The Mathematical Sciences Institutes are comprised of six U.S.-based institutes that receive funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), an independent U.S. government agency that supports research and education in all non-medical fields of science and engineering.

The math institutes aim to advance research in the mathematical sciences, increase the impact of the mathematical sciences in other disciplines, and expand the talent base engaged in mathematical research in the United States.

Opportunities for Participation

Institutes host a variety of programs and support participation from a broad range of the community. These include researchers from colleges and universities, as well as industry and government labs, both nationally and internationally. All Institute programs accept applications for participation. The backgrounds of participants range from undergraduate and graduate students, to postdoctoral researchers, to faculty, to people who work for non- and for-profit companies.

The specific offerings vary by Institute and may include:

• Semester-long research programs
• Week-long workshops, which may stand-alone or be part of a long-term program
• One- to two-year postdoctoral visiting positions
• Public lectures on current research, at a level suitable for the general public
• Undergraduate research experiences, typically during the Summer
• Interdisciplinary workshops involving collaboration between the mathematical sciences and the other sciences and engineering
• Programs for K-12 educators and K-12 students
• Targeted programs for underrepresented groups
• Crosscutting programs involving collaboration with the arts and humanities
• Summer schools for graduate students
• Professional/career development workshops

New Opportunity from NSF

We are excited to announce PRIMES (Partnerships for Research Innovation in the Mathematical Sciences), a new NSF funding opportunity to build formal partnerships with minority-serving institutions to boost their participation in institute programming. See the full solicitation here. Faculty and administrators at MSIs are encouraged to contact institute directors to discuss ideas for responding to this call for proposals.

Open Letter: The Impact of COVID 19 on Early Career Researchers

The Directors of mathematical sciences research institutes are concerned about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on early career researchers, particularly women and researchers from historically underrepresented groups. They urge institutions to take steps to support their continuing scholarship. The full text of the letter can be viewed here.