Morgan State gets nearly $1M for STEM programs, professional development pipeline

Morgan State University has received an award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) as part of an effort to implement strategies and advance curricula designed to increase the number of undergraduates with degrees across the highly critical fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Spanning five years, the $999,531 federal grant will encompass a multidisciplinary approach to meeting specific demands related to development and retention of students advancing into STEM-related careers, both in practice and as future educators.

The NSF grant was awarded by the foundation’s Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE) and its Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Program (S-STEM) will be administered through MSU’s School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences (SCMNS) for the “Fostering Undergraduate STEM Excellence – FUSE” program. Under the provisions, the nearly $1 million in educational aid will provide 30 undergraduate scholarships, establish mentorship programs and personalized development plans for MSU students, and further enrich the School’s STEM curricula by fostering innovation in developing new practices and modernizing pedagogy practiced among educators.

Angela Winstead, Ph.D., department chair and professor of chemistry in SCMNS, led the effort to secure the NSF DUE award and will serve as the grant’s principal investigator. This NSF award is the latest federally funded grant to provide support for STEM programs at Morgan. Recently, the School of Computers, Mathematics and Natural Sciences announced the award of $1.2 million in federal science and technology grants to further its efforts in STEM research.

In addition to scholarships and curriculum development support, the NSF S-STEM grant will largely provide integral workforce preparedness among students matriculating through Morgan’s STEM programs. Industry verticals within STEM continue to lag with regard to diversity, particularly among minorities and women. The newly awarded NSF grant aims to raise the technological, quantitative and literacy of graduates and foster next-generation STEM professionals.