Find answers to common questions about eligibility criteria, the application process and participating in the EDGE Summer Program as a participant or faculty member:
Participant Questions
I graduated several years ago. Can I still participate in the EDGE program?
May I apply to EDGE if I am already in graduate school?
Is EDGE only for women of color?
Which gender identities is the EDGE Summer Program for?
When will I find out if I’m accepted?
Can I keep a part-time job while participating in the program?
What is the schedule during the summer? Will there be weekends off?
Is there any funding available for graduate school?
What if I’m applying to graduate programs in Applied Mathematics, Biostatistics, Operations Research, or Statistics?
Faculty Questions
I want to become an EDGE instructor; what are the responsibilities and how do I apply?
How do I become a faculty mentor? What are their responsibilities?
I’m interested in hosting the EDGE program at my institution. How do I proceed?
What type of students are you looking for?
Will you accept more than one student from an institution?
Participant Questions
I graduated several years ago. Can I still participate in the EDGE program?
The EDGE program is for any woman whose goal is to attain a Ph.D. in the mathematical sciences. Several past participants received their undergraduate degrees some years before they decided to pursue graduate degrees. If you meet all of the eligibility criteria, we encourage you to apply.
May I apply to EDGE if I am already in graduate school?
First year graduate students may apply to EDGE. For more on eligibility or to apply, please see the application and eligibility page.
Is EDGE only for women of color?
EDGE is a program for all women. As the acronym indicates, attracting a diverse group of participants is a fundamental goal of the program. In addition to racial diversity, the program strives to include women from all areas of the country, and from a variety of undergraduate institutions.
Which gender identities is the EDGE Summer Program for?
EDGE is committed to building a “community of women mathematicians” while recognizing gender as a social construct that has evolved over time. The EDGE Summer Program (1) considers applicants who report that the sex currently listed on their birth certificate is female; (2) considers applicants who self-identify as women; (3) does not require government issued documentation to verify sex or gender identity.
When will I find out if I’m accepted?
The selection of participants is usually made by April 15.
Can I keep a part-time job while participating in the program?
Since we offer a competitive stipend, we like our participants to consider EDGE their only job for the four weeks of the program. Participants should and will be so busy with EDGE commitments that there will not be time to fulfill any other work commitments during the program.
What is the schedule during the summer? Will there be weekends off?
The EDGE program is intensive. Weekdays consist of classes, problem-solving workshops, guest lectures and special sessions. The evenings and weekends are usually left to the students’ discretion, although there is an annual symposium that participants must attend on the second Friday and Saturday. In the past, students have found it necessary to use much of that time for study. Thursday nights are “nights out,” when the participants go to dinner at a local restaurant of their choice.
Is there any funding available for graduate school?
There is a modest research fund to which participants may apply for travel to professional meetings, books, or other research supplies. Participants are also supported to attend a reunion at the following summer’s program. These funds are available to participants only during the year that follows the EDGE summer program.
What if I’m applying to graduate programs in Applied Mathematics, Biostatistics, Operations Research, or Statistics?
Women pursuing a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics, Biostatistics, Operations Research, or Statistics are welcome to apply.
Faculty Questions
I want to become an EDGE instructor; what are the responsibilities and how do I apply?
There are a total of four EDGE instructors each summer – two team teach Analysis and two team teach Algebra. Each course is broken up into two week sessions. For each course, the instructors work together to determine what material is covered. Instructors are given a general syllabus from past summers to help with this process, as well as course notes. An instructor must be available to teach for a two week-period in June. Classes are held three times each week, for 1.5 hours per class. Some office hours are recommended, and instructors generally spend time getting to know the students by attending social engagements and occasionally visiting the study sessions in the evening. We also expect that instructors will take personal time for their own work and personal enjoyment. An office and a computer are provided. For more information, contact EDGE.
How do I become a faculty mentor? What are their responsibilities?
The basic responsibility is to establish a rapport and a mode of consistent communication with one EDGE student during the school year following the EDGE program. If you have an EDGE student at your institution and you wish to be a mentor, contact EDGE.
I’m interested in hosting the EDGE program at my institution. How do I proceed?
The EDGE program is seeking departments and faculty with a history of encouraging women to pursue graduate work in mathematics: contact EDGE.
What type of students are you looking for?
We believe it strengthens our program to have diversity amongst the women accepted into our program. Therefore, we seek women from small and large institutions. We seek women with extremely strong backgrounds in both Algebra and Analysis as well as women who have substantial holes in those areas. We seek traditional students who are going directly from undergraduate programs to Ph.D. programs as well as those who may have been out of school for a substantial period of time. The basic eligibility criteria are that students must be seeking a Ph.D. and must NOT have had more than one year of graduate studies in the mathematical sciences. Check eligibility for further details.
Will you accept more than one student from an institution?
Yes. There is no advantage or disadvantage to recommending more than one student at the same time. If we have already had a student from your institution attend the EDGE program we still encourage you to send us your students.
Can’t find the answer you’re looking for? Contact us at edgestaff@edgeforwomen.org.