Project VIGRE for Advanced Math Education

The National Science Foundation has awarded the University of Arizona in Tucson a $3.5 million grant over the next five years to improve advanced mathematics education under an ambitious project called VIGRE. The grant will be shared by the Department of Mathematics and the Program in Applied Mathematics. The acronym VIGRE stands for 'Vertical InteGration of Research and Education' and in this context, vertical means across academic ranks—faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates.

Each year, the project will support 12 graduate students, two postdoctoral fellows, and 20 undergraduates. Undergraduates will have opportunities to pursue research on topics like cryptography, mathematical modeling, the mathematics of fluids, and number theory. For graduate students, the grant provides funding so they can focus more on doing high-level research in current mathematical fields and improve their professional and communication skills.

VIGRE will also aim for “horizontal integration” with other areas of research and other departments on campus and also going beyond geographical and institutional boundaries to provide support to other organizations involved in mathematics education. The program includes research training at the highest level, a spectrum of teaching and outreach activities, and a wealth of professional development opportunities, all combined in a carefully designed and collegial framework.