The goal of the RE-C^2 grant was first to give community college students the opportunity to discover what mathematicians do, experience what research is like, and, as a result, to strengthen the preparation of potential mathematics majors before they transfer to a four-year college. The program also wanted to create model for four- and two-year colleges faculty to collaborate in research by supervising together projects undertaken by community college students. RE-C^2 expected outcomes were that more students would appreciate mathematics and decide to pursue a career in STEM and, in particular, in mathematical sciences, as well, as keeping community college faculty engaged in research.

Los Angeles Pierce and Mission Colleges were the initial partners in the first two years of the grant. In the third year Antelope Valley College, College of the Canyons, Fullerton College, and Los Angeles Valley College, joined the project. In its final year, we added Bakersfield College. Our recruitment focused on students who, for some reason, would not be able to participate in one of the various summer programs existing in the country such as the REUs. Some of these reasons were family or job commitments that would make impossible for them to be away from home for six to eight weeks in the summer.

In the first three years of the project, students went through a residential and intensive summer program for three weeks at CSU Northridge that covered topics of Ordinary Differential Equations and Linear Algebra. In the first two years, we added some notions of Probability and Number Theory, while in the third year we focused on Data Science. The objective of the summer program was to prepare students for the research to be undertaken during the academic year. Since we could not run the summer program in 2020 as planned, students worked with their advisors at the home institution and only students from Fullerton and Bakersfield Colleges participated in the program.

Students worked on projects in Number Theory, Markov Chains, Math Biology, and Data Science. They have learned Python, Latex, how to prepare a poster and a presentation using Beamer. They were assisted in the summer by graduate students, who in addition to serve as teaching assistants and role models, accompanied them to the computer labs during their training. By living in the dorms and having close contact with other students, RE-C^2 participants had the opportunity to experience what college life is like.

The grant funded 35 students, and in the last year we had a collaboration between a community college and a CSU Stanislaw student, the latter being funded by another grant. Of these, 11 students were females, 17 were Hispanic/Latinos, and one African American. At the moment, only two of the participants are still in a community college. All others have transferred to a four-year college to pursue studies in a STEM discipline. In particular, eight of them became math majors and two of these are in graduate school. Three others decided to get a minor in mathematics together with their computer science degree. RE-C^2 students transferred to UC Berkeley, Irvine, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, San Diego, USC, CSU Fullerton, CSU Northridge, and Georgia Tech.

Every year the project ended with a conference named MRE-C^3: Mathematical Research Experiences in Community Colleges Conference. This was open to all the faculty and students in Southern California. RE-C^2 students presented their projects; we had plenary speakers, career panels, and discussions among faculty on how to bring research to community colleges, considering their heavy teaching load. We ran the conference in 2017, 2018, and 2019. They were well attended, with an average of 130 participants per year, of which, 1/3 were faculty. These appreciated a research conference especially aimed at community college faculty since they do not have much of a research environment in their colleges. In 2021, we had a webinar day for students to present their projects. Students also presented posters in the Mathematical Association of America regional meetings and the Joint Mathematical Meetings and attended the Field of Dreams Conference.

Finally, RE-C^2 created a community of community college faculty who intend to expand the program to other areas of the country. The model of partnering with a four-year college in order to remain engaged in research have proved to be ideal for keeping these faculty up to date and inspire their students. Participating faculty have engaged in the Pacific Math Alliance and expect that more projects will result from these collaborations.

Last Modified: 11/29/2021
Modified by: M. Helena Noronha