Inmas for Students

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The Inmas network is funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), and has hubs at the University of Illinois and Johns Hopkins University. The hubs will organize training programs on technical and professional skills, to prepare students for productive internships in Business, Industry and Government (BIG). Students will then be matched with internship projects that Inmas has developed through direct contact with employers. 

About 1900 PhDs are awarded in the mathematical sciences each year, but fewer than 800 tenure track jobs are filled nationwide, at all 4-year universities. So most students who earn a PhD will not get a tenure track job. For many people, a postdoc or visiting position turns out not to be a pathway to a tenure track job, but rather a prelude to a tough career transition for which they are not prepared. 

Fulfilling and rewarding careers are available to PhD graduates in the mathematical sciences. But you cannot just walk into those jobs. 

You need:

• willingness and flexibility in your life plan,
• training that complements your mathematical skills,
• industry work experience to demonstrate your competence.

If you bring the willingness and flexibility, Inmas will provide the training and internship work experience. 

Students accepted into the program benefit from weekend training workshops on:

1. Python coding
2. Statistical learning
3. Data science
4. Modeling and optimization
5. Professional skills

You do not need prior experience, and there is no charge for these training programs. 

Meanwhile, Inmas staff will be busy contacting employers and government agencies to develop internship projects. Internship placements will be prioritized by your performance and professionalism during the training events (see our Statement of Expectations), and also by the fit with available internship opportunities. 

Summer internships that are arranged and funded through Inmas will come with a stipend of $5000 from our grant. The internship hosts will be expected to contribute an additional $3000 to the intern, making a total of $8000 for the 8 week/2 month internship. The timing of the internship is usually somewhat flexible. 

Note: Inmas has funding for up to 30 internship placements in 2021, split equally between Inmas Midwest and Inmas Mid-Atlantic. If you  performed well in training but we are not able to arrange a suitable internship placement, then you will have high priority for a placement in the following year. 

• You must be either (a)  from a participating department in the network, or else (b) an alumnus of the Math Alliance who is in a mathematical sciences graduate program at an institution in the U.S.  
• You must be a current PhD student in good standing during the spring semester, and must not graduate prior to August. 
• Both U.S. and international graduate students are eligible. 

If you are eligible and interested, then please complete the application form. The only document you will need for this application is an informal transcript (pdf file) showing your graduate school coursework and grades. 

No prior experience in applied mathematics or industry is expected. In fact, an important goal of the grant is to expand career opportunities for students who want to gain such experience. The desire to gain industry or government experience is crucial. 

Application deadline: 5:00pm central time on Wednesday, January 6, 2021