STEM Equity Gets Boost from NSF
In an effort to explore methods for encouraging females to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), the National Science Foundation has awarded the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE) Education Foundation an extension services grant. The grant comes through the Research on Gender in Science and Engineering Program and was awarded to implement NAPE's five-year STEM Equity Pipeline project.
NAPE is a consortium of businesses and organizations, including state and local agencies, focused on bringing "special populations" into "high-skill, high-wage, and nontraditional careers." Its STEM Equity Pipeline project is aiming to "increase participation of females in secondary and postsecondary ... [STEM] cluster programs of study necessary for successful secondary-postsecondary transition and degree completion."
To this end, the project will work with educators and community organizations to provide training to promote "gender-inclusive" practices in student support, teaching, and curriculum development. The program will begin working with teams of educators and and others in California, Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin, with plans to expand into eight additional states. The teams involved initially will then be used to train others at the state and local level in order to ensure that gender equity is considered in decisions involving program development.
Mimi Lufkin, CEO of the NAPE Education Foundation, is heading up the STEM Equity Pipeline project.
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Dave Nagel is the executive editor for 1105 Media's educational technology online publications and electronic newsletters. He can be reached at dnagel@1105media.com.
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