NSF Org:	EES Div. of Equity for Excellence in STEM
Recipient:	ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
Initial Amendment Date:	August 30, 2022
Latest Amendment Date:	August 30, 2022
Award Number:	2201943
Award Instrument:	Continuing Grant
Program Manager:	Robert Mayes rmayes@nsf.gov  (703)292-7267 EES  Div. of Equity for Excellence in STEM EDU  Directorate for STEM Education
Start Date:	September 1, 2022
End Date:	August 31, 2026 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount:	$1,593,178.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date:	$1,325,986.00
Funds Obligated to Date:	FY 2022 = $1,325,986.00
History of Investigator:	Melissa Nelson (Principal Investigator) melissa.k.nelson@asu.edu Michele Clark (Co-Principal Investigator) Michelle Hale (Co-Principal Investigator) Liliana Caughman (Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office:	Arizona State University 660 S MILL AVE STE 312 TEMPE AZ  US  85281-3670 (480)965-5479
Sponsor Congressional District:	04
Primary Place of Performance:	Arizona State University ORSPA TEMPE AZ  US  85281-6011
Primary Place of Performance Congressional District:	04
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI):	NTLHJXM55KZ6
Parent UEI:	HX59VKHQH1V7
NSF Program(s):	HSI-Hispanic Serving Instituti, AGEP, NSF Research Traineeship (NRT), IUSE
Primary Program Source:
Program Reference Code(s):	111Z, 112Z, 1515, 8209, 8212, 8817, 9178, 9179
Program Element Code(s):	077Y, 1515, 1997, 1998
Award Agency Code:	4900
Fund Agency Code:	4900
Assistance Listing Number(s):	47.076

ABSTRACT

This project aims to re-imagine the structure and outcomes of STEM research at the graduate level, by providing Immersive, Interdisciplinary, Identity-based Team Science Experiences (IIITSEs) to solve challenges that have emerged as human activity has led to significant impacts on the planet's climate and ecosystems. IIITSEs are collaborative, culturally affirming, and solutions-oriented research projects that center diverse knowledge systems to respond to community needs, support cohorts of racially diverse faculty and students, and promote a just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive campus and community within and beyond the STEM disciplines. The current societal moment has laid bare structural inequities and injustice within the academy. In particular, the system for graduate education in STEM does not foster an environment for Indigenous scholars to thrive. To address this problem, diverse identities, critical scholarship, sovereignty, and self-determination must be centered. This project will engage Indigenous graduate students at Arizona State University in immersive learning experiences led by a faculty cohort of predominantly Indigenous and Latinx scholars. These immersive learning experiences will allow students to develop critical skills in collaboration, communication, and problem solving while also cultivating a space for deep reflection, cultural affirmation, and empowerment. The learning community aims to 1) promote interdisciplinary collaboration in STEM, 2) elevate Indigenous faculty collaboration across disciplines and across the institution, and 3) support culturally affirming research experiences for graduate students in STEM.

The IIITSE concept is underpinned by the inclusive pedagogical approach of the “Four R’s” (Respect, Relevance, Reciprocity, Responsibility) framework for Indigenous student success in higher education. Integration of the 4Rs framework into STEM pedagogy can take many forms, including classroom and research curricula that use cultural knowledge and practices. Such approaches produce positive outcomes of Indigenous student success in undergraduate STEM courses; however, it remains unclear how transferring these principles to graduate-level STEM research will influence student perceptions and outcomes, or how it might translate into lasting institutional changes that support racial equity for Indigenous scholars. This project aims to answer an overarching research question: How does integration of the 4Rs framework into graduate research via IIITSEs improve outcomes and increase racial equity for Indigenous people? The project will evaluate how well the program adheres to the 4Rs, and how the 4Rs relate to racial equity in STEM for graduate Indigenous scholars. Qualitative methods will include interviews of students, faculty, staff, and community members who participate in the IIITSE program. Using the 4Rs approach, racial equity will be enacted through all parts of the research process, while simultaneously studying the progress and sharing findings so that changes to research initiatives can be implemented and transformation of graduate education can be accelerated.

This project is funded by the Racial Equity in STEM Education program (EHR Racial Equity). The program supports projects that promote racial equity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and workforce development through research and practice. Awarded projects center the voices, knowledge, and experiences of the individuals, communities, and institutions most impacted by the inequities caused by systemic racism in STEM fields. This program aligns with NSF’s core value of supporting outstanding researchers and innovative thinkers from across the Nation's diversity of demographic groups, regions, and types of organizations.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

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