(NSF) Broadening Participation in Engineering

The National Science Foundation seeks Engineering (BPE) announcement to support the development of a diverse and well-prepared engineering workforce. Funds: $1.5 million total for up to 20 awards. Areas: NSF said BPE funding supports research to: understand and analyze the systemic barriers that prevent underrepresented groups from pursuing and succeeding in engineering (for example, understanding the problem of insufficient interest and poorly sustained participation in engineering across underrepresented demographic groups and insignificant preparation and scarce opportunities for members of underrepresented groups to learn meaningful, relevant engineering content); understand and analyze factors that enhance our ability to increase access to engineering by creating support systems and social networks that raise career awareness about different engineering pathways; develop innovative methods and projects to significantly impact the recruitment and retention of engineering students from underrepresented groups (activities must be supported by relevant data and have the capability to produce a model that can be replicated in other contexts); develop innovative methods and projects to aggressively recruit and retain tenure-track faculty from underrepresented groups; and design and transform culture to make diversity, equity and inclusion a priority in the engineering enterprise.