The Ohio State University was named one of six universities to receive a Phase 2 grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's "Driving Change" (HHMI-DC) initiative.  This award of $2.5 million to Ohio State will catalyze the creation a more inclusive STEM learning environment for all students.  These HHMI-DC Phase 2 grants were awarded to applicants "that made strong arguments for their readiness to embark on this change journey with experiments that held the best promise of helping the whole community."

https://www.hhmi.org/news/inclusive-stem-learning-environments-six-institutions-committed-progress

The math department contributed to the HHMI-DC proposal alongside other STEM departments at Ohio State like the Departments of Physics, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, Statistics, the School of Earth Sciences, etc.  As part of the proposal writing process, each department reviewed data revealing significant disparities in STEM student success, e.g., higher DEW rates within historically marginalized groups.  Math and other departments crafted plans which could address these disparities.  One model for Ohio State's plans was the Meyerhoff Scholars Program, launched at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.  The proposal team also met with experts from the Charles A. Dana Center.

Addressing disparities in student success is difficult and complex.

This grant is an exciting opportunity for the math department to build on successful programs like ROMUS and Cycle and to direct resources at student success in large enrollment courses like Math 1151.