The National Science Foundation’s Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIP), in partnership with the Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR), just announced the Experiential Learning in Emerging and Novel Technologies, or NSF ExLENT, program and funding opportunity (NSF 23-507).
The deadline for full proposals is March 2, 2023 – for Beginnings and Pivots tracks only. Deadlines thereafter are the second Thursday in September, annually, for all three tracks. We invite you to learn more about ExLENT. We are hosting a one-hour Introduction to ExLENT Webinar on Tuesday, November 1 from 3:00-4:00 EDT. To register, click here.
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About the NSF ExLENT Program
Through the ExLENT Program, NSF seeks to seek to support inclusive experiential learning opportunities for individuals from diverse professional and educational backgrounds that will increase access to, and interest in, career pathways in emerging technology fields (e.g., advanced manufacturing, advanced wireless, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, quantum information science, semiconductors, and microelectronics). Participating organizations are expected to provide cohorts of diverse learners experiential learning opportunities with the crucial skills needed to succeed in emerging technology fields and prepare them to enter the workforce ready to solve our Nation’s most pressing scientific and societal challenges. Each ExLENT program can receive up to $1 million for up to 3 years.
ExLENT funds career exploration and experiential learning activities such as internships, co-operative programs, service-based learning, and research opportunities that:
- Create opportunities to collaborate with industry, local government, and non-profit organizations to develop learning programs and experiences for participants.
- Increase the participation of underrepresented and non-traditional learners in STEM disciplines that lead to emerging tech careers.
- Provide financial, social, educational, and professional support to help participants access on-ramps to emerging tech careers.
- Contribute to new best practice models for effective learning programs and experiences.
ExLENT offers three different tracks:
- Pivots provides current professionals in any field an experiential learning opportunity that builds skills and competencies to enable them to pivot into careers in emerging technology fields.
- Beginnings provides participants with limited prior STEM training an experiential learning opportunity to gain deeper knowledge and experience to pursue a career in an emerging technology field.
- Explorations provides participants with no STEM experience an experiential learning opportunity that builds interest, motivation, and knowledge in an emerging technology field to explore pathways to careers in these areas.
We invite proposals from institutions of higher education, especially community colleges, technical colleges and minority serving institutions (MSI). Proposed projects may develop experiential learning activities that:
- Provide opportunities to collaborate with industry, local government, and non-profit organizations to develop learning programs and experiences for participants.
- Increase the participation of underrepresented and non-traditional learners in STEM disciplines that lead to emerging tech careers.
- Provide financial, social, educational, and professional support to help participants access on-ramps to emerging tech careers.
- Contribute to new best practice models for effective learning programs and experiences.