Grant to Support IUPUI STEM Teacher Project

(photo courtesy IUPUI)

The National Science Foundation has awarded a five-year, $1.5 million grant to a team of six faculty members at IUPUI. The team will use the funding for a project designed to prepare undergraduate students for careers as secondary STEM teachers.

The project is titled "Carver Teaching Initiative – Inspiring the Next Generation of STEM Teaching Professionals through Internships, Recruitment and Engagement." IUPUI says the program will provide 90 summer internships, 25 two-year scholarships of up to $16,500 each year, and professional development incentives for 15 first-year teachers. 

The faculty members leading the project include Jomo Mutegi, Crystal Morton and Craig Willey from the IUPUI School of Education, as well as James Hill, Tamiko Porter and Robert Yost from the IUPUI School of Science. IUPUI cites a recent study of high school students’ career interests led by Mutegi that found ""the strongest career influence that high-achieving high school students have is firsthand experience doing work in a given career area. The second strongest career influence is to have a vicarious experience, wherein students learn about the career from someone in that area."

IUPUI says the project will focus on helping to meet the demand of STEM teaching in central Indiana, primarily through district partners MSD of Pike Township, MSD of Lawrence Township and Muncie Community Schools.

The funding comes from the NSF’s Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program. IUPUI says the program encourages science, technology, engineering and mathematics majors and professionals to become K-12 math and science teachers. 

You can learn more about the Carver Teaching Initiative by clicking here.