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Research in Engineering Education Symposium 2011 - rees2009

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Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) Pág<strong>in</strong>a 175 de 957<br />

Analysis of Trends <strong>in</strong> United States National Science Foundation Fund<strong>in</strong>g for<br />

Eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g <strong>Education</strong>: 1990-2010<br />

Maura Borrego<br />

mborrego@nsf.gov<br />

National Science Foundation, Arl<strong>in</strong>gton, VA<br />

United States of America<br />

Barbara Olds<br />

bolds@nsf.gov<br />

National Science Foundation, Arl<strong>in</strong>gton, VA<br />

United States of America<br />

Abstract: We present quantitative data and analysis of U.S. National Science<br />

Foundation fund<strong>in</strong>g for eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g education. We identified 6500 grants<br />

awarded s<strong>in</strong>ce 1990, and coded 1608 as focus<strong>in</strong>g on eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g. The average<br />

annual fund<strong>in</strong>g level for eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g education over the past ten years has been<br />

$30.7 million and has come primarily from Eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g <strong>Education</strong> and Centers<br />

(EEC, 43%) and CCLI-TUES (42%). Eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g education is also funded by the<br />

Discovery <strong>Research</strong> K-12 program (10%) and REESE-ROLE (5%). Overall<br />

fund<strong>in</strong>g has <strong>in</strong>creased over time, while average award size has decreased. At<br />

REES, we hope to develop contacts and resources to help us understand the<br />

situation <strong>in</strong> other countries and regions, perhaps to lead to an <strong>in</strong>ternational<br />

comparative analysis of eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g education fund<strong>in</strong>g.<br />

Introduction<br />

It has been argued that U.S. eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g education researchers have the luxury of<br />

abundant federal fund<strong>in</strong>g which far exceeds that of other countries. The relatively long<br />

history and high level of fund<strong>in</strong>g means that a range of emphases, strategies and foci have<br />

been applied and can be quantified. We beg<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong> 1990 when large-scale, multi-<strong>in</strong>stitution<br />

coalitions for the reform of eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g education, eventually funded for a total of $164<br />

million, were first established. For each program, quantitative and qualitative data<br />

regard<strong>in</strong>g the level and focus of eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g education-related fund<strong>in</strong>g are presented.<br />

These data are supplemented by <strong>in</strong>terviews with long-time program officers provid<strong>in</strong>g<br />

additional historical context for trends <strong>in</strong> eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g education fund<strong>in</strong>g. Our research<br />

questions are:<br />

1. Which NSF programs have historically funded eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g education?<br />

2. How much NSF fund<strong>in</strong>g has been available for eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g education?<br />

3. What is the relative distribution of NSF fund<strong>in</strong>g for K-12, undergraduate and<br />

graduate eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g education?<br />

4. What, if any, are the trends over time?<br />

Proceed<strong>in</strong>gs of <strong>Research</strong> <strong>in</strong> Eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g <strong>Education</strong> <strong>Symposium</strong> <strong>2011</strong><br />

Madrid, 4 th - 7 th October <strong>2011</strong>

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