May 14, 2012 - Claremont, Calif. -

Dagan Karp, assistant professor of mathematics, has been appointed to a diversity committee of the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute (MSRI) in Berkeley, Calif.

MSRI is one of eight mathematical science institutes funded by the National Science Foundation. It strives to further mathematical research, support math education and promote greater participation and diversity within the math profession.

Karp will serve on the Human Resources Advisory Committee (HRAC), which supports MSRI’s diversity efforts. Through programs such as the biennial Blackwell-Tapia Conference and the Conference for African-American Researchers in Mathematical Sciences, MSRI reaches out to women, minorities and other groups underrepresented in the mathematical sciences.

"Dagan is a natural choice for MSRI's Human Resources Advisory Committee," said HMC Math Department Chair Andrew Bernoff. "His passion for promoting diversity in the mathematical sciences aligns with the College's strategic vision, and he is known for his outreach efforts both locally and nationally."

Karp earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics and physics, and his master’s in mathematics, from Tulane University, and his doctorate in mathematics from the University of British Columbia. He joined the HMC faculty in 2008 after completing a postdoctoral fellowship at U.C. Berkeley.

His research focuses on algebraic geometry and Gromov-Witten theory. He also has a passion for civil rights and promoting diversity in and through mathematics.

In 2009, Karp launched HMC’s first Seminar on Underrepresentation in the Mathematical Sciences (SUMS). He helped organize the 2011 HMC Mathematical Conference, which focused on broadening participation in the mathematical sciences. He is featured regularly in publications of the E-Mentoring Mathematics Network, providing mentorship to underrepresented students and faculty in mathematics. Karp also serves as an undergraduate mentor in the National Alliance for Doctoral Studies in the Mathematical Sciences.

As an active member of the Society for Advancement of Chicano and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS), his work is both national, as a member of the SACNAS Math Task Force, and local, as the faculty sponsor of the Claremont SACNAS Chapter.