Building research, innovation & development gateway for educators

The National Science Foundation Division of Undergraduate Education awarded $498,794 to Northern Virginia Community College on October 1, 2026, under the STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076) to design and deliver a year-long residency at George Mason University's Center for Molecular Engineering for community college faculty and high school dual enrollment teachers.

The residency immerses educators in authentic research experiences in advanced chemical synthesis and analytical spectroscopy. Participating educators will develop hands-on expertise in these techniques, create inquiry-based curricular materials derived from active research, and collaborate with NSF-funded FLASCS (Fulfilling Laboratory Assistantships for Science College Students) students to establish a sustainable educational research network. The program strengthens educators' pedagogical content knowledge and enables them to integrate modern research practices into their classrooms. Broader impacts include expanding access to advanced STEM training for educators serving diverse student populations, strengthening the STEM workforce pipeline, improving student engagement through inquiry-based instruction, and disseminating open-access curricular resources as a scalable model for partnerships between research universities, community colleges, and K-12 systems.

Performance runs from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2029 at the Annandale, Virginia location. This is a Project Grant, the standard assistance type for NSF undergraduate education research and development initiatives.

Abstract

This project aims to serve the national interest by designing a year-long residency at the george mason university?S center for molecular engineering (CME) to immerse community college faculty and high school dual enrollment teachers in authentic research experiences in advanced chemical synthesis and analytical spectroscopy. This ITYC track 1 project addresses a critical national need to bridge the GAP between rapid advances in chemical sciences and the limited access educators have to modern research training and instrumentation. Through hands-on participation in the full research cycle, educators will strengthen their pedagogical content knowledge, develop inquiry-based curricular materials derived directly from active research, and engage in collaborative projects with NSF-funded fulfilling laboratory assistantships for science college students award (FLASCS) students to create a sustainable educational research network. Educators participating in the bridge program are expected to gain hands-on expertise in advanced chemical synthesis and analytical spectroscopy techniques, enabling them to confidently integrate modern research practices and inquiry-based learning into their classrooms. Participants will also develop collaborative research and curricular networks that enhance their instructional effectiveness, expand student access to authentic stem experiences, and strengthen long-term professional growth in stem education. The program?S broader impacts include expanding access to advanced stem training for educators serving broad student populations, strengthening the stem workforce pipeline, improving student engagement and retention through inquiry-based instruction, disseminating open-access curricular resources, and establishing a scalable model for sustained partnerships between research universities, community colleges, and K-12 educational systems. The NSF iuse: innovation in two-year college stem education (ITYC) program seeks to accelerate and advance knowledge about the impact of emerging and evidence-based practices in undergraduate stem education at two-year colleges. 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.- subawards are planned for this award.