DEI Initiatives 2022-2023
DEI INITIATIVE BY THE MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT 2022-2023
In 2022-2023 the Math Department implemented the following DEI initiatives (partly guided by the DEI plan set forward in 2021):
Math Mentoring Program.
The Math Mentoring Program created in Spring 2022 ran for both the Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 semesters.
https://www.brandeis.edu/mathematics/undergraduate/mentor-program.html
This program aims at helping undergrad students successfully navigate the Math Major/Minor, and make the department as inclusive as possible. The mentoring consists of weekly meetings between a mentee and a more experienced undergraduate student serving as their mentor. The mentoring serves several purposes for the mentees: getting to discuss the math curriculum, learning strategies, and long-term goals, as well as getting to meet some of their peers, and developing a lasting support network.
Textbook buying initiative. The Math department is buying 2 copies of every math textbook required in math classes to be left in the Math Community Room for free consultation (the math textbooks cost was identified as one of the barriers of entry to the math major). Started Spring 2022.
New entry level class. The Math department has created a new class Math9b: Math puzzles and games and offered it for the first time in Spring 2023. This class serves as an invitation to mathematics for undergraduate students with limited prior exposure to mathematics.
Outreach information session. The Math Department has organized an event to encourage the participation of members of the Brandeis Math Community to engage in outreach activities in collaboration with external partners (BEJI, Compact, Waltham groups, Galaxy, Posse). A list of outreach opportunities is compiled here:
https://www.brandeis.edu/mathematics/dei/outreach-dei.html
Additional actions:
- Some Math faculty have participated to the Brandeis Posse program by offering a Math workshop to the entering class of Posse students in summer 2022 and summer 2023.
- The Math department is organizing orientation meetings for undergraduate students every semester and office hours for orientation and curriculum advice every week. Started in 2021.
- Do an annual survey of undergraduate students and graduate students in mathematics to learn more about their experiences, with an eye toward identifying and better understanding areas where we need to improve. Started in 2022.
- Do annual survey of graduate students, and subsequent town hall to address concerns of students in a timely and efficient manner.
- Increased the number of community building events, and other occasion for students and faculty to meet.