Burroughs Wellcome Fund Awards a Capacity Building Grant to The Science House Imhotep and Kyran Anderson Academy Virtual STEM Programs

June 7, 2021 (RALEIGH) – In the spaces between hybrid learning, summer learning loss, and noticeable declines across subject areas, especially mathematics, Imhotep and Kyran Anderson Academy Virtual STEM Programs are positioned in the summer of 2021 to step into the gaps by providing remote STEM learning experiences for diverse elementary and middle school students through the Burroughs Wellcome Fund Capacity Building Grant.

The partnership between the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, The Science House, and the College of Sciences will provide virtual STEM experiences throughout June and July. Ethnically diverse students from 16 rural and urban counties will have the opportunity to participate in one week of remote summer programming that features immersive project-based curricula in neuroscience, forensics and prosthetics and engineering design. Versed in STEM programming for diverse students and online education, the Imhotep and Kyran Anderson Academy diverse team of STEM educators from public and private school settings, researchers, graduate and undergraduate students will welcome K-12 student to experience designing safety helmets to prevent brain concussions, solve forensic mysteries using the skills of forensic scientists, and design prosthetic limbs from 3D-printed and household materials to meet the needs of amputees. Imhotep and Kyran Anderson Academy Virtual STEM programs will reach more students with limited access to hands-on, minds-on enrichment learning opportunities during the pandemic, while increasing students’ comfort with learning STEM in virtual environments; these replicable programs will have the ability to be used by educators, parents and Local Education Agencies and Schools (LEAS) in rural and urban counties in the future.

Dr. Pamela Gilchrist, director of the Imhotep and Kyran Anderson Academies, said, “It is our hope to ascertain the best practices for engaging ethnically diverse students from rural and urban areas in learning STEM in virtual spaces and mitigate any stress and anxiety related to learning in online spaces with authentic STEM engagement and innovative learning experiences in the safety of their homes. The funding from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund provides an opportunity to pilot our efforts and learn more about the viability of our approach.     ”

About Imhotep and Kyran Anderson Academy STEM Programs

Imhotep and Kyran Anderson Academies are pre-college programs designed to engage elementary and middle school (3-8) students in discovering the interdisciplinary connections of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in their everyday lives. Hosted at The Science House on North Carolina State University’s Centennial Campus, the program offers enjoyable project-based activities, interaction with STEM professionals, college and career learning experiences, and field trips. The programs serve 300 students annually from rural and urban counties across North Carolina through six weeklong summer learning experiences. The programs’ mission and goals center on increasing historically underrepresented students’ interest in STEM; preparing students for college matriculation; providing multicultural enrichment learning experiences; teaching about innovative contributions of scientists and inventors from diverse backgrounds; and building students’ self-confidence, problem-solving skills and self-efficacy. Parents of participants have reported that their children gained more knowledge of STEM content, stronger research skills and greater awareness of STEM careers (Remote Learning Survey, 2020).

About The Science House

Since The Science House (TSH) was founded in 1991, the organization has remained committed to bringing the resources of North Carolina’s largest research institution to K-12 teachers and students across the state. Providing resources, programs, and teaching materials, TSH empowers scientific literacy and hands-on discovery.