In recent years, programs to indentify and nurture talent in science and mathematics among NYC schoolchildren have largely disappeared. Funds from this grant will support The Courant Institute for the Mathematical Sciences at New York University (NYU) in its efforts to launch a new Center for Mathematical Talent (CMT) to address precisely this problem. Courant is one of the premier mathematical institutions in the world, and can build on its established record of success with gifted and talented schoolchildren. Outreach for the new Center will specifically target women, underrepresented minorities, and disadvantaged students who may not otherwise know about or pursue opportunities to develop their potential.

Funds from this grant will support activities by Purdue University to recruit qualified, eligible Native American students for enrollment in graduate study in science or engineering, as well as a variety of activities designed to help meet the challenges facing Native students pursuing graduate work. Supported activities include recruitment trips by Purdue faculty to schools with Native students studying science and engineering as undergraduates, visits by prospective students to Purdue, design and production of print and web-based outreach materials, an annual retreat for enrolled students, regular mentoring for Native students, and coursework about successfully integrating the demands of graduate study with the demands of membership in a tribal community.