National Science Foundation Awards TU Nearly $1M For STEM Education Programs

Press release from Towson University:

By Cody Boteler on December 17, 2020

The grant was announced by Baltimore's congressional delegation.

With the full support of Baltimore's congressional delegation, the National Science
Foundation (NSF) has awarded $999,152 to Towson University to continue to expand access
to STEM programs.

The funding will support 14 four-year scholarships for graduating seniors from Baltimore-area
high schools and 18 two-year scholarships for students transferring from Harford and
Howard community colleges. It will also expand undergraduate research opportunities
for sophomore and junior mathematics majors.

“Towson University continues to provide opportunities for students to engage with
our expert faculty in the STEM fields,” Towson University President Kim Schatzel said.
“I sincerely thank Baltimore’s congressional delegation, Sens. Chris Van Hollen and
Ben Cardin and Reps. Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes and Kweisi Mfume, for their
recognition of TU’s growing role as a provider of diverse, prepared STEM professionals
to our region. Their support furthers TU’s impact as an anchor institution for greater
Baltimore through advancing STEM education and workforce development."

Towson University has a variety of programs designed to expand access to STEM education,
including the Hill-Lopes Scholars Program, the Center for STEM Excellence and the STEM Residential Learning Community.

Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Reps. Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes
and Kweisi Mfume—Baltimore’s congressional delegation— made the announcement Wednesday.

“Recruiting and mentoring a more diverse pipeline of students will help drive greater
opportunity and economic success for communities throughout our state,” the lawmakers
said in a statement. “We are committed to expanding access to higher education and
supporting research institutions throughout Maryland.”

David Vanko, dean of the Jess & Mildred Fisher College of Science and Mathematics, called the NSF money “great news for the many future TU mathematics students who
will benefit from this significant scholarship program.

“The Department of Mathematics is deeply committed to diversity, equity and inclusion,
and they’re to be congratulated for winning this highly competitive NSF grant,” says
Vanko. “Kudos to the principal investigators, Lindsey-Kay Lauderdale, Alexei Kolesnikov
and Mike O’Leary.”

Other recent TU grants from the NSF include more than $400,000 to the department of geosciences and a grant that will support a TU alumna’s graduate research.

This story is one of several related to President Kim Schatzel’s priorities for Towson University: TU Matters to Maryland.

This press release was produced by Towson University. The views expressed here are the author’s own.