Broadening Participation in the Geosciences: NSF Funding Opportunities

Jill Karsten, Ph.D.Program Director, GEO Education & Diversity

Geo-Needs Workshop August 2015

Policy Guiding DocumentsEngage to Excel: Producing One Million Additional College Graduates with Degrees in STEM (PCAST, 2012)

Prepare and Inspire: K-12 STEM Education for America’s Future (PCAST, 2010)

Federal STEM Education 5-Year Strategic Plan (CoSTEM, 2013)

Investing in Science, Engineering, and Education for the Nation’s Future: NSF Strategic Plan for 2014-2018 (NSF, 2013)

Dynamic Earth: GEO Imperatives & Frontiers 2015-2020 (AC GEO, 2014)

CoSTEM 5-Year Strategic Plan (NSF)• Undergraduate Education

▫ Identify & broaden implementation of evidence-based practices & document their impacts on learning & retention

▫ Improve STEM Ed support at 2-year colleges & create bridges between 2-year and 4-year programs

▫ Incentivize & support university-public-private partnerships to provide relevant & authentic STEM learning experiences

▫ Address high failure rates in gatekeeper introductory math classes

• Graduate Education▫ Recognize & financially support students with high potential for

making contributions in STEM careers▫ Help prepare students in areas critical to the Nation, including

opportunities to develop the future Federal agency workforce▫ Continue & enhance mechanisms for evaluating the impact

of graduate fellowships

GEO’s Education & Diversity Priorities• Increase Undergraduate Exposure to & Enrollment in the

Geosciences

• Prepare a Capable Geosciences Workforce

• Broaden Participation of Underrepresented Groups

• Promote Public & Community-based Science to Improve Public STEM Literacy and Decision-making, and to Advance the Geosciences

• Promote Use of Community Resources for Both Research & Educational Purposes

• From “Dynamic Earth: GEO Imperatives & Frontiers 2015-2020” (AC/GEO, 2014)

EHR’s Education & Diversity PrioritiesStrategic Re-envisioning for the Education and Human Resources Directorate report (2014)•Prepared by the EHR Advisory Committee• http://www.nsf.gov/ehr/Pubs/AC_ReEnvisioning_Report_Sept_2014_01.pdf

•Three major themes:▫STEM Learning and STEM Learning

Environments▫Broadening Participation and Institutional

Capacity▫STEM Workforce Development

Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE)•NSF-wide initiative to establish a more

coherent portfolio▫ Consolidation of TUES, STEP, WIDER programs in FY14

•Emphasis on building & using the evidence base for improved STEM teaching & learning

•Three “pillars”▫ Improve STEM Learning & Learning Environments▫ Broaden Participation & Institutional Capacity for

STEM Learning▫ Build the Professional STEM Workforce for Tomorrow

EducationalPractice

EducationalResearch

Questions &Ideas

Answers &Insights

which lead to

identifies and motivates

which helps improve

that results in

IUSE Framework

IUSE Resources• Initiative expected to extend to ~FY20• Core funding opportunities:

▫ IUSE: EHR▫ IUSE: GEOPATHS▫ IUSE/PFE: RED▫ RCN/UBE

• FY 16 & beyond, integrate supporting programs:▫REU, TCUP, LSAMP, HBCU-UP

EHR ENG GEO BIO CISEFY 2015

$84M $6.0M $10.9M

$2.5M $2.0M

FY 2016

$120M $6.0M $6.0M $2.5M $0

IUSE: Pathways into Geoscience (IUSE: GEOPATHS)

• Program Solicitation NSF 15-526▫ http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=505169

• Two funding tracks: GEOPATHS-EXTRA GEOPATHS-IMPACT

• Up to $500K total; up to 3 years of funding• Eligibility restrictions • Deadlines:

▫Letter of Intent (required) due August 14, 2015▫Full proposals due October 5, 2015▫Expect annual competitions thereafter

IUSE: Education & Human Resources (IUSE: EHR)•Program Solicitation NSF 15-585

▫ http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=505082

•Two funding tracks:▫Engaged Student Learning▫Institutional & Community Transformation

