Month: March 2021

2021 Spring & Summer Webinar Series The NSF HSI STEM Resource Hub hosts grant writing webinars to support efforts for those planning on writing their first grant or engaged in writing a grant for submission. The series features speakers and panelists who share important information for writing a competitive grant. Drs. Martha Desmond and. Delia Valles, HSI STEM Hub leadership, also host live help sessions where they answer questions posed by grant-writers.  The HSI STEM Hub recommends participation in these webinars if you are currently writing a proposal or are interested in grant writing. Friday, March 5, 3 PM EST: Pre- and Post-Award Management: Tips for Principal Investigators and Sponsored Research Offices . Jannele L. Gosey is a Grants Management Specialist at the National Science Foundation who facilitates the Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE) and the Division of Human Resource Development (HRD) portfolios. She administers the grants, cooperative agreements, and fellowships for Top 150, HBCU, Tribal and Native American, Community College and Hispanic Serving Institutions. She has been employed at the National Science Foundation for 24 years, all within the Directorate for Budget, Finance, and Award. Her previous positions include Senior Payroll Technician in the Division of Financial Management (8 years), Contracts Specialist in the Division of Acquisitions and Cooperative Support (13 years), and Grants Management Specialist in the Division of Grants and Agreements (3 years). She earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Bowie State University and a Master of Arts in Procurement and Acquisitions Management from Webster University in 2014.   Friday, April 9, 3 PM EST: Evaluation as a Strength of Your Grant Proposal . Rachel Boren earned her Ph.D. in Educational Research, Statistics, and Evaluation from the University of Virginia, where she was trained in program evaluation and research methods in education and the social sciences. She has a diverse portfolio of training and experience with program evaluation and research in education and healthcare, most recently as an evaluator for the Provost’s Office at the University of Texas at El Paso and the Director of Evaluation for a 70 million-dollar National Institutes of Health funded center based at the University of Washington. Currently, she is the Director of the NMSU SOAR Evaluation and Policy Center, where she serves as the evaluator for several grants at the University and for organizations across the state with the support of her SOAR team. Save the Date-Additional Webinars. More information coming soon! Friday, May 7, 3 PM EST Friday, June 4, 3 PM EST: Friday, July 9, 3 PM EST Webinar Registration:  https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_l_XuQnX2QnOJ0wgePzpu0Q Webinar Hosts MARTHA DESMOND, NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY  Dr. Martha Desmond is a Regents Professor at NMSU in the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Ecology. She received her BA in Environmental Studies from Wells College and MS and Ph.D. In wildlife ecology from the University of Nebraska where she studied burrowing owl population ecology. She completed an NSF International Postdoctoral Fellowship working with the Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua and Texas A&M. Her avian ecology research focuses on birds in grassland and arid land systems as well as urban environments. While working in the border region, she became interested in educational programs for diverse communities. Educational programs that she has developed have mentored thousands of students locally and nationally across natural resource fields, working collaboratively with federal agencies on the development of diverse workforces. DELIA VALLES-ROSALES, NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY Dr. Delia Valles-Rosales is an Associate Professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering at NMSU, where she received her Ph.D. She is originally from Mexico. Her research uses nature to inspire the development of innovative manufacturing processes, new processes of biomass utilization in the plastic industry, and models and algorithms for system optimization in agriculture, industry, and service areas. Dr. Valles-Rosales has been investigating various biomass resources as fibers to be coupled with polymers for fulfilling the need for new applications. Her research has studied the effect of materials and particle size on the mechanical properties represented by tensile, bending, impact resistance, and water absorption properties. Dr. Valles-Rosales is currently the NMSU Director of the Wheels of Change: A Consortium to Develop Champions in Agriculture in the Areas of Sustainable Energy and Natural Resource Management Program funded by USDA. Now Available: HSI STEM Community Board Post and view posts for research, STEM pedagogy, conference opportunities and more! The HSI STEM Community Board is the place to share important information with HSI STEM Professionals Network Members. Join the Network and start posting!   New Community Boards: STEM Career Opportunities for Faculty and Staff STEM Opportunities for Students https://hsistemhub.org/cb/ COMING SOON!!!  2-Day Virtual Grant Writing Jumpstart Workshop The NSF HSI National STEM Resource Hub will host the 2-Day Virtual Grant Writing Jumpstart Workshop April 10 & April 17. Day 1: April 10, 9 am – 3 pm Day 2: April 17, 9 am – 3 pmApplication deadline is March 29.  More information: https://hsistemhub.org/portfolio-item/csun-virtual-jump-start/  Save the Date: April 15, 7 PM EST Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) Workshop Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) is a research-informed, student-centered instructional approach that simultaneously develops discipline content mastery and key process skills (skills that are valued by employers.) POGIL takes place in a structured environment in which students work cooperatively in self-managed teams on carefully crafted guided inquiry activities. This inquiry-based environment has been shown to energize students and provide instructors with continuous feedback about what their students understand and misunderstand. Students quickly recognize that logical thinking and teamwork are as important as getting the correct answer, and this underscores the concept that learning is not a solitary task of memorization, but an interactive process of refining one’s understanding and developing skills that are important in both the classwork and in the workplace.   This one-hour introductory e-series workshop is a general overview that will include discussion and activities. We will cover:The roles used in POGIL classroomsThe learning cycle and how it applies to POGIL activitiesThe process skills students develop in a POGIL classroom SEATING IS LIMITED!!! REGISTRATION SITE:  https://events.pogil.org/event-4184586 USE REGISTRATION CODE: HSI-STEMHUB-2021 POGIL Workshop Facilitators Joan Roque is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Westminster College (UT), where she has been using active learning techniques, such as POGIL, for 3+ years. Joan is excited to share her experiences using POGIL in the classroom with fellow educators.  . Andrea Van Duzor is a Professor of Chemistry at Chicago State University. Van Duzor is co-PI  of a collaborative NSF grant that focuses on the Learning Assistant (LA) Model, has assisted in hosting regional LA workshops, and serves on the equity workgroup for the POGIL Project as well as the strategic partnerships workgroup pursuing collaboration between POGIL and the LA Alliance.    . Santiago Toledo, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Chemistry at St. Edward’s University. Dr. Toledo is passionate about developing pedagogies that can catalyze learning for all students, specifically work on student learning objectives, alternative grading methods, and the implementation in his courses of POGIL.  An Invitation from HSI Awardee and HSI STEM Professionals Network Member, Dr.  Alexis Racelis  I am excited that the 4th Annual STEM Education Conference will be held virtually from February 25 – 27, 2021. We will continue to take action to address P-20 STEM education issues and ensure all students have the opportunity for success. This year’s theme is titled “Challenges with being the good disruptor: Toward transformative practices in STEM education”. This call takes up the vision and work of the late Representative John Lewis who challenged us to be good trouble, necessary trouble. Our keynote speakers are Dr. Melody Russell, Professor at Auburn University and Dr. Wesley Pitts, Professor at Lehman College, CUNY.  Very excited and looking forward to seeing you (virtually) in February!  Registration is open! Register today at bit.ly/STEMED_Register.

