NSF Awards $250K to College of Education, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

September 17, 2024 - The University of Memphis College of Education (COE), in collaboration with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, received a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), supporting ongoing research in racial equity in STEMM Education. This announcement comes just weeks after Kate Ayers of St. Jude and Drs. Olayinka Mohorn-Mintah and Susan Nordstrom of COE were highlighted by the college for their recent research publication on this topic. The research highlights the lack of access to STEMM mentors and the impact this plays on the overall diversity of this career field.

“This award gives us the opportunity to participate in the re-allocation of STEM educational resources to schools in Memphis, TN, ensuring that more students of color are exposed, engaged and ready to pursue a career in STEM. I’m excited to get started,” Mohorn-Mintah said.

The project, titled “Collaborative Research: Promoting Meaningful Collaboration in a STEM + Medicine Learning Ecosystem,” is a research initiative between COE and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Mohorn-Mintah, an assistant professor of secondary science education in COE’s Department of Instruction and Curriculum Leadership (ICL), is the co-principal investigator of this grant, along with Ayers, who is project lead St. Jude’s Director of STEMM Education and Outreach. Ayers is also a COE doctoral student in the college’s Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology & Research (CEPR).

 The $252,486 award, which will be allocated for salaries, supplies and indirect costs, is set to support the initiative until the end of fiscal year 2025. This grant is part of a broader funding effort, with a total value of $659,341 that the team has applied for. If fully awarded, this additional funding would extend the project’s duration through the end of fiscal year 2028.