ICT Educator Resources - National Science Foundation

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense…" With an annual budget around $6 billion, it is the funding source for about 20% of all federally supported basic research conducted by America’s colleges and universities. In many fields, such as math, computer science and the social sciences, NSF is the major source of federal backing. In recent decades, NSF-funded researchers have won more than 170 Nobel Prizes.

Much of NSF’s funding is devoted to advanced research and development. However, an essential element in NSF's mission is support for science and engineering education, from pre-K through graduate school and beyond. The research NSF funds is thoroughly integrated with education to help ensure there will always be skilled people available to work in new and emerging scientific, engineering and technological fields, and plenty of capable teachers to educate the next generation.

NSF has a variety of funding sources that are relevant to community college ICT educators. Especially in tough economic times, MPICT would like to encourage ICT educators to pursue NSF funding to improve their ICT related programs. Contact us for letters of recommendation and advice.

NSF Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE) funding opportunities include:

• ADVANCE: Increasing the Participation and Advancement of Women in Academic Science and Engineering Careers

• Advanced Technological Education (ATE)

• Cooperative Activity with Department of Energy Programs for Education and Human Resource Development

• Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement

• Cyberinfrastructure Training, Education, Advancement, and Mentoring for Our 21st Century Workforce

• Federal Cyber Service: Scholarship for Service (SFS)

• Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST)

• Math and Science Partnership (MSP)

• National STEM Education Distributed Learning (NSDL)

• NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM)

• Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring

• Proposals for Conferences, Symposia and Workshops

• Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program (10-514)

• Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent Expansion Program (STEP)

In the meantime, there are opportunities to benefit from the work of:

• ICT-related NSF ATE Center efforts, like MPICT, or

• ICT related NSF ATE Project efforts.