S-stem: scholars in machine assisted reasoning and trust for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics

The National Science Foundation Division of Undergraduate Education awarded the University of Kansas Center For Research Inc. $2 million on January 1, 2027, under the STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076) to support the Scholars in Machine Assisted Reasoning and Trust for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics project.

The award funds scholarships of up to $15,000 for up to five years to 30 high-achieving, low-income undergraduate scholars pursuing bachelor's degrees in computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, and applied computing at the University of Kansas and Rutgers University–New Brunswick. Scholars receive faculty mentoring, participate in a common curricular framework that builds scholar cohorts, and engage in undergraduate research experiences. The project emphasizes increasing STEM degree completion and workforce development in machine-assisted and autonomous systems fields and artificial intelligence-based areas. An external evaluator will assess the effectiveness of curricular changes and their holistic impact on scholar experiences, contributing to evidence about strategies that support talented, low-income students in STEM.

Performance of work occurs in Lawrence, Kansas. The period of performance runs through December 31, 2032.

Abstract

This project will contribute to the national need for well-educated scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and technicians by supporting the retention and graduation of high-achieving, low-income students with demonstrated financial need at the university of kansas and rutgers university - new brunswick. A total of 30 scholars pursuing bachelor?s degrees in computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, and applied computing will receive scholarships up to $15,000 for up to five years. Scholars will receive faculty mentoring and the project will build strong scholar cohorts through a common curricular framework. Additional activities for scholars include undergraduate research experiences. The overall goal of this track 1 project is to increase stem degree completion of academically talented, low-income undergraduates with demonstrated financial need. There is a significant national need to grow the stem workforce and nurture key talent that will ensure economic competitiveness and provide domestic leadership across critical sectors. This project directly speaks to this need by supporting stem student success, which will strengthen the workforce in machine-assisted, autonomous systems fields, and other artificial intelligence-based areas. The project will be assessed by an experienced evaluator that will assess the effectiveness of planned curricular changes and examine holistic impacts on scholars? Experiences, and the data generated will contribute to the knowledge base regarding effective strategies to support talented, low-income students in stem. This project is funded by NSF?s scholarships in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics program, which seeks to increase the number of academically talented, low-income students with demonstrated financial need who earn degrees in stem fields. IT also aims to improve the education of future stem workers, and to generate knowledge about academic success, retention, transfer, graduation, and academic/career pathways of low-income students. 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.