EDU Core Research: Building Capacity in STEM Education Research (ECR: BCSER)

Overview

ECR’s Building Capacity in STEM Education Research (ECR:BCSER) supports projects that build investigators’ capacity to carry out high-quality STEM education research that will enhance the nation’s STEM education enterprise. In addition, ECR:BCSER seeks to broaden the pool of researchers who can advance knowledge regarding STEM learning and learning environments, broadening participation in STEM fields, and STEM workforce development. Researchers from across institution types, are encouraged to submit proposals.

Specifically, ECR: BCSER supports activities that enable researchers to expand their areas of expertise and acquire the requisite knowledge and skills to conduct rigorous research in STEM education. Career development may be accomplished through investigator-initiated professional development and research projects or through institutes that enable researchers to integrate methodological strategies with theoretical and practical issues in STEM education.

Broadening Participation in STEM
NSF has a mandate to broaden participation in science and engineering, as articulated and reaffirmed in law since 1950. Congress has charged NSF to “develop intellectual capital, both people and ideas, with particular emphasis on groups and regions that traditionally have not participated fully in science, mathematics, and engineering."

Program Description
ECR: BCSER supports three types of projects designed to build investigators’ capacity to carry out high-quality STEM education research. The Individual Investigator Development in STEM Education Research track (ECR: BCSER: IID) invites proposals to support individual investigators – both experienced and new to STEM education research – who have identified specific capabilities they need to develop more fully to conduct high-quality STEM education research in a critical area, along with a detailed professional development plan that will enable the investigator to complete a research project. The Institutes for Methods and Practices in STEM Education Research track (ECR: BCSER: IMP) invites proposals for institutes that would provide training and support in the use of cutting-edge methodological techniques and/or research practices to advance participants’ knowledge, skills and competencies in STEM education research. Proposals that seek support to conduct well-focused conferences (ECR: BCSER: CONF) relevant to the competition goals also are invited.

See Relevant Capacity-Building Foci

Proposal Types

1. Individual Investigator Development in STEM Education Research (ECR: BCSER: IID)

   A. Investigators New to STEM Education Research

   B. Investigators Experienced in STEM Education Research

2. Institutes for Methods and Practices in STEM Education Research
3. Conference Proposals

Who May Serve as PI: Co-PIs are not allowed on Individual Investigator Development proposals.
Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: There are no restrictions or limits.
Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or co-PI: There are no restrictions or limits.

See Important Information And Revision Notes

Award Information
NSF expects to make 29 standard or continuing grant awards. The ECR: BCSER competition anticipates having approximately $12,000,000 for new awards in FY 2022, subject to availability of funds, as follows:

• Individual Investigator Development in STEM Education Research: Up to 19 awards. The maximum award amount is $350,000 for three years.
• Institutes for Methods and Practices in STEM Education Research: Up to 5 awards. The maximum award amount for is $1,000,000 for three years.
• Conference: Up to 5 awards. The typical award amount for a conference is $25,000 to $100,000.