Request for Help Writing an NSF Grant Proposal for DMS

Science
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Update: Having had time to consider, it is just unrealistic to try to hit this deadline. However, I would like to try to have things prepared for next year so please do contact me if you are willing to participate.

Is anyone here an expert in writing government grant proposals (specifically NSF)? I’ve written and submitted a few proposals before but I may need some help if this is something we want to pursue. I didn’t think of looking for these types of grants until it was brought up in the board meeting that we wanted to look for grant opportunities to enhance our impact here at DMS. I am capable of writing it but I don’t know if I have time between all my other responsibilities. (NSF 24-601: Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) | NSF - National Science Foundation)

We have been putting together a program in the Science committee where advanced high school students at the Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science at the University of North Texas (https://tams.unt.edu)) develop science classes/demonstrations with the guidance of subject matter experts here at the Science Committee. We are working with TAMS-Research Organization (https://www.tamsro.org/) which is a school club of which I was a founding officer. The idea is to have the students put on classes for members here at DMS as a trial run and then to do STEM outreach to underrepresented minority students via an MIT-alumni associated nonprofit (Avanza Network). Additional STEM outreach at the makerspace/incubator for kids that @shirincita is putting together is also something we are considering (https://www.launchpadincubator.org/).

So far, working with the officers of TAMSRO, we have already selected the first team of 4 TAMS students and I have had initial meetings about the potential class they want to develop and/or the equipment they want to build. Additionally, our Science Sunday group research projects where we are working on developing new things as well as the classes and other educational activities that we have planned may also align well with the “Informal STEM Learning” objectives of this solicitation.

I know that a Jan 8th deadline for putting together a proposal is very short notice but I’m wondering if we can actually pursue this and make it work. If you or someone you know would be willing to help please do let me know. Thanks!

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I think a better articulated way of describing my potential NSF proposal is as follows:

We would like to determine the of impact the interaction between the undergraduates, the artisan but non-scientific public at the makerspace, and underrepresented minorities/gifted young students on each of those groups.

Specifically, the educational outcomes for undergraduates participating in a community laboratory in an informal setting will be compared with the educational outcomes resulting from traditional REU programs. Community laboratory participation will involve 1. Practical problem solving for a wide range of interdisciplinary fields at a makerspace 2. Developing and teaching classes and 3. Using the developed classes to perform science outreach to underrepresented minorities/gifted young students.

A second simultaneous objective would be to determine the impact of making resources (both equipment and undergraduate mentors) for gifted and talented elementary/middle school students who are often not well served and may have difficulties with the regular educational system.

I think that as we continue to put on our Science Sunday and outreach events we will have a better understanding of the specific requests we want to make in an NSF proposal for advancing informal scientific learning. Please do reach out if this sounds like something you might be interested in helping with. Thanks!

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We would likely be applying for a 1 year grant under Project Type 3: Partnership development and planning in order to establish a program/relationship between DMS and a source of undergraduate participants such as UNT (TAMS) or a university located nearby in Dallas and an organization for STEM outreach such as Avanza and/or launchpad.

For a follow on 2-5 year long type 4 proposal, where actual educational outcomes are studied and personal information may be handled we may need a PI who does specializes in education research and know the protocols for doing that type of thing.