Increasing the Equity and Inclusiveness of STEM Environments and Experiences
Applications for 2022 (Cohort 4) are now closed.
CISTEME365 is building on 2019-2022 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 4 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

- Reinvigorate your Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, & Access (IDEA) Team. Take this opportunity to expand your team by adding new members, merge teams across settings, or (if you’ve moved away from your team) continue the work by starting a new team in your new setting.
- Participate in a Networked Improvement Community (NIC). IDEA Teams collaborate across schools as feedback partners and co-learners.
- Enhance your STEM club. Receive additional supplies and flex funding. Incorporate best practices for equity and inclusion by learning from each other.
- Complete an Action Research project (AREP) to apply and study CISTEME365 content and strategies in local contexts and STEM Clubs, and then share, publish, and/or present the lessons learned.
Benefits
- Receive 4 days of in-person and 2 days of virtual professional development for increasing diversity in STEM and the facilitation of Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Additional stipend ($2,200) for each team member completing the program requirements
- Additional flexible allowance ($1,500) for STEM Club activities or STEM Club infrastructure
- Exclusive access to scholarships for University of Illinois STEM summer camps for your students
- Amplify your thought leadership. You will develop, adapt, and share the curriculum for your grade level.
- Leverage mentorship to publish action research project findings
- 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 with schools, 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 a first step in developing ongoing partnerships.
2022-23 Cohort timeline

- June 1, 2022: Cohort 4 application deadline
- July 27 – 29, 2022: In-person networked improvement community (NIC)
- September 2022 (date TBA*): 2-hour virtual NIC
- October 2022 (date TBA*): 2-hour virtual NIC
- Jan 20 – 21, 2023: In-person final conference
*Dates will be decided in collaboration with accepted participants.
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)
Questions? Contact the CISTEME365 Team