Organizing Committee
Abstract

The transition to independent learning and research is a crucial and often jarring point in every graduate student's career. This transition is even more difficult for students from marginalized groups, who often have smaller support systems and may face an actively unsupportive environment at their institution. The goal of this workshop is to support, mentor, and guide students at this crucial stage in their career.

During the workshop, mentors will guide the student participants through the (often very daunting!) experience of trying to read a paper without being an expert in the area. The participants will be broken into small working groups, each focused on a recent paper in their area of interest. Each group will be assisted throughout the week by mentors, both early career mathematicians (late stage graduate students or postdocs) and faculty members. The topics covered in this workshop will be Number Theory, Combinatorics, Commutative Algebra, and Geometry/Topology.

The professional development component of the Roots of Unity Workshop will focus on practical tools for navigating a research career, while building community and increasing access to professionals or near-peers. These will include in-person panels and activities during the workshop and follow-up (virtual) activities throughout the year to continue nurturing the community and connections.

The program is tailored to support women of color, and our strategies reflect this priority. However, if you are a graduate student in your first three years of study and believe that this workshop will benefit you, please apply. We especially encourage applications from students of color who are women, nonbinary, and/or gender fluid.

Image for "Roots of Unity"

Confirmed Speakers & Participants

Talks will be presented virtually or in-person as indicated in the schedule below.

  • Speaker
  • Poster Presenter
  • Attendee
  • Virtual Attendee
  • Yasmin Aguillon
    University of Notre Dame
  • Renee Bell
    Lehman College
  • Christine Berkesch
    University of Minnesota
  • Tori Braun
    University of Minnesota
  • Naiomi Cameron
    Spelman College
  • Aalliyah Celestine
    Tulane University
  • Judy Chiang
    University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Ahmed Zawad Chowdhury
    University of Washington
  • Mallory Dolorfino
    University of Washington
  • Shalom Echalaz Alvarez
    University of Nebraska Lincoln
  • Luz Grisales Gomez
    University of Washington
  • Yifan Guo
    Brown University
  • Sydney Hernandez
    UC Santa Cruz
  • Amanda Hernandez
    Brown University
  • Sujung Jo
    Brown University
  • Pooja Joshi
    Texas A&M University
  • Nikou Lei
    University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • Haydee Lindo
    Harvey Mudd College
  • Michelle Manes
    American Institute of Mathematics
  • Devanshi Merchant
    University of Utah
  • Ava Mock
    University of Pennsylvania
  • Kelie Momo Nizegha
    Clemson University
  • Priyam Patel
    University of Utah
  • Candice Price
    Smith College
  • Porfi Rodriguez
    University at Buffalo
  • Claudia Rodriguez
    American Institute of Mathematics
  • María Sabando Alvarez
    Washington University in St. Louis
  • Chandrika Sadanand
    Bowdoin College
  • Adriana Salerno
    National Science Foundation
  • Noelle Sawyer
    Southwestern University
  • Bianca Thompson
    Westminster University
  • Dalena Vien
    Bryn Mawr College
  • Bianca Viray
    University of Washington
  • Huong Vo
    Louisiana State University
  • Shanise Walker
    Clark Atlanta University
  • Ashley Warren
    Centre College