STEMVERSITY #001: THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF THE HSI FOR STUDENT SUCCESS IN STEM http://https://hsistemhub.org/podcast/ GUEST PANELIST: ALEXIS RACELIS Guest panelist, Dr. Alex Racelis from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley,  studies ecological interactions in the social, political, and economic contexts in which they occur. In this interview, Dr. Torres and Dr. Racelis discuss institutional capacity building for HSIs and the communities we serve, culturally relevant STEM pedagogy and practices, community-based research, teaching at Minority Serving Institutions, the important role of HSIs in the national and local landscapes, and the origin of the HSI designation. Access the podcast on Spotify or our website: https://hsistemhub.org/podcast/

Education Department Amplifies USDA Expansion of SNAP Benefits to Help Students Pursuing Postsecondary Education During Pandemic 

As part of its ongoing efforts to ease the economic burden on millions of Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of Education—in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)—issued guidance to postsecondary institutions to inform them about temporarily expanded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility for students in need.

“Since the onset of this pandemic, college students already living with low incomes have experienced significant life disruptions including increased food insecurity,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education Michelle Asha Cooper. “No student should have to worry about where their next meal will come from while balancing their studies. Informing eligible students of these benefits can help ease that uncertainty.”

The guidance encourages institutions of higher education to coordinate with campus stakeholders to notify eligible students. Today’s action follows Jan. 29 guidance reminding institutions that they have the authority to adjust financial aid packages to account for students’ and families’ current financial circumstances. These outreach efforts align with President Biden’s Jan. 22 Executive Order directing all federal agencies to address the economic crisis resulting from the pandemic.

“This health and economic crisis has left millions out of work or struggling to cover basic expenses. We are pleased to work with our partners at the Department of Education, to help inform students about the recent expansion of SNAP eligibility for low-income students,” said USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services Stacy Dean. “The guidance issued today is part of the Biden Administration’s push to act quickly to address hunger and support those who are struggling.”

Under regular SNAP eligibility requirements, students enrolled at least half-time in an institution of higher education are typically ineligible for SNAP benefits unless they meet certain specific exemptions. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 temporarily expands SNAP eligibility to include students who either:

• Are eligible to participate in state or federally financed work study during the regular academic year, as determined by the institution of higher education; or
• Have an expected family contribution (EFC) of 0 in the current academic year. This includes students who are eligible for a maximum Pell Grant.

Beginning Jan. 16, 2021, students who meet one of the two criteria outlined above may receive SNAP benefits if they meet all other financial and non-financial SNAP eligibility criteria. The new, temporary exemptions will be in effect until 30 days after the COVID-19 public health emergency is lifted. More information can be found on the SNAP benefits for students webpage and Q&A on student eligibility.

Because state SNAP agencies administer the SNAP program, process applications, and determine eligibility, students should contact their local SNAP offices to learn how to apply or to ask other questions. Institutions of higher education with questions about student SNAP eligibility, including the temporary expansion, should contact their state SNAP agency.

Contact information for state SNAP agencies and local offices can be found in the FNS SNAP state directory.

#USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.