Mathematical Sciences Research Training Groups (MS-RTG)

Target submission dates:

Mathematical Sciences Research Training Groups proposals should be submitted to the MPS Mathematical Sciences Research Programs solicitation. Target date for submissions is the Fourth Tuesday in August.

While proposals are accepted anytime, proposers are highly encouraged to submit by the target dates to ensure consideration during the corresponding panel review cycle.

Program Information:

The long-range goal of the Research Training Groups in the Mathematical Sciences program is to strengthen the nation's scientific competitiveness by increasing the number of people in the U.S. who pursue careers in the mathematical and statistical sciences. This includes careers in academia, government and industry. The program supports efforts to improve graduate student research training and professional development through structured groups pursuing collaborative research. Research teams supported by the program may include undergraduate or postdoctoral trainees in addition to graduate student trainees working with faculty members.

The program invites submissions across all fields of mathematical and statistical sciences, particularly those aligned with national priorities and integrating emerging technologies.  The award duration is expected to be 3-5 years, and the award size is expected to be $400,000-600,000 per year, with the support of all trainees budgeted as participant support costs.

The RTG program is intended to create sustainable programmatic capacity at institutions as well as help stimulate and implement permanent positive changes in research training within the mathematical and statistical sciences in the U.S. Thus, it is critical that an RTG site adequately plan how to continue the pursuit of RTG goals when NSF funding terminates. Proposals should provide appropriate documentation of institutional support for such efforts in the Facilities, Equipment, and Other Resources document.

Key Features of an RTG Project

• Project team consisting of collaborating faculty with a history of research accomplishments and mentoring.

• Research program anchored in a coherent theme in the mathematical and statistical sciences aligned with the project team's research interests.

• Plans for recruitment, selection, mentoring, and retention of participants (trainees) so as to increase the number of trainees enrolled in the graduate and postdoctoral programs.

• Development of professional and personal skills of the trainees, such as communication, teamwork, teaching, mentoring, and leadership.

• Institutional commitment to a supportive environment for research and education.

• Post-RTG sustainability plan to continue the pursuit of RTG goals when funding discontinues.

• Overall administrative and organizational structure that ensures effective management of the project resources.

Trainees

To maximize the number of individuals benefiting from RTG activities, project teams are expected to make available (within the capacity and budget limitations of the award) RTG program elements to students and postdocs who are not funded by the program.

Graduate students. Graduate trainees form an essential component of the RTG teams. Their participation should result in broad and deep graduate education, enhanced research training, and comprehensive professional development. They are expected to have substantial mentored professional experiences to prepare them for successful careers in the mathematical and statistical sciences and in other professions in which such expertise plays an important role. Examples of this professional experience may include supervised teaching or industry/laboratory internship. RTG stipends cannot be used to pay students to fulfill teaching duties or for internships.

Undergraduate Experience. If an RTG team includes undergraduate trainees, the term "research experiences" for undergraduates should encompass all activities that involve undergraduates in discovery and generate appreciation of and excitement about research in the mathematical and statistical sciences. Examples of research experiences include faculty-directed projects, either during the academic year or the summer, or participation in research teams with graduate students and/or postdoctoral associates. Participating undergraduates are expected to receive mentoring to stimulate further interest in the mathematical and statistical sciences.

Postdoctoral Training. If an RTG team includes postdoctoral associates as trainees, their training is expected to better prepare them for future careers, including a well-defined independent research program, communication skills, a broad perspective of the field, and the ability to mentor. An RTG postdoctoral trainee is expected to be a recent recipient of a doctoral degree, typically held not more than three years as of January 1 of the year in which the appointment begins. Any exceptions made to this restriction should be well justified in the annual reports.