Minority Innovation Challenges Institute
FAMU recently released more details on a story Rattler Nation broke in November.
The Department of Computer Information Sciences (CIS) recently received a three-year $1 million grant from National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to establish the Minority Innovation Challenges Institute (MICI). The purpose of MICI is to get more minority students around the country to become interested in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields by using the NASA Centennial Challenges as a motivating factor.
According to Clement Allen, CIS associate professor and the principal investigator for the grant, the NASA Centennial Challenges are a set of fascinating, monetary contests used by NASA to spur innovations in space technologies. They offer contests where individuals and groups compete for money and fame. For example, there is a contest to design and build a better astronaut glove and a contest to build a robot that can excavate dirt on the moon.
FAMU is the first institution to establish a MICI with funding from NASA, and will work with other minority-serving institutions in the nation to mentor students.
Computation for STEM Education
The U.S. Department of Education, through the Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program (MSEIP) for Integrating Computation into STEM Education, awarded CIS a three-year $600,000 grant for the project, “Computation for STEM Education (C-STEM).”
The goals of this project are to increase the number of STEM students who graduate with discipline-specific computational skills, and to stimulate increased use of computation in the teaching of STEM disciplines at FAMU.
Tri-Regional Information Technology Program
FAMU also received an award from the National Science Foundation for $280,000 to continue to host the Tri-Regional Information Technology Program (Tri-IT).
Tri-IT is an alliance of three colleges – Florida State College at Jacksonville, FAMU and Seminole Community College. The goal is to engage female high school students interested in technology and encourage them to consider college degrees and careers in the field of information technology (IT). It is an “after-school” type program that teaches students about the latest and greatest technology.
“This program, along with the African American Women in Computer Science (AAWCS) scholarship program and the STARS Alliance, has established FAMU as a leader in addressing the shortage of minority women in IT,” said Jason Black, co-principal investigator.
Evolution to Studio-Based Active Learning
Another $300,000 award from the National Science Foundation will explore the use of studio-based and active learning techniques in formative CIS courses. The project is titled “Evolution to Studio-Based Active Learning.” The project goal is to transform incrementally the instructional paradigm used in formative programming courses. Traditional lecture-based instruction, where the teacher is primarily a transmitter of knowledge, will be augmented by active-learning activities, where the teacher coaches student problem solving and exploration.
Expected project outcomes include higher retention in the CIS major, increased mastery of foundational skills, improved technical communication skills and enhanced critical thinking.
FAMU recently released more details on a story Rattler Nation broke in November.
The Department of Computer Information Sciences (CIS) recently received a three-year $1 million grant from National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to establish the Minority Innovation Challenges Institute (MICI). The purpose of MICI is to get more minority students around the country to become interested in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields by using the NASA Centennial Challenges as a motivating factor.
According to Clement Allen, CIS associate professor and the principal investigator for the grant, the NASA Centennial Challenges are a set of fascinating, monetary contests used by NASA to spur innovations in space technologies. They offer contests where individuals and groups compete for money and fame. For example, there is a contest to design and build a better astronaut glove and a contest to build a robot that can excavate dirt on the moon.
FAMU is the first institution to establish a MICI with funding from NASA, and will work with other minority-serving institutions in the nation to mentor students.
Computation for STEM Education
The U.S. Department of Education, through the Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program (MSEIP) for Integrating Computation into STEM Education, awarded CIS a three-year $600,000 grant for the project, “Computation for STEM Education (C-STEM).”
The goals of this project are to increase the number of STEM students who graduate with discipline-specific computational skills, and to stimulate increased use of computation in the teaching of STEM disciplines at FAMU.
Tri-Regional Information Technology Program
FAMU also received an award from the National Science Foundation for $280,000 to continue to host the Tri-Regional Information Technology Program (Tri-IT).
Tri-IT is an alliance of three colleges – Florida State College at Jacksonville, FAMU and Seminole Community College. The goal is to engage female high school students interested in technology and encourage them to consider college degrees and careers in the field of information technology (IT). It is an “after-school” type program that teaches students about the latest and greatest technology.
“This program, along with the African American Women in Computer Science (AAWCS) scholarship program and the STARS Alliance, has established FAMU as a leader in addressing the shortage of minority women in IT,” said Jason Black, co-principal investigator.
Evolution to Studio-Based Active Learning
Another $300,000 award from the National Science Foundation will explore the use of studio-based and active learning techniques in formative CIS courses. The project is titled “Evolution to Studio-Based Active Learning.” The project goal is to transform incrementally the instructional paradigm used in formative programming courses. Traditional lecture-based instruction, where the teacher is primarily a transmitter of knowledge, will be augmented by active-learning activities, where the teacher coaches student problem solving and exploration.
Expected project outcomes include higher retention in the CIS major, increased mastery of foundational skills, improved technical communication skills and enhanced critical thinking.
Super. Use it well.
ReplyDeleteOpportunity to do something great. Take it!
ReplyDeleteGo on, clement!
ReplyDelete