•Three funding levels:Exploration & Design

Development & Implementation

Engaged Student Learning

Up to $300K, for 3 years

Level 1: Up to $600K, for 3 yearsLevel 2: $601K-$2M, for 5 years

Institutional & Community Transformation

Up to $300K, for 3 years

Up to $3M, for 5 years

NSF Broadening Participation Programs

•Centralized information on the NSF BP web site:▫Portfolio of focused funding opportunities▫Reports on broadening participation▫Framework for evaluating impacts of broadening

participation projects▫Other relevant links

•NSF invests in fundamental research, design & development research, implementation research, and capacity building

http://www.nsf.gov/od/broadeningparticipation/bp.jsp

EHR Core Research (ECR) Program• Program Solicitation NSF 15-509

▫ http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=504924

• Focus on fundamental research to accumulate evidence to understand, build theories, and suggest innovative interventions to address persistent challenges to STEM learning and participation

• Strands:▫ STEM learning & learning environments▫ STEM professional workforce development▫ Broadening participation in STEM

• Eligibility: No restrictions• Deadlines:

▫ September 10, 2015 ▫ 2nd Thursday in September annually thereafter

Advanced Technological Education (ATE)

• Program Solicitation NSF 14-577▫ http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5464

• Focus on two-year colleges and preparation of the advanced technical workforce

• Supports a variety of activities, including: curriculum development; professional development of faculty & teachers; support for career pathway transitions between HS-2YC & 2YC-4YC

• Three tracks▫ATE Projects; ATE Centers; Targeted Research

• Deadlines:▫October 8, 2015 (October 6, 2016)

EHR Capacity Building Programs• Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) – NSF

15-594

• Historically Black Colleges & Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) – NSF 15-552

• Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) – NSF 14-505

• Centers of Research Excellence in Science & Technology (CREST) – NSF 14-565

• Tribal Colleges & Universities Program (TCUP) – NSF 14-572

HBCU-UP, AGEP, CREST & TCUP offer tracks in Broadening Participation Research in STEM Education

Opportunities for the Geosciences• TCUP PArtnerships for Geoscience Education (TCUP: PAGE)

▫ Program Solicitation NSF 14-572 http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5483

▫ Supports collaborations between TCUP institutions and 4-year geoscience programs to improve instructional capabilities; attract & retain TCUP students; support transitions to help students attain geoscience degrees

▫ Eligibility: TCUP-eligible institution must be the lead

▫ Up to $5M total funding (limit of $825K per institution)

▫ Up to 5 years duration

▫ Deadlines: March 16, 2016 (annually)

• CREST Postdoctoral Fellowships

▫ Look for this track in the next solicitation

Hispanic-Serving Institutions• Stimulating Research on Effective Strategies in

Undergraduate STEM Education at Two-Year Hispanic Serving Institutions▫ Dear Colleague Letter NSF 15-078

http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2015/nsf15078/nsf15078.jsp

▫ Early Concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) and Conference proposals

▫ Up to $300K/2 years for EAGERS; up to $50K for conferences

▫ Proposals due by May 31, 2016

• See also Dear Colleague Letter NSF 15-063 for supplemental funding request information for specific programs ▫ http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2015/nsf15063/nsf15063.jsp

NSF INCLUDES Initiative (FY16)• Inclusion across the Nation of Communities

of Learners that have been Underrepresented for Diversity in Engineering and Science

• Six-year, NSF-wide activity will pilot two new models:▫ NSF INCLUDES: Networks for STEM Excellence▫ NSF INCLUDES: Empowering All Youth for STEM

• Formal solicitations, DCLs, and supplements• $15M requested in FY16 budget

BIO CISE EHR ENG GEO MPS SBE IAFY16 $1.40M $1.78M $3.00M $1.40

M$2.44

M$2.60

M$0.50

M$1.88

M

Useful Links• PCAST 2010

▫ https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/pcast-stem-ed-final.pdf

• PCAST 2012▫ https://

www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/pcast-engage-to-excel-final_2-25-12.pdf

• CoSTEM 2013▫ https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/stem_stratplan_2013.pdf

• NSF Strategic Plan 2014-2018▫ http://www.nsf.gov/about/performance/strategic_plan.jsp

• AC GEO Report 2014▫ http://www.nsf.gov/geo/acgeo/geovision/start.jsp