STEM Education Innovation Programs
Submit a Program Description » The goal of this database is to serve as a searchable collection of effective practices and programs that support improving undergraduate STEM education. Use the text search and the boxes at the right to narrow the collection based on particular aspects that you are interested in.
You can add your own program to the database by completing the database submission form.
Activity Types
Program Components
Target Audience
- College/University Staff 11 matches
- English Language Learners 4 matches
- First Generation College Students 18 matches
- First-year College Students 17 matches
- Graduate Students 10 matches
- In-Service K12 Teachers 5 matches
- Institution Administration 15 matches
- K12 Students 6 matches
- Non-tenure Track Faculty 16 matches
- Post-doctoral Fellows 4 matches
- Pre-Service K12 Teachers 5 matches
- Teaching/Learning Assistants 6 matches
- Tenured/Tenure-track Faculty 23 matches
- Transfer Students 9 matches
- Undergraduate Majors 24 matches
- Undergraduate Non-Majors 15 matches
- Underrepresented Minority Students 20 matches
Point of Intervention
Results 1 - 10 of 42 matches
InSciTE
Wiline Pangle, Central Michigan University
Our mission is to create an equitable student-driven environment for undergraduate students to develop skills on interdisciplinary communication, collaboration and real-world problem solving to become culturally competent and effective leaders.
Program Components: Professional Development:Advising and Mentoring, Accessibility, Diversity/Inclusion, Pedagogical Training, Curriculum Development, Student Assessment, Course Evaluation, Cultural Competency, Institutional Systems:Interdepartmental Collaboration, Supporting Students:Mentoring Program, Student Engagement, Learning Communities, Undergraduate Research, Quantitative Skills, Academic Support, Scholarships, Grants, Workstudy, Professional Preparation, Cohort Program, Clubs/Social Activities, Outreach:Presentations/Talks, Student Recruiting
Target Audience: Underrepresented Minority Students, English Language Learners, College/University Staff, Non-tenure Track Faculty, Tenured/Tenure-track Faculty, Institution Administration, First-year College Students, Undergraduate Majors, Transfer Students, First Generation College Students
Point of Intervention: College/School
Institution Type: Doctorate-granting Universities:Moderate Research Activity
Pathways to Career Success: A STEM Career Mentorship Program
Jeffrey Jones
The Pathways to Engineering Success Program focuses on guiding undergraduate STEM students toward thriving careers in chosen fields. This mentorship initiative pairs students with experienced professionals to provide practical insights, career guidance, and leadership development. Through hands-on learning, resume coaching, and exposure to real-world challenges, the program equips participants with the tools and confidence to excel in specialized engineering fields, while promoting diversity and inclusivity in STEM careers.
Program Components: Professional Development:Advising and Mentoring, Institutional Systems:Strategic Planning, Interdepartmental Collaboration, Supporting Students:Bridge Program, Mentoring Program, Quantitative Skills, Professional Preparation
Target Audience: First-year College Students, Undergraduate Non-Majors, Graduate Students, First Generation College Students
Point of Intervention: Major/Department
Building the capacitiy for a robust STEM Teacher Preparation Program
Katherine Chen, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
The Teacher Preparation Program (TPP) in the STEM Education Center at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) is a distinctive program where WPI undergraduates earning a bachelor's degree in science, mathematics, or engineering can also obtain an initial teaching license in the state of Massachusetts, all within four years at the university. We are conducting design-based research on our teacher preparation program and local school system, and developing the infrastructure for our teacher candidates to be effective STEM teachers in high-need schools.
Target Audience: Pre-Service K12 Teachers, Undergraduate Majors
CCHF Chemistry Summer Undergraduate Research Program (CSURP)
Travis York, APLU
CSURP is a program for undergraduate students, majoring in chemistry or chemical engineering, interested in conducting supervised summer research. The program is supported by the Center for Selective C-H Functionalization (CCHF), which is a network of 23 academic and industrial research laboratories at 15 partner institutions throughout the country. The CCHF is one of eight National Science Foundation (NSF) funded Centers for Chemical Innovation.
Target Audience: Underrepresented Minority Students, Undergraduate Majors, First Generation College Students
Point of Intervention: Major/Department
Purpose + Reach = Individuals Measured for Excellence (PRIME) STEM Project
Travis York, APLU
PRIME STEM/Student Support Services is a federally-funded TRiO program (U.S. Department of Education). The program supports college students pursuing STEM majors (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) who are first-generation, demonstrate a financial need, and/or have a documented disability.
