2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Sustainability and scaling of grant-funded education initiatives is a persistent challenge for investigators (Wu et al., 2021). The ability of any NSF-funded program to have a significant, long-term impact, however, is contingent upon its capacity to maintain and institutionalize its benefits. The proposed paper will outline how the most successful components of an NSF-funded interdisciplinary computing program have been scaled-up to create widespread improvements in computer science education at one university. Findings from this interdisciplinary computing program have contributed to the development of eight additional large-scale, NSF- and foundation-funded projects that focus on increasing equity and diversity in computing through the use of peer mentoring, career-building and professional development, and evidence-based teaching practices, including real-world applications of course material. We will discuss in detail the process of innovating around early findings to expand and institutionalize program components and secure further grant funding. Lessons learned will also be reviewed, with a special focus on the role of flexibility and collaboration with faculty from different departments and with local industry professionals.