National Science Foundation: Improving Undergraduate STEM Education – Pathways into the Earth, Ocean, Polar and Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences

The Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) Initiative is an effort to accelerate improvements in the quality and effectiveness of undergraduate education in all STEM fields including the learning, social, behavioral, and economic sciences. Undergraduate STEM education is critical for preparing both a diverse STEM workforce and a STEM-literate public that is ready to support and benefit from the progress of science.

The Directorate for Geosciences (GEO) contributes to the IUSE initiative through the Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Pathways into the Geosciences – Earth, Ocean, Polar and Atmospheric Sciences (IUSE:GEOPAths) funding opportunity. IUSE:GEOPAths invites proposals that specifically address the current needs and opportunities related to education within the geosciences community through the formation of STEM Learning Ecosystems that engage students in the study of the Earth, its oceans, polar regions, and atmosphere. The primary goal of the IUSE:GEOPAths funding opportunity is to increase the number of students pursuing undergraduate and/or postgraduate degrees through the design and testing of novel approaches that engage students in authentic, career-relevant experiences in geoscience. In order to broaden participation in the geosciences, engaging students from historically excluded groups or from non-geoscience degree programs is a priority.

While maintaining elements from the legacy tracks of GEOPATHS, this solicitation features three new funding tracks that focus on Geoscience Learning Ecosystems (GLEs):

1. GEOPAths: Informal Networks (IN). Collaborative projects in this track will support geoscience learning and experiences in informal settings for teachers, pre-college (e.g., upper level high school) students, and early undergraduates in the geosciences.
2. GEOPAths: Undergraduate Preparation (UP). Projects in this track will engage pre-college and undergraduate students in extracurricular experiences and training in the geosciences with a focus on service learning and workplace skill building.
3. GEOPAths: Graduate Opportunities (GO). Projects in this track will improve research and career-related pathways into the geosciences for undergraduate and graduate students through institutional collaborations with a focus on service learning and workplace skill building.

Amount: Approximately $6,000,000 is available to make up to 18 awards ranging from $300,000-$350,000 each.

Eligibility: Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs), specifically two- and four-year IHEs (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in, the U.S., acting on behalf of their faculty members; and non-profit, non-academic organizations, including independent museums, observatories, research labs, professional societies, and similar organizations in the U.S. associated with educational or research activities.

Link: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=322425

Note: December 20, 2019 is the deadline to submit a mandatory Letter of Intent. If invited, the deadline to submit a full proposal is February 14, 2020.

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