NSF INCLUDES - Partnerships for Innovation (PFI) Planning Grant: HBCU Business and STEM Innovation Network

Stillman College, Tuscaloosa AL

Investigators

Abstract

This NSF INCLUDES - Partnerships for Innovation planning grant is funded by two NSF programs: a) NSF Inclusion across the Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented Discoverers in Engineering and Science (NSF INCLUDES), a comprehensive national initiative to enhance U.S. leadership in discoveries and innovations by focusing on diversity, inclusion and broadening participation in STEM at scale; and b) Partnerships for Innovation (PFI), a program which goals are set forth by the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act of 2017 (S.3084 — 114th Congress; Sec. 602. Translational Research Grants). PFI offers researchers from all disciplines of science and engineering funded by NSF the opportunity to perform translational research and technology development, catalyze partnerships and accelerate the transition of discoveries from the laboratory to the marketplace for societal benefit. The goals of this planning grant are to engage Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) working on STEM innovation and entrepreneurship as well as the broader academic community and STEM related industries; and to develop a network that serves as a high- performing resource of STEM innovation and entrepreneurship by providing best approaches, activities, and implementation strategies. This work will utilize the shared efforts and vision, goals, and metric elements of the NSF INCLUDES collaborative infrastructure to: 1) develop and establish a collaborative network of HBCUs focused on providing strategies and best practices to enhance business innovation and economic development; (2) establish a baseline understanding of the current research, models, and gaps in the literature regarding STEM innovation and entrepreneurship infrastructure and capacity building at HBCUs; (3) establish best practices for institutional capacity-building, faculty, and strategic planning around innovation and entrepreneurship at HBCUs; and (4) enhance the effectiveness of recruiting, retaining, and advancing URM students in STEM fields – academically and professionally. To reach the goals stated above, the project will endeavor to create an ecosystem between HBCUs, industry, and non-profit stakeholders around innovation and entrepreneurship. To develop this ecosystem we will 1) perform a national assessment of HBCUs currently engaged in STEM innovation and entrepreneurship; 2) establish a cooperative agreement for all partners involved; 3) hold two virtual workshops with partners during the spring and fall of 2021; and 4) meet quarterly throughout the year. This grant will create new partnerships aimed at supporting and increasing STEM entrepreneurship and innovation development at HBCUs by: (a) creating a platform to advance participation of HBCUs in the nation's science and engineering innovation enterprise; (b) informing and engaging various stakeholders on best practices for creating and sustaining an entrepreneurial environment on HBCU campuses; and (c) creating guidelines and a framework for HBCU leaders to develop STEM entrepreneurial programs and courses at their respected institution. HBCUs are not only access centers and the producers of graduates with quality degrees, but in essence, the backbone of a majority of African American educational experiences. This network will foster conversation, collaboration and new connections among the current NSF INCLUDES awardees working on broadening participation in STEM innovation and entrepreneurship as well as the broader academic, industry, and nonprofit STEM community. Supporting and strengthening HBCUs to produce diverse entrepreneurial innovators will provide a wider network of valuable resources, thereby enhancing scientific and technological knowledge and increasing the national pipeline of enabled, well-trained STEM entrepreneurs. 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.