Aug. 5, 2022 — The U.S. National Science Foundation will establish four new NSF INCLUDES Alliances to enhance preparation, increase participation and ensure the inclusion of individuals from historically underrepresented groups in science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers.

This investment of more than $39 million is part of an NSF-wide effort to address diversity, inclusion and participation challenges in STEM at a national scale.

“NSF INCLUDES develops networks that are the key to building and sustaining the kind of systemic change that is needed to move the needle on inclusivity in STEM in a substantial way,” said Sylvia M. Butterfield, acting assistant director of NSF’s Directorate for Education and Human Resources. “The latest NSF INCLUDES Alliances will create opportunities for a new generation of STEM talent and leadership.”

With this funding, NSF supports projects that will advance science and engineering by promoting and supporting accessibility, collaboration, equity and inclusion in STEM careers, education and research.

The four 2022 NSF INCLUDES awardees will each receive almost $10 million dollars over five years to contribute substantively to the NSF INCLUDES vision of an inclusive STEM workforce that reflects the diversity of the nation’s population. The Alliances, listed below, take on a range of issues: building data science capacity at minority-serving institutions, increasing the representation of American Indian and Alaska Native students in STEM, advancing equity, inclusivity and the development of pathways to faculty positions in postdoctoral fellow programs, and promoting economic development through data science education.

• NSF INCLUDES National Data Science Alliance,
  Clark Atlanta University.
  • Building data science capacity at historically Black colleges and universities to substantially increase the number of Black students with data science credentials and expertise on researching ethics, bias and fairness in the use of data.

• NSF INCLUDES Alliance Supporting Pacific Impact through Computational Excellence, Chaminade University of Honolulu and the University of Texas at Austin.
  • Enhancing justice-oriented data science education for Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders and promoting economic development.

• NSF INCLUDES Re-Imagining STEM Equity Utilizing Postdoctoral Pathways Alliance, University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
  • Implementing systemic policies and practices for equity and inclusion of underrepresented postdoctoral scholars, engaging postdoctoral fellows in training and mentoring, and developing pathways to faculty positions.

• NSF INCLUDES Cultivating Indigenous Research Communities for Leadership in Education and STEM Alliance,
  University of Montana.
  • Increasing the representation of American Indian and Alaska Native students in STEM disciplines and the workforce of six EPSCoR states (Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming) through STEM activities, mentoring, investments, pathways and instruction focused at the K-12 educational level.

NSF has a long-standing commitment to developing a diverse, highly skilled American workforce. The NSF INCLUDES awards support education for pre-college students to post-doctoral fellows from historically marginalized and underserved communities and create opportunities that are accessible and inclusive.

Learn more about NSF INCLUDES and visit nsf.gov.

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Source: NSF