NEW: Worcester Selected for National Science Foundation Grant

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Thursday, September 20, 2012

GoLocalWorcester News Team

Worcester has been chosen as one of three cities to share a $2.6 million National Science Foundation (NSF) award.

The award comes as an Art of Science Learning Phase 2 grant titled "Integrating Informal STEM and Arts-Based Learning to Foster Innovation." The NSF grant will fund arts-based incubators for innovation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) learning here in Worcester over the next four years.

The EcoTarium will serve as an incubator, along with San Diego's Balboa Park Cultural Partnership and Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry. There, 30 cross-disciplinary innovation teams of STEM professionals, artists, educators, business leaders and students will come together to mix STEM principles with the arts.

Art of Science Learning Phase 2 national partners include Association of Science-Technology Centers, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and Americans for the Arts. The project is also supported by a distinguished national advisory council.

Worcester members of the National Advisory Council are:

Nancy Budwig, Associate Provost and Dean of Research, Clark University

Karen Kashmanian Oates, Dean of Arts & Sciences, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Members of the Worcester Incubator Advisory Council include:

Melinda Boone, Superintendent of Schools, Worcester Public Schools

Kristin Boudreau, Professor & Department Head, Humanities & Arts, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Ted Buswick, Executive-in-Residence for Leadership & the Arts, Clark University; National Collaborations Manager for this project

Jack Foley, Vice President for Government and Community Affairs and Campus Services, Clark University

Marcia Lagerwey, Head of Education, Worcester Art Museum

Timothy Loew, Executive Director, Massachusetts Digital Games Institute (MassDIGI)

Sandra Mayrand, Executive Director & Founder, Regional Science Resource Center (RSRC), UMass Medical School; Director, Central Massachusetts STEM Network

Stephen Pitcher, President, EcoTarium

Wyatt Wade, President & CEO, Davis Publications

Erin Williams, Cultural Development Officer, City of Worcester; Executive Director, Worcester Cultural Coalition