EJAC Faculty Development Micro-grants

Both ABET and UB’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have been building a concerted effort to ensure engineering and computer science students are prepared to enter a diverse workforce and build inclusive and equitable responses to engineering and computing problems. Yet faculty are expected to commit to equity and inclusion without sufficient support or fair, equitable compensation.

The Engineering Justice Across the Curriculum (EJAC) Faculty Development Micro-grant aims to offer support and compensation for SEAS faculty to develop and implement curricular choices (lessons, units, or courses) that respond to the need for inclusive pedagogies and train engineers to connect the social impact of their work to the technical aspects. This micro-grant program also offers support in the development of these proposals, the pedagogical approach, and/or the assessment of the project. 

2023-24 Micro-grant Recipients

"Accessibility in Engineering and Computing: Creating a Public Library of Student Work"

Lauren Kuryloski.

Lauren Kuryloski, Assistant Professor of Teaching
Department of Engineering Education

Amy Baird.

Amy Baird, Assistant Professor of Practice
Department of Engineering Education

"Designing weekly group assignments and course project to explore social impacts of transportation projects"

Irina Benedyk.

Irina Benedyk, Assistant Professor
Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental

Presentacion Rivera-Reyes.

Presentacion Rivera Reyes, Assistant Professor of Teaching
Department of Engineering Education

"Math-Physics Benchmarking Project"

Doga Yucalan.

Doga Yucalan, Assistant Professor of Teaching
Department of Engineering Education

"DEI Case Studies in BE201 Introduction to Biomedical Engineering"

Jing Wang.

Jing Wang, Professor
Department of Biomedical Engineering

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Request for Proposals

As part of the SEAS Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Initiative, the SEAS JEDI Committee invites proposals for curricular innovations that address one or more of the following questions:

  1. How can a specific engineering problem or concept be situated within a larger social framework? And how might you teach that within a specific engineering course? (for example, Conservation of Linear Momentum)
  2. How can the social impact of engineering be introduced within a particular course, unit, or lecture? And how might you integrate it into your own classroom practices?
  3. What kinds of alternative pedagogical approaches might build a more inclusive classroom? How can you implement and assess those approaches in your own classroom?

Jump to:

Submit a Proposal
Proposal Deadline

Proposals should be submitted by March 29, 2023.

RFP Overview

Your brief proposal, delivered in the accompanying quad chart, should identify which of the questions you’re responding to above, present an overview of the scope (course, unit, lesson), and situate the proposed pedagogical approach within the larger class or curriculum. Proposals should answer these questions:

  • What course, department, and student group will your proposed approach address?
  • What specific topics, concepts, or pedagogical approaches will serve as pedagogical innovations?
  • What is the assignment, activity, or student engagement connected to this proposed curricular innovation?
  • What are your intended outcomes for the course or project and do they connect with the need for a more inclusive, ethical, and just approach to engineering?
  • What additional support might you need from the SEAS JEDI Committee, the SEAS Office of Undergraduate Education, or others to complete the project? Do you need additional materials? If so, explain what materials you might need to implement your curricular innovation.
  • What deliverables will you produce? A lesson, a unit, an assignment? 

Duration

These micro-grants are intended for the development of new units or lectures for existing courses to be carried out in the 2023-2024 school year.

Award Amount

Recipients of this grant will receive $5000 in two installments: $3000 after development and $2000 after implementation and assessment. Collaborative projects are welcome; if appropriate, proposals can request additional support for collaborators.

Support

In addition to financial support, recipients of this micro-grant will receive the following:

  • Access to a workshop and materials to help support the development of this project
  • A mentor to support their development and assessment of the project
Need assistance?

If you are interested in proposing for this RFP but need guidance, we can help. Please contact seasjedi@buffalo.edu if you’d like to work with someone to develop or discuss your proposed project. 

Expectations

Recipients will be expected to present the proposed deliverables, to assess (or allow for assessment of) the project, and attend relevant meetings tied to this grant. 

Submission Specifications

Please submit your proposal using the provided quad chart template, no later than March 29, 2023. No SPS or CLICK interaction is required. Recipients will be notified in late April. 

A “quad chart” is a single page divided into four quadrants providing a high-level summary of your project in a single page for a quick overview by the reviewers. It is intended to be more visual than detailed in order to quickly introduce what is important about your project.

Quad Chart Template
Submit a Proposal