of Applied Mathematics is an institutional member of the American Mathematical Society (AMS), Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM), National Association of Mathematicians (NAM), and Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM).

• American Mathematical Society (AMS) - promotes the interests of mathematical research and scholarship through publications, meetings, advocacy, and other professional programs.
• Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM) - seeks to create a community in which women and girls can thrive in their mathematical endeavors, and to promote equitable opportunity and treatment of women and others of marginalized genders and gender identities.
• Mathematical Association of America (MAA) - as one of the largest communities of mathematicians in the world, the MAA aims to advance the understanding of mathematics and its impact on our world. The MAA hosts outreach events, programming, meetings, competitions, publications, and national committees.
• National Association of Mathematicians (NAM) - promotes mathematical excellence and the mathematical development of underrepresented minorities through lectures, meetings, conferences, and committees.
• Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) - organization dedicated to advancing the application of mathematics and computational science to engineering, industry, science, and society. SIAM provides professional opportunities through conferences and connections for internships and job hunting.

Offices:

Community-focused Organizations:

Brown News and Events:

• Today@Brown
• Events@Brown
• Brown Daily Herald (student-run campus newsletter)

Life at Brown provides a broad overview of the community at Brown, including athletics and recreation, community and student organizations, information about life in Providence, and more.

Organizations/Websites

• Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) - an inclusive organization dedicated to fostering the success of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans, from college students to professionals, in attaining advanced degrees, careers, and positions of leadership in STEM.
• Spectra - association for LGBTQ+ mathematicians and their allies.
• Lathisms - highlights the contributions and lives of Latinx and Hispanic mathematicians.
• Indigenous Mathematicians - highlights the contributions and lives of indigenous mathematicians from around the world.
• Mathematically Gifted and Black - highlights the contributions and lives of Black mathematicians.
• Mathematicians of the African Diaspora - promotes and highlights the contributions of members of the African diaspora to mathematics, especially contributions to current mathematical research.
• Data for Black Lives - movement of activists, organizers, and mathematicians committed to the mission of using data science to create concrete and measurable change in the lives of Black people.
• Center for Minorities in the Mathematical Sciences - community alliance with resources and programming for people of color pursuing degrees or careers in mathematics.

Conferences and Programs for Women Considering Graduate Study in Mathematics

• Enhancing Diversity in Graduate Education (EDGE) - program designed to strengthen the ability of women and minority students to successfully complete graduate programs in the mathematical sciences. EDGE offers a summer session for students applying for or just completing the first year of math PhD programs, mentorship opportunities, and a fellowship program.
• Graduate Opportunities for Women (GROW) - annual conference that supports and encourages women and non-binary undergraduate students who are considering graduate school in the mathematical sciences.
• Nebraska Conference for Undergraduate Women in Mathematics (NCUWM) - annual conference for  undergraduates that provides role models, insider knowledge, opportunities to present undergraduate research, and a growing community of peers interested in issues related to creating a supportive environment for women in mathematics.
• Smith College's Center for Women in Mathematics Postbaccalaureate Program - provides two semesters of intensive mathematics study at the advanced undergraduate level for women considering graduate school in the mathematical sciences who did not major in mathematics.