Limited Submission Opportunity: NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Program (S-STEM) 2025
OBJECTIVES:
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) program addresses the need for a high-quality STEM workforce in STEM disciplines supported by the program and for the increased success of low-income academically talented students with demonstrated financial need who are pursuing associate, baccalaureate, or graduate degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Recognizing that financial aid alone cannot increase retention and graduation in STEM, the program provides awards to Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) to fund scholarships and to advance the adaptation, implementation, and study of effective evidence-based curricular and co-curricular activities that support recruitment, retention, transfer (if appropriate), student success, academic/career pathways, and graduation in STEM.
The S-STEM program encourages collaborations among different types of participating groups, including but not limited to partnerships among different types of institutions; collaborations of STEM faculty and institutional, educational, and social science researchers; and partnerships among institutions of higher education and business, industry, local community organizations, national labs, or other federal or state government organizations, if appropriate.
The program seeks to 1) increase the number of low-income academically talented students with demonstrated financial need obtaining degrees in S-STEM eligible disciplines and entering the workforce or graduate programs in STEM; 2) improve the education of future scientists, engineers, and technicians, with a focus on low-income academically talented students with demonstrated financial need; and 3) generate knowledge to advance understanding of how interventions or evidence-based curricular and co-curricular activities affect the success, retention, transfer, academic/career pathways, and graduation of low-income students in STEM.
FUNDING INFORMATION:
Award amounts vary by Track, but all are for a maximum of 6 years.
- Track 1 (Institutional Capacity Building) projects may not exceed $2 million
- Track 2 (Implementation: Single Institution) projects may not exceed $2 million
- Track 3 (Inter-institutional Consortia) projects may not exceed $5 million
ELIGIBILITY RESTRICTIONS:
BU may submit up to 2 total proposals. Any external submissions must not have any overlap in S-STEM eligible disciplines.
Tracks 1 and 2:
- PI must be a faculty member currently teaching in an S-STEM eligible discipline who can provide the leadership required to ensure the success of the project even if other departments are involved
- Faculty from all departments involved need to have roles in the project as either Co-PIs or senior personnel
- Other members of the S-STEM senior project leadership and management team may be listed as Co-PIs
Track 3:
- PI must be a faculty member currently teaching in an S-STEM eligible discipline or an institutional, educational, or social science researcher who can provide the leadership required to ensure the success of the project.
- A consortium project must have a PI who accepts overall management and leadership responsibility.
- Faculty from all institutions and departments involved need to have roles in the project as either Co-PIs or senior personnel.
- Other members of the S-STEM senior project leadership and management team may be listed as Co-PIs or as PIs on collaborative research proposals.
NSF is particularly interested in supporting the attainment of degrees in fields in which research is funded by NSF, including technology fields associated with the S-STEM-eligible disciplines (e.g., biotechnology, chemical technology, engineering technology, information technology, etc.).
The following degrees are eligible:
- Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, Associate of Engineering, and Associate of Applied Science
- Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Engineering and Bachelor of Applied Science
- Master of Arts, Master of Science, and Master of Engineering
- Doctoral (Ph.D. or other comparable doctoral degree)
The following degrees and disciplines are not S-STEM eligible:
- Clinical degree programs, including medical degrees, nursing, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, and others not funded by NSFNational Science Foundation
- Programs for STEM teacher certification or licensure currently covered by the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship program (NOYCE)
- Business school programs that lead to Bachelor of Arts or Science in Business Administration degrees (BABA/BSBA/BBA)
- Masters and Doctoral degrees in Business Administration
To be eligible for S-STEM, scholars must be domestic low-income students, with academic ability, talent or potential and with demonstrated unmet financial need who are enrolled in an associate, baccalaureate, or graduate degree program in an S-STEM eligible discipline.
INTERNAL SELECTION PROCESS:
Interested investigators should submit the following materials via InfoReady Review by: 1/14/2025
- Questions outlined in InfoReady Review application
- 2-page Proposal Statement describing the need at BU, proposed scholar eligibility criteria, and how the proposal will build on existing academic infrastructure to support scholars.
- A brief budget summary for the proposed project
- Up-to-date CV or biosketch for PIPrincipal Investigator View Boston University's policy on...
As necessary, a faculty committee drawn from both campuses will review internal proposals and select nominees.
DEADLINES:
Internal Materials Due: Tuesday, January 14, 2025, 11:59 pm EST
NSF Deadline: Tuesday, March 4, 2025, 5 pm