Workshop Schedule

Monday, June 10, 2024
  • 8:30 - 8:50 am EDT
    Check In
    11th Floor Collaborative Space
  • 8:50 - 9:00 am EDT
    Welcome
    11th Floor Lecture Hall
    • Brendan Hassett, ICERM/Brown University
  • 9:00 - 10:00 am EDT
    Intros
    Welcome - 11th Floor Lecture Hall
  • 10:00 - 10:30 am EDT
    Norm Setting Intro
    Welcome - 11th Floor Lecture Hall
  • 10:30 - 11:00 am EDT
    Coffee Break
    11th Floor Collaborative Space
  • 11:00 am - 12:30 pm EDT
    Norm Setting
    Meeting - 11th Floor Lecture Hall
  • 12:30 - 1:45 pm EDT
    Lunch/Free Time
  • 1:45 - 2:30 pm EDT
    Tools for Mathing
    Tutorial - 11th Floor Lecture Hall
  • 2:30 - 3:30 pm EDT
    Track Intros
    Meeting - 11th Floor Lecture Hall
  • 3:30 - 4:00 pm EDT
    Coffee Break
    11th Floor Collaborative Space
  • 4:00 - 5:00 pm EDT
    Track Intros
    Meeting - 11th Floor Lecture Hall
  • 5:00 - 6:30 pm EDT
    Welcome Reception
    Reception - 11th Floor Lecture Hall
Tuesday, June 11, 2024
  • 9:00 - 10:30 am EDT
    Group Work
    Assigned Group Work Space
  • 10:30 - 11:00 am EDT
    Coffee Break
    11th Floor Collaborative Space
  • 11:00 am - 12:30 pm EDT
    Group Work
    Assigned Group Work Space
  • 12:30 - 2:00 pm EDT
    Lunch/Free Time
  • 2:00 - 4:00 pm EDT
    Session on belonging with Alycia Mosley Austin
    Professional Development - 11th Floor Lecture Hall
  • 4:00 - 5:00 pm EDT
    Free Time
    Lunch/Free Time
Wednesday, June 12, 2024
  • 9:00 - 10:25 am EDT
    Group Work
    Assigned Group Work Space
  • 10:25 - 10:30 am EDT
    Group Photo
    Group Photo (Immediately After Talk) - 11th Floor Collaborative Space
  • 10:30 - 11:00 am EDT
    Coffee Break
    11th Floor Collaborative Space
  • 11:00 am - 12:30 pm EDT
    Group Work
    Assigned Group Work Space
  • 12:30 - 2:00 pm EDT
    Lunch/Free Time
  • 2:00 - 5:00 pm EDT
    Afternoon tour of American Mathematics Society HQ and publishing
    Outside Tour - AIM
Thursday, June 13, 2024
  • 9:00 - 10:30 am EDT
    Group Work
    Assigned Group Work Space
  • 10:30 - 11:00 am EDT
    Coffee Break
    11th Floor Collaborative Space
  • 11:00 am - 12:30 pm EDT
    Group Work
    Assigned Group Work Space
  • 12:30 - 2:00 pm EDT
    Lunch/Free Time
  • 2:00 - 3:30 pm EDT
    Professional Development Session
    Professional Development - 11th Floor Lecture Hall
  • 3:30 - 4:00 pm EDT
    Coffee Break
    11th Floor Collaborative Space
  • 4:00 - 5:00 pm EDT
    Group Work
    Assigned Group Work Space
Friday, June 14, 2024
  • 9:00 - 10:30 am EDT
    Group Work
    Assigned Group Work Space
  • 10:30 - 11:00 am EDT
    Coffee Break
    11th Floor Collaborative Space
  • 11:00 am - 12:30 pm EDT
    Group Work
    Assigned Group Work Space
  • 12:30 - 1:30 pm EDT
    Lunch/Free Time
  • 1:30 - 3:00 pm EDT
    Group Presentations
    11th Floor Lecture Hall
  • 3:00 - 3:30 pm EDT
    Coffee Break
    11th Floor Collaborative Space
  • 3:30 - 4:30 pm EDT
    Group Presentations
    11th Floor Lecture Hall
  • 4:30 - 5:00 pm EDT
    Full Group Wrap-Up
    Closing Remarks - 11th Floor Lecture Hall

All event times are listed in ICERM local time in Providence, RI (Eastern Daylight Time / UTC-4).

All event times are listed in .

Request Reimbursement

This section is for general purposes only and does not indicate that all attendees receive funding. Please refer to your personalized invitation to review your offer.

ORCID iD
As this program is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), ICERM is required to collect your ORCID iD if you are receiving funding to attend this program. Be sure to add your ORCID iD to your Cube profile as soon as possible to avoid delaying your reimbursement.
Acceptable Costs
  • 1 roundtrip between your home institute and ICERM
  • Flights on U.S. or E.U. airlines – economy class to either Providence airport (PVD) or Boston airport (BOS)
  • Ground Transportation to and from airports and ICERM.
Unacceptable Costs
  • Flights on non-U.S. or non-E.U. airlines
  • Flights on U.K. airlines
  • Seats in economy plus, business class, or first class
  • Change ticket fees of any kind
  • Multi-use bus passes
  • Meals or incidentals
Advance Approval Required
  • Personal car travel to ICERM from outside New England
  • Multiple-destination plane ticket; does not include layovers to reach ICERM
  • Arriving or departing from ICERM more than a day before or day after the program
  • Multiple trips to ICERM
  • Rental car to/from ICERM
  • Flights on a Swiss, Japanese, or Australian airlines
  • Arriving or departing from airport other than PVD/BOS or home institution's local airport
  • 2 one-way plane tickets to create a roundtrip (often purchased from Expedia, Orbitz, etc.)
Travel Maximum Contributions
  • New England: $350
  • Other contiguous US: $850
  • Asia & Oceania: $2,000
  • All other locations: $1,500
  • Note these rates were updated in Spring 2023 and superseded any prior invitation rates. Any invitations without travel support will still not receive travel support.
Reimbursement Requests

Request Reimbursement with Cube

Refer to the back of your ID badge for more information. Checklists are available at the front desk and in the Reimbursement section of Cube.

Reimbursement Tips
  • Scanned original receipts are required for all expenses
  • Airfare receipt must show full itinerary and payment
  • ICERM does not offer per diem or meal reimbursement
  • Allowable mileage is reimbursed at prevailing IRS Business Rate and trip documented via pdf of Google Maps result
  • Keep all documentation until you receive your reimbursement!
Reimbursement Timing

6 - 8 weeks after all documentation is sent to ICERM. All reimbursement requests are reviewed by numerous central offices at Brown who may request additional documentation.

Reimbursement Deadline

Submissions must be received within 30 days of ICERM departure to avoid applicable taxes. Submissions after thirty days will incur applicable taxes. No submissions are accepted more than six months after the program end.

Projects

Number Theory

Renee Bell (Lehman College), Bianca Thompson (Westminster University)

More info to come

Geometry/Topology

Noelle Sawyer (Southwestern University), Chandrika Sadanand (Bowdoin College)

More info to come

Commutative Algebra

Haydee Lindo (Harvey Mudd College), Ashley Wheeler (Centre College)

More info to come

Combinatorics

Naiomi Cameron (Spelman College), Shanise Walker (Clark Atlanta University)

More info to come