Program Components: Supporting Students:Mentoring Program, Learning Communities, Academic Support
Target Audience: Underrepresented Minority Students, Undergraduate Non-Majors, Undergraduate Majors, First Generation College Students
Point of Intervention: Major/Department
UC Davis Bridge to the Doctorate Program
Travis York, APLU
The UC Davis Bridge to the Doctorate program is funded by the National Science Foundation's Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP). The LSAMP program assists universities and colleges in their efforts to significantly increase the numbers of students matriculating into and successfully completing high quality degree programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines in order to diversify the STEM workforce. Particular emphasis is placed on transforming STEM education through innovative, evidence-based recruitment and retention strategies, and relevant educational experiences in support of racial and ethnic groups historically underrepresented in STEM disciplines: African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Native Pacific Islanders.
Program Components: Supporting Students:Mentoring Program, Tutoring, Learning Communities, Academic Support, Scholarships, Grants, Workstudy, Outreach:Public Outreach
Target Audience: Underrepresented Minority Students, Undergraduate Majors, Graduate Students, First Generation College Students
Point of Intervention: Major/Department
LAUNCH: Learning Communities
Travis York, APLU
Learning communities (LCs) are opportunities for students to actively participate in their education. Learning communities connect students with others of similar interests or backgrounds, enrich the learning process and promote greater student success. Creating a rich learning environment, learning communities emphasize relationships and community building among students, faculty and staff. LCs usually feature small group interaction, common intellectual experiences, and mentorship from peers and/or faculty. Students gain insight into the context for course material, develop a social network and support, are exposed to new experiences and develop their critical thinking skills.
Program Components: Supporting Students:Mentoring Program, Learning Communities, Academic Support
Target Audience: Underrepresented Minority Students, First-year College Students, Undergraduate Non-Majors, Undergraduate Majors, First Generation College Students
Point of Intervention: Institution
Unconscious Bias Faculty Training
Travis York, APLU
The Office of Faculty Development and Diversity and The Cornell Interactive Theatre Ensemble (CITE) offer a workshop focused on establishing an effective search and addressing issues such as unconscious bias in active recruitment.
Program Components: Institutional Systems:Personnel/Hiring
Target Audience: College/University Staff, Tenured/Tenure-track Faculty, Institution Administration
Point of Intervention: Institution
Systemic Transformation of Education through Evidence-based Reform (STEER)
Gerry Meisels, University of South Florida
STEER seeks to create a culture that reflects a strong balance between teaching and research, and values both. STEER promotes the adoption of evidence-based teaching practices in all science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses, especially in the large-enrollment gateway courses. To facilitate systemic change, the University of South Florida (USF) and Hillsborough Community College (HCC) are partnering to offer professional development for faculty and strengthening coordinated student advising, because the number of STEM community college students transferring to USF exceeds the number who began their studies at USF. STEER's comprehensive approach also addresses other factors that may influence students' academic experiences, such as graduate teaching assistant (GTA) training, student advising, course alignment, institutional policies related to teaching, and physical infrastructure such as classroom configuration. This effort is supported in part by the National Science Foundation, grant number DUE1525574.
Program Components: Professional Development:Advising and Mentoring, Diversity/Inclusion, Pedagogical Training, Curriculum Development, Cultural Competency, Institutional Systems:Incentive/Reward Systems, Evaluating Promotion and Tenure, Evaluating Teaching, Strategic Planning, Interdepartmental Collaboration, Physical Infrastructure, Supporting Students:Mentoring Program, Student Engagement, Outreach:Presentations/Talks, Policy Change, Inter-Institutional Collaboration
Target Audience: Underrepresented Minority Students, College/University Staff, Non-tenure Track Faculty, Tenured/Tenure-track Faculty, Institution Administration, First-year College Students, Transfer Students, Teaching/Learning Assistants
Point of Intervention: Multiple Institutions
Institution Type: Doctorate-granting Universities:Highest Research Activity
The Peer Learning Association
Jean Heitz, University of Wisconsin-Madison
The Peer Learning Association (PLA) is a registered student organization and works with interested faculty in development of peer learning programs tailored to the needs of the students in their courses.
Program Components: Supporting Students:Student Engagement, Learning Communities, Outreach:Informal Education
Target Audience: Underrepresented Minority Students, Undergraduate Majors, Transfer Students
Point of Intervention: Course
Institution Type: Doctorate-granting Universities:Highest Research Activity

