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This project will broaden participation in engineering by developing learning resources through which Black families have opportunities to engage in engineering practices and to see themselves as part of the engineering community. The research team will co-develop informal learning resources with Black families in which children, ages six to ten, have opportunities to engage in biological, civil, computer, electrical, environmental,...

Black residents of North St. Louis have historically experienced significant social, economic, and educational, and economic disparities, including a lack of access to due high quality STEM education resources. A public-private partnership between a science research center and city libraries will co-develop a community-focused game, designed to meet the interests and needs of the community's Black and economically disadvantaged adults....

The project aims to establish a Research and Education Center for Quantum Materials and Sensing at Bryn Mawr College, a Women's College with a small co-educational graduate program. The Center plans to integrate resources from higher education, an existing NSF-funded quantum center at the Johns Hopkins University, national labs, and industry to advance research in quantum materials and quantum sensing...

This project aims to elevate Florida A&M University (FAMU), a leading Historically Black College and University, to the forefront of Quantum Information Science and Engineering (QISE). The project is structured around three strategic goals. Firstly, the project collaborates with leading external experts to develop cutting-edge QISE research, featuring four synergistic activities leveraging quantum fluids and solids: advancing an emerging qubit...

Fostering STEAM, funded by NSF grant “Collaborative Research: Advancing professional development and broadening participation in informal science learning via the integration of the science and art of color,” provided professional development to informal educators – librarians, science center staff, and after school program staff – through a three-part professional development program that included: 1) in-person workshops that leveraged the Colors...

In this online resource, the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) provides nine modules (one currently under development). Each module addresses a topic – some which have long been part of exhibit design, and others that are more current or trending. Topics include prototyping, graphic design, accessibility, and participatory co-development of bilingual exhibits with stakeholder communities....

The second annual National Rural STEM Summit engaged formal and informal rural educators, administrators, professionals, and organizations in cross-community, cross-sector conversations to share effective STEM teaching and engagement models across different settings. The Summit was held June 5-7,2024, at the Westin La Paloma Resort and Spa in Tucson, Arizona. Attendees included 140 participants and 41 presenters and speakers from the...

Solid materials inevitably have defects such as missing atoms and impurities of a different kind of atom. These defects can have discrete energy levels like an individual atom, providing quantum states which can be used for applications in quantum computing, quantum sensing, and quantum communications. This project uses computational theory to understand the fundamental properties of such defects and identify...

Quantum Information Science and Engineering (QISE) is on the verge of transforming many technologies including computing, sensing and communications. Individual 'particles' of light, photons, are ideal carriers of quantum information over large distances. This project is focused on the development of quantum light sources that produce pairs of photons, which provide an essential resource for QISE, that is also compatible...

Quantum computers offer the opportunity to solve some of the long-standing challenges in science and engineering. A major question today is where and how quantum computers will show the first useful advantages over classical computers. While enormous progress has been made in improving quantum hardware, current quantum devices are not yet able to handle more than relatively small-sized problems. This...

The fundamental principles that govern the behavior of systems in the quantum regime have advanced into the center of modern science and technology today. From quantum sensing and quantum-secure communication to quantum analog simulation and novel paradigms for computation, quantum principles offer a plethora of new technologies to explore. This project, centered around a flexible apparatus to create arrays of...

This Expanding Capacity in Quantum Information Science and Engineering (ExpandQISE) project establishes a Quantum Materials Institute at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, in collaboration with Montana State University and the NSF funded Q-AMASE-i MonArk Quantum Foundry. The Quantum Materials Institute comprises an interdisciplinary team focused on the discovery and development of compact, efficient nonlinear optical systems based...

Access to science instruction in formal school settings is not uniformly available across school districts. Many under-resourced K-12 schools partner with informal STEM learning institutions to address their youth's science education needs. Long Island Children's Museum and Westbury School District have shared such a partnership for young learners over the past 15 years. This Partnership Development and Planning Project will...

