An innovative pilot project by the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa to create designed research communities, combining UH Mānoa mathematics PhD students with visiting students from other institutions, has received a three-year, $436,302 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).
These communities will engage in semester-long mentored research experiences and follow-up activities, fostering peer-to-peer collaboration. This initiative aims to address challenges faced by students at geographically-isolated institutions.
“Peer collaboration is crucial for PhD students, helping them acquire research skills, improve publication records, build professional support networks, and develop workplace skills,” said UH Mānoa Department of Mathematics Associate Professor and principal investigator Elizabeth Gross. “However, small, isolated institutions often lack opportunities for such collaboration due to limited research groups and geographical constraints.”
The project will establish three research communities, each centered around an intensive collaborative research project. Additional activities will focus on professional development in teaching and outreach.
Researchers will investigate the effectiveness of these designed communities in providing the benefits typically associated with peer-to-peer collaboration. They will measure both short-term impacts, such as increased feelings of belonging and motivation, and long-term benefits, including persistence in the program and job placement rates.
“This model offers tremendous potential for improving graduate research training at isolated locations,” said Department of Mathematics faculty member and co-principal investigator Daniel Erman. “If successful, this initiative could pave the way for similar programs at other geographically isolated institutions, enhancing the graduate experience and preparing students for diverse career paths.”
The project is part of NSF’s Innovations in Graduate Education program, which focuses on studying, piloting and validating new approaches to graduate education.
The Department of Mathematics is housed in UH Mānoa’s College of Natural Sciences.
