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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...

The current educational framework of K-12 STEM programs needs a major overhaul to introduce students to the extensive range of crucial STEM fields, particularly those facing workforce shortages as identified by the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) and Science Act. Limited exposure and lack of engagement often diminish interest among younger students and contribute to a serious shortage...

This award, which is this co-funded by the Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL), program supports a collaborative research project the investigates the development, use, and impact of science multimedia for young children. It utilizes the history of The Magic School Bus (MSB), one of the most successful informal science initiatives of the past forty years, to study the relationship between...

This project addresses the critical need for advanced training in microelectronics physical assurance, inspection, and metrology, a field essential to the integrity and security of electronic components in the global supply chain. With the enactment of the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) Act, the United States is focused on strengthening domestic microelectronics manufacturing. However, there is a...

Urgent socio-ecological challenges, such as extreme droughts, wildfires, and cultural and environmental destruction, draw attention to the interconnectedness of the natural environment and historical injustices in these places, and the need for transformative educational approaches rooted in community engagement and equity. This Partnership Development and Planning project is a collaborative effort between four organizations in California's Sierra Nevada region that...

It is essential to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion by making programs more accessible for individuals with disabilities to broaden the STEM enterprise and create a more inclusive workforce. Despite rising awareness of barriers in STEM for those with disabilities most efforts have centered on physical disabilities, often overlooking neurodiverse learners. To address the issues of neurodiverse learners, this project...

Afterschool programs, science camps, and museums are a great way to engage children with STEM and begin to cultivate their identities as scientists. However, these activities can be costly and difficult to access for certain families, such as those in which English is not their first language. Podcasts, on the other hand, offer a promising, free option for families to...

Many point to the potentially transformative role early engineering education can play in broadening participation in STEM among individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse communities. Moreover, this idea has driven the dramatic expansion of tinkering and making spaces and programs that provide engineering learning opportunities for children and their families in the early years. To fully unlock the promise of...