Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program RESS Project: Collaborative Research: RESS in Microelectronics And Artificial Intelligence to Empower STEM Teachers

About This Grant

The project aims to serve the national need of preparing and retaining highly qualified STEM teachers to meet critical STEM teacher shortages. Twenty-four (24) prospective and practicing middle and high school teachers from multiple high-need and other districts in Southeast TN and North GA will participate over three years. Teachers will engage in authentic research experiences in microelectronics (for the future of quantum computers) and applications of artificial intelligence (AI), which are STEM disciplines identified as critical national needs. The project will provide teachers with the opportunity to participate in this innovative space through a six-week summer research experience and Project-Based Learning (PBL) curriculum development, integrating microelectronics and AI into middle and high school STEM classrooms. Teachers will participate in academic year follow-up activities, including professional development, classroom visits and mentoring by the research team, industry talks, continued curriculum development support, and presentations at conferences. The benefits of contributing to a domestic semiconductor and AI ecosystem with a pipeline of a large variety of skilled workers and future engineers, scientists will be amplified through industry partnerships, participation in student organizations, and dissemination of findings to a broader audience via the project website, publications, and symposium participation. This project at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga includes partnerships with Hamilton County Schools, Bradley County Schools, Walker County Schools, and Chattanooga State Community College. Project goals include (1) Increase teachers’ practical knowledge of STEM principles related to microelectronics and AI. (2) Train teachers on project-based learning design and implementation in classrooms. (3) Increase the number of well-prepared teachers who will be committed to stay as STEM teachers. (4) Broaden student participation in STEM areas of microelectronics and AI. The research will focus on microelectronics and machine learning applications. As the present Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor technology approaches its scaling limits and the quantum effects become more prominent, quantum dot transistors represent a potential alternative technology for enabling quantum computing and future digital applications. AI applications will address areas such as the effects of extreme weather on TN transportation infrastructure, robotic control, urban water resources engineering, and restoration of power grids after outages. Project evaluation will include pre- and post-teacher surveys to assess perceived levels of achievement in each goal area, as well as follow-up surveys at the end of each project year to assess implementation of lessons. Teachers will complete academic year pre/post PBL surveys of students’ change in knowledge of microelectronics and AI principles and attitudes toward STEM careers. Results will be disseminated via symposiums, publications, and sharing of PBL lesson plans. This Research Experiences in STEM Setting project is supported through the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program (Noyce). The Noyce program supports talented STEM undergraduate majors and professionals to become effective K-12 STEM teachers, and experienced, exemplary K-12 teachers to become STEM master teachers in high-need school districts. It also supports research on the effectiveness and retention of K-12 STEM teachers in high-need school districts. This project is funded by the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program and is supported in part by funds from the Micron Technology, Inc. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.