Nearly half of the US-based organizations, that realize emerging technologies of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) as some of their best business priorities, also cite the ever-widening skills shortage as one of the major challenges to implementing their plans/strategies in action. Similar trends follow in Cybersecurity and Drone Technology as well. To bridge the gaps, this NSF...

'Ma ka hana 'ka ike' translates to "Learn by doing" in the Hawaiian language. This concept is important and reflects a history of hands-on, practical experiences inherent in the relationship Hawaiians maintained with nature through farming, fishing, aquaculture, and navigation. Traditionally, Hawaiians passed knowledge from one generation to another through direct experiences, music, chants and hula. Founded in a rich...

A strong workforce in emerging technology areas requires diverse participation, especially of populations historically excluded from STEM careers. To accelerate innovation through expanded experiences and viewpoints, and to support equitable economic advancement in high-paying STEM careers, this Explorations project addresses multiple systemic barriers that contribute to the underrepresentation of Black individuals in technology careers. These barriers include Black youth's limited...

The semiconductor manufacturing and data center industries, both critical elements of computing infrastructure in the United States, has a growing unmet need for entry-level technician talent. In the Northern Virginia region specifically, these industries struggle with a lack of student awareness alongside underdeveloped pathways to technician careers. Northern Virginia Community College's (NOVA) COHORT project addresses this need by developing a...

Caregivers play an essential role in STEM identity development, interest, and persistence; however, more research is needed to deepen our understanding of multigenerational informal STEM learning and informal STEM learning alongside caregivers. This Partnership Development and Planning project brings together STEM educational researchers, STEM professionals, community organizers, and caregivers. Together they will work toward research that explores rightful presence for...

Every day, people use scientific information to make decisions that affect their lives. Consequently, it is critical that the results of scientific research on topics impacting the public are communicated effectively. Data visualization is an important part of scientific communication, yet much guidance on the clear and effective design of data graphics has not been tested among a representative population...

Early childhood years are critical for developing the foundational knowledge, skills, and attitudes for later success in STEM. Young children learn science best when they actively engage with topics that are meaningful to their everyday lives. Artificial intelligence (AI) can help in developing science learning content and making it more interactive, but inherent social, racial, and linguistic biases in AI-generated...

Semiconductors are fundamental to modern technology, driving advancements in fields such as communication, healthcare, and national security. To maintain global competitiveness in the semiconductor industry, the U.S. must cultivate a skilled and diverse workforce. However, many young individuals, particularly those who are neurodivergent, lack opportunities to engage with the foundational elements of electronics in a hands-on and creative manner. This...

Overnight outdoor education programs are a form of informal learning that emphasize learner choice, hands-on, collaborative experiences and extended opportunities for learners to engage behaviorally, cognitively, and emotionally with real world STEM phenomena outside the classroom. There has been strong evidence that these programs can have positive benefits for learners, including: environmental and science awareness and knowledge; enhanced attitudes toward...

Girls interact with advanced technologies every day, and yet only 20 percent of computer science degrees in the United States are awarded to women. This number has further decreased over the years, and when broken out by ethnicity, is much lower for racially minoritized girls. This issue is not solely due to lack of access, but due to the approaches...

Hands-on technology-rich maker activities that combine computer programming, digital fabrication (e.g., 3D printing), and computer-aided design are shown to support learners' empowerment, social competence, and technical training. However, existing maker activities and maker-spaces are often not designed for learners with autism. This results in missed opportunities for including youth and young adults with autism in empowering and meaningful STEM learning...

Hands-on technology-rich maker activities that combine computer programming, digital fabrication (e.g., 3D printing), and computer-aided design are shown to support learners' empowerment, social competence, and technical training. However, existing maker activities and maker-spaces are often not designed for learners with autism. This results in missed opportunities for including youth and young adults with autism in empowering and meaningful STEM learning...