Whitaker Faculty Resources

The Whitaker Center Works With Faculty Interested in STEM Education, STEM Scholarship, and STEM Research

We assist faculty by providing the following:

Collaboration Opportunities:

STEMinars
SunChase: High School Solar Go-Kart Challenge
Girls in Engineering Math and