2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Unveiling the mystery: A capacity development framework for early-career STEM educators pursuing external funding

Presented at New Engineering Educators (NEE) Technical Session 3 - Professional and Faculty Development

Across the United States today, public institutions are operating with drastically reduced state funding; and private institutions are closing at an alarming rate. Universities are more reliant than ever on tuition revenue and external funding to survive and thrive. While R1 universities maintain the infrastructure to offer training and other resources for educators pursuing grants, these resources are not as consistent or sustainable at non-R1 universities.

At an individual level, new STEM educators face numerous challenges in pursuing and securing external research funding. Educators feel overwhelmed by the mystery of funding processes, especially for their first award. Because there is no “road map” for educators to follow, the locus of control to improve processes can remain with institution administration instead of the educators themselves.

The approach of this paper is to begin with two example capacity development frameworks from the field of international development. The authors gather data from STEM educators and graduate students to test which components of the example frameworks are relevant for this group. Then after better understanding challenges and experiences from educators' own voices and perspectives, the authors develop a comprehensive "collabo-gleaning" framework that delineates both process and outcome factors, unveiling the mystery of the external funding landscape for STEM educators.

The authors use two methods of assessment. A mixed methods survey is administered with STEM educators and graduate students at three non-R1 universities in the South (two public and one private). The survey explores relevant resources, milestones, barriers, and advice from participants as they pursue external funding. Follow-up interviews are held with a smaller sample of STEM educators from the same universities. The interviews provide deeper examples and detailed recommendations regarding the processes and outcomes of individual capacity development when pursuing external funding.

The main outcomes of this paper are:
1) A "collabo-gleaning" framework for the capacity development of early-career STEM educators pursuing external funding. It is important to note that this framework is written from the perspective of educators themselves and therefore presents components that are in the educator's internal locus of control (as opposed to the university’s). The first part of the framework presents tangible activities and resources that educators can pursue to support the process of their own capacity development when pursuing external funding. The second part of the framework presents milestone outcomes in pursuit of an externally funded award.
2) A reflective self-assessment that early-career educators can complete. Based on the framework above, the goal of the self-assessment is to provide educators with specific next steps individualized to their own current situation and potential areas of capacity development in pursuing external funding.

Authors

Dr. Allie DeLeo-Allen DKB Solutions, LLC [biography]

Dr. Allie DeLeo-Allen brings over 11 years of diverse higher education experience spanning engineering education, student success initiatives, academic advising, and employer relations. With a strong academic foundation including a BS in Mechanical Engineering, MS in Engineering and Technology Management, and PhD in Engineering with a concentration in Engineering Education, Dr. DeLeo-Allen now specializes in proposal development, collaborating with higher education institutions, small businesses, and municipalities to secure funding and implement innovative programs. Her multifaceted background positions her uniquely at the intersection of engineering practice, education, and organizational development.
Ms. Alicia Boudreaux Kiremire MS, PE, PMP FlowStream Management LLC [biography]

Ms. Kiremire is a grant consultant specializing in collaborative STEM education grants. She holds degrees in both engineering and education and has over 18 years of professional experience. Beginning as a grant writer then a project manager, Alicia has since moved into a training, consulting, and evaluation role. She is the Creator of the Complete Grant System and has worked on projects with budgets up to $6 million funded by NSF, NIH, DHS, FEMA, and the Department of Education.
Dr. Katie Evans Houston Christian University [biography]

Dr. Katie Evans is the Dean of Science and Engineering and a Professor of Mathematics at Houston Christian University (HCU). Prior to HCU, she was on faculty at Louisiana Tech University for 16 years in the College of Engineering and Science, where she served in various administrative roles and is now Professor Emerita. Dr. Evans is passionate about interdisciplinary efforts to provide innovative and applicable learning experiences to students. Dr. Evans serves on the Gulf Scholars Program Standing Committee for the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. She is also the Chair of the New Programs Committee with the Grand Challenges Scholars Program, recognized by the U.S. National Academy of Engineering. She earned her B.S. in Mathematics from Morehead State University and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Mathematics at Virginia Tech, followed by a postdoctoral position in Mechanical Engineering at Oregon State University.
Dr. Anne Case Hanks University of Louisiana Monroe [biography]

Dr. Anne Case Hanks currently serves as the Director of the School of Sciences at the University of Louisiana at Monroe. She is responsible for the academic programs and faculty within the School of Sciences. She is a Professor in the Atmospheric Sciences program.

Dr. Case Hanks obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from the University of Toledo and a PhD in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences from the Georgia Institute of Technology where she focused on Atmospheric Chemistry.
Dr. Case Hanks is a passionate advocate for STEM education, training, and teaching. She is committed to advancing innovation in STEM pedagogy within higher education and supporting faculty development in the sciences. She also works to promote STEM within K-12 to motivate and create the next generation of scientists. Her recent work includes developing a Natural Hazards and Disaster curriculum for high school, summer outreach for elementary and high students interested in STEM, and helping to establish a Louisiana Mesonet.
Dr. Krystal Corbett Cruse Louisiana Tech University [biography]

Dr. Krystal Corbett is the First-Year Engineering Programs Coordinator and Assistant Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Louisiana Tech University. She is also the Director of the Office for Women in Science and Engineering at Louisiana Tech.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 22, 2025, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 25, 2025

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