Broadening Participation - I-Corps Northeast Regional Inclusion Summit

Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, Cambridge MA

Investigators

Abstract

This project is to convene and conduct a workshop focusing on broadening participation of under-represented groups in the NSF I-Corps program. This workshop builds upon the outcomes from the national Broadening Participation Inclusion Summit and focuses on approaches to increasing diversity and inclusion in the I-Corps Program more regionally. Diversity of all types is critical to ensure America's excellence in science and engineering research and the translation of that research to innovations with economic and societal benefits. This regional Inclusion Summit will help introduce, educate and invite underrepresented communities to become engaged in the I-Corps programs and to grow their participation. This project will bring together pioneers in the fields of inclusiveness and entrepreneurship, and leadership from organizations and institutions serving minorities and underrepresented groups. This project has several key objectives: to continue building on the relationships formed at the inaugural Summit in Fall 2018; the need to focus on broadening this participation at a smaller, regional level; the need to expand to other underrepresented groups, including a greater focus on women and veterans; and an increase in participation both for the I-Corps program and other NSF Programs more broadly. The results of the Summit will increase the participation of underrepresented groups in I-Corps training at the local, regional, and national levels, both at the team and instructor levels; pursuant to that, accelerate the translation of fundamental research to practical applications that will improve the well-being of society; and increase the economic competitiveness of the United States. While this project focuses specifically on the Northeast region of the United States for now, its impact and lessons learned can be replicated to other parts of the Nation. 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.