Education and Human Resources

Program Objectives

To provide leadership and ensure the vitality of the Nation's science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education Enterprise. The Education and Human Resources (EHR) component of the National Science Foundation sponsors programs that support the development of models and strategies for providing all students with access to high-quality STEM education. The portfolio of EHR programs in STEM education is comprised of efforts spanning pre-K to 12 (with special emphasis on projects that join institutions of higher education with K-12 education units), undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral levels, as well as informal education and life-long learning. Long-term goals include: Supporting infrastructure (especially broad-based collaborative partnerships) that will enable development of high-quality educational experiences for all students; ensuring that our educational pathways yield an adequately educated and diverse corps of individuals for both the highly technical workplace and the professional STEM community; developing a cadre of professionally educated and well-trained teachers and faculty; and providing the research necessary to inform educational practice. The strength of EHR programming resides in its ability to integrate research and education, combining the expertise of the research and education communities. Its programs include support for STEM workforce development; educational materials, including use of learning technologies, effective in increasing student achievement; research on learning and teaching that informs education practice; strategies for developing deep content knowledge and teaching skills for K-12 teachers; and informal science education. The EHR activity also sponsors projects under the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) program, which builds the capacity of participating states to compete successfully for Federal research funding. EHR programs are subject to continuous improvements based on program reviews, evaluation, dissemination of best practices, and educational research.