Project Grant 2415706

This $1,300,059 federal Project Grant award, funded by the National Science Foundation's (NSF) STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076), supports the development of a bilingual American Sign Language (ASL) and English documentary film titled "Deaf in Motion." The film will feature the contributions of deaf individuals who participated in pioneering motion sickness research that enabled achievements of the U.S. space program in the 1950s and 1960s. In addition to the film's national broadcast by PBS stations, the project will include a screening and discussion event at the Intrepid Museum in New York City, as well as the creation of a companion website and viewer guides. The project aims to increase public awareness of how diverse populations contribute to STEM fields in unique ways, and to inspire deaf youth to envision themselves as scientists. The grant recipient, Gallaudet University, will conduct research and evaluation studies to investigate how the film can build a sense of belonging in STEM for deaf individuals and apply the theory of "Deaf Gain" to informal learning settings.