NSF INCLUDES announces new Alliances focused on increasing equity and broadening participation in STEM
The U.S. National Science Foundation is investing in the establishment of five new NSF INCLUDES Alliances to enhance preparation, increase participation and ensure the inclusion of individuals from historically underrepresented groups in science, technology, engineering and mathematics education. This investment of $50 million is part of an NSF-wide effort to address diversity, inclusion and participation challenges in STEM at a national scale.
Through the establishment of Alliances, NSF seeks to enhance U.S. leadership in STEM discoveries and innovations by employing collaborative approaches to address broadening participation challenges in STEM. The new awardees join eight existing Alliances, and the NSF INCLUDES National Network of more than 3,000 partners dedicated to broadening participation in STEM by creating access and opportunities for all U.S. residents through public, private and academic partnerships.
"Creating pathways to success for a STEM workforce reflective of the U.S. population is of national importance to ensuring America's competitiveness in a global research landscape," said Sylvia Butterfield, acting assistant director for NSF's Education and Human Resources Directorate. "NSF INCLUDES Alliances provide a structure to address this issue and for the STEM enterprise to work collaboratively to achieve inclusive change."
The new Alliances will develop partnerships among stakeholders across the public, private and academic sectors; share best practices for broadening participation and other useful data; contribute to the knowledge base on broadening participation in STEM through research; and establish a framework for supporting communications and networking among partners.
The new Alliances are listed below:
- NSF INCLUDES Alliance: Broadening Career Pathways in Food, Energy, and Water Systems with and within Native American Communities: University of California Berkeley, Alice M. Agogino, Elizabeth Hoover Matthew Potts; American Indian Science and Engineering Society, Kathy DeerInWater; University of Arizona, Karletta Chief
- NSF INCLUDES Alliance: The Alliance of Students with Disabilities for Inclusion, Networking, and Transition Opportunities in STEM: Auburn University, Overtoun M. Jenda, Daniela Marghitu, Brittany McCullough, David Shannon; Alabama State University, Carl Pettis
- NSF INCLUDES Alliance: The Alliance for Identity-Inclusive Computing Education - A Collective Impact Approach to Broadening Participation in Computing: Duke University, Alicia N. Washington, Shaundra Daily
- NSF INCLUDES Alliance: Engineering PLUS (Partnerships Launching Underrepresented Students): Northeastern University, Karl Reid, Michael Silevitch, Claire Duggan, Richard Harris; Society of Women Engineers, Karen Horting
- NSF INCLUDES Alliance: Accelerate Latinx Representation in STEM Education with Institutional Intentionality and Capacity Building for Experiential Learning: Arizona State University, Caroline VanIngen, Shelley Haydel Cynthia Pickering; San Diego State University, Felisha Herrera Villarreal; Phoenix College, Maria Reyes
For more information about NSF INCLUDES, visit nsf.gov.