Increasing the Equity and Inclusiveness of STEM Environments and Experiences
Applications for 2023-24 are closed.
CISTEME365 is building on 2019-2023 IDEA Team foundations to level up efforts to encourage women, Black and Latina/o youth, low-income, or otherwise traditionally underrepresented populations to stick with and excel in math, science, and engineering. Announcing Year 5 of the NSF-funded Catalyzing Inclusive STEM Experience All Year Round (CISTEME365) grant initiative of the University of Illinois’ Grainger College of Engineering in partnership with the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity.
What you’ll do
- Grow and Strengthen an Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, & Access (IDEA) Team. Initiate new partnerships or expand an existing team.
- Participate in a variety of professional development activities:
- Summer Professional Development at the University of Illinois–Learn strategies for creating equitable and inclusive STEM environments and apply these strategies immediately in the context of the Exploring Electrical & Computer Engineering Summer Camp.
- Collaborate with a Networked Improvement Community (NIC). IDEA Teams collaborate as feedback partners and co-learners.
- Complete an Action Research project (AREP) to apply and study CISTEME365 content and strategies in your STEM Clubs.
- Enhance (or start) your STEM club and provide unique learning opportunities for your students. Incorporate best practices for equity and inclusion.
- Share your lessons learned with a broader public audience through conference presentation(s) or publication(s).
Benefits
- Receive a total of 9 days of in-person and 2 days of virtual professional development.
- 2 days of in-person summer professional development for increasing diversity in STEM and the facilitation of Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Followed by a 7-day experience and additional PD in the context of an engineering summer camp for rising 10th-12th graders.
- 8 hours of virtual professional development through the monthly 2-hour NIC sessions.
- 1 day at the virtual culminating conference in January 2024
- Travel and housing are included for in-person events.
- Additional personal stipend ($2,200) for completing all program requirements and deliverables.
- New districts/schools receive STEM Club supplies and flex funding ($1500).
- Access to scholarships for the University of Illinois STEM summer camps for your students
- Build and strengthen a network of like-minded collaborators.
- Establish an ongoing relationship with the University of Illinois Grainger College of Engineering. As other grants come along or opportunities for cutting-edge STEM connections, we aim to remain connected and in communication. We are committed to broadening participation in STEM, and we believe that establishing this network is just the first step in developing ongoing partnerships.
2023-24 Cohort timeline
- July 21- 22, 2023: In-person professional development days (Champaign-Urbana)
- July 23 – 29, 2023: Exploring Electrical and Computer Engineering Camp (additional PD and experiences alongside camp students in Champaign-Urbana)
- Sept 27, Oct 23, and Nov 29, 2023: Three Virtual 2-hour after-school monthly Networked Improvement Community (NIC) Sessions
- Jan 26 – 27, 2024: Virtual final conference
Learn more about the project
Introduction to the first three years:
- CISTEME 365 Project Overview Webinar
- CISTEME 365 Project Overview PPT presentation (PDF)
- Catalyzing Inclusive STEM Experience All Year Round (2021) (video)
- Tune in for Equity (video)
Questions? Contact the CISTEME365 Team