Limited Submission Opportunity: NSF Innovations in Graduate Education (IGE) Program 2025
OBJECTIVES:
The Innovations in Graduate Education (IGE) Program is designed to encourage development and implementation of bold, new, and potentially transformative approaches to STEM graduate education training. The program seeks proposals that:
- Explore ways for graduate students in STEM master’s and doctoral degree programs to develop the skills, knowledge, and competencies needed to pursue a range of STEM careers, or
- support research on the graduate education system and outcomes of systemic interventions and policies.
IGE projects are intended to generate the knowledge required for the customization, implementation, and broader adoption of potentially transformative approaches to graduate education. The program supports piloting, testing, and validating novel models or activities and examining systemic innovations with high potential to enrich and extend the knowledge base on effective graduate education approaches.
The program addresses both workforce development, emphasizing broad participation, and institutional capacity building needs in graduate education. Strategic collaborations with the private sector, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), government agencies, national laboratories, field stations, teaching and learning centers, informal science centers, and academic partners are encouraged.
FUNDING INFORMATION:
Track 1 – Career Preparation and Student Success Pilots:
- Up to 3 years
- Budget between $300,000 and $500,000
- Aim: generate knowledge about new, potentially transformative improvements in graduate education and workforce development that prepare the next generation of scientists and engineers for the full range of possible STEM career paths
Track 2 – Systemic Interventions and Policies:
- Up to 5 years
- Budget up to $1 million
- Aim: generate knowledge about the graduate education system and outcomes of systemic intervention and policies addressing one of the 6 areas outlined in the Program Description
ELIGIBILITY RESTRICTIONS:
BU may participate in up to 2 proposals. There are no restrictions on who may serve as a PI, but each PI or Co-PI may only be listed on one proposal per competition.
Participation includes serving as a lead organization on a non-collaborative proposal or as a lead organization, non-lead organization, or subawardee on a collaborative proposal. Organizations participating solely as evaluators on projects are excluded from this limitation.
INTERNAL SELECTION PROCESS:
Interested investigators should submit the following materials via InfoReady Review by: 2/5/2025
- Questions outlined in InfoReady Review application
- Proposal Statement (maximum 2 pages) describing the following based on the proposal’s Track:
- Track 1: the proposed innovation or how an existing innovation will be expanded
- Track 2: systemic policies, procedures, or interventions that will be considered
- A brief budget outline for the proposed project
As necessary, a faculty committee drawn from both campuses will review internal proposals and select nominees.
DEADLINES:
Internal Materials Due: Wednesday, February 5, 2025, 11:59 pm EST
Sponsor Deadline: Tuesday, March 25, 2025, 5 pm