The Catholic University of America’s School of Engineering has been awarded a $750,000, three-year grant from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) to encourage equity in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education through programs for high school students from underrepresented groups, including racial and ethnic minorities, students from low-income families, and women.
The funding will provide programs for 2,500 students from the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region. The Research and Innovative STEM Education (RAISE) program also will fund successful basic and applied research in support of ONR.
“We are very pleased to have earned this grant, which is aligned with implementation of the Sister Thea Bowman Committee recommendation to provide funding to support faculty research and teaching on topics pertinent to the work of the Committee,” said Mel Williams, associate dean of engineering and special assistant to the president for diversity. The Bowman Committee was formed to address and strengthen diversity at Catholic University.
Jason Davison, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering and principal investigator for the RAISE initiative, said the grant will support research on wireless power transfer and additive manufacturing, scholarships to a week-long summer immersion program held annually on campus at Catholic University, and two evening educational programs.
The single session programs, starting in fall 2022, will focus on hands-on tutorials using 3D printers, and working with engineering faculty, graduates and local professionals. The four-week, four-session cyber security workshops, also taught by faculty and professionals, will engage participants in programming. All events will be held in the School of Engineering’s new STEM makerspace, which is near the Brookland metro stop.
RAISE is the engineering school’s first grant that involves the interdisciplinary effort by six disciplines – electrical engineering, computer science, materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering, biomedical engineering, and civil and environmental engineering.
For information on upcoming programs, sign up for the newsletter on the RAISE website.