This $148,507 National Science Foundation project grant funds research at The University of Texas at San Antonio to develop teacher capacity and middle school student interest in engineering. The grant supports a mixed-methods study exploring how integrating students' "funds of knowledge" from their lived experiences into engineering design curriculum can facilitate interest among Latinx students. The awardee will work with eight math and science teachers and one engineering teacher serving approximately 225 predominantly Latinx middle school students each year. Teachers will develop and implement curricula incorporating students' funds of knowledge into engineering contexts. Data from observations, interviews, logs, focus groups and surveys will assess how this integration occurs and its impact on student awareness and interest. Findings aim to inform culturally responsive teaching and the equitable formation of future engineers from diverse backgrounds. The grant is part of the NSF Directorate for Engineering's efforts to foster innovation and excellence in engineering research and education.