The Lemelson Foundation and the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced the first awards in a joint initiative to fund projects supporting the integration of social and environmental sustainability into engineering curricula.
Supported in part by a $3 million, three-year investment from The Lemelson Foundation and aligned with the goals of its Engineering for One Planet (EOP) initiative, the awards seek to prepare future engineers to protect our lives and our planet — by reducing environmental risks, increasing community responsiveness, and addressing critical challenges like infrastructure resilience, clean energy, and the growth of emerging industries and manufacturing.
“This joint funding partnership between The Lemelson Foundation and NSF marks a significant milestone in engineering education,” said Rob Schneider, Executive Director of The Lemelson Foundation. “By investing in projects that integrate sustainability into the existing engineering curriculum, we are galvanizing the next generation of engineers to address the pressing global challenges of our time. This partnership underscores the importance of fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and innovative approaches to engineering education.”
The recipients include:
- Arizona State University, in collaboration with Kennesaw State and Villanova University
- Harvey Mudd College
- North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
- Rochester Institute of Technology
- University of Arizona and the University of Michigan
Projects will vary across disciplines, from adapting industrial and systems engineering programming to designing for environmental impact, crafting ethical thinking, and establishing an educator support network to better adapt curricula.
To learn more about these awards, click here.
NSF is continuing to solicit proposals for this initiative, and those interested in submitting project proposals can visit here for more guidelines.