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The University of Houston has received two new grants designed to address barriers that prevent low-income and underrepresented students from pursuing STEM education. The funding of two projects – one addressing postdoctoral researchers preparing for engineering/STEM education careers and one supporting youngsters – will build upon the community partnership between UH and Houston’s Third Ward neighborhood, says university officials.
The $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) will support a new evidence-based postdoc training program for a cohort of three STEM education postdoctoral fellows at the University of Houston and will leverage existing collaborations between the project team and partners in Houston’s underserved communities, particularly within the city’s historic Third Ward.
“Literature has shown that postdocs have experienced discrimination, harassment, job insecurity, and gaps remain in understanding how to best support postdocs, especially those underrepresented/underserved in STEM careers,” said Dr. Jerrod A. Henderson, an assistant professor in the William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, who is leading the two projects. “While research training and publication have traditionally been the standard for STEM research training programs, these experiences, especially for postdoctoral fellows, often lack structured and formal community support. Because many postdocs transition into positions that involve teaching, communication and mentoring, effective education in these areas should be the standard.”Â
The $1.9 million collaborative grant from the NSF will support a new research focus for the St. Elmo Brady STEM Academy founded by Henderson and Dr. Rick Greer, a K-12 education specialist and program director in the Cullen College of Engineering. The academy brings together underrepresented youth to expose, engage, and empower them to become the next generation of scientists, engineers, and mathematicians.
According to university officials, the grant will support the academy’s engineering learning environment, which is grounded in the Framework for P12 engineering learning, and the project research, which will be led by Henderson, Greer, Horton Jr. and Christopher Wright of Drexel University.Â
“The intervention seeks to help re-envision how engineering looks, who leads it, and whose ways of knowing are valued,” said Henderson. “At the same time, the research will explore how aspects of this informal engineering environment support the engineering identities of participating youth and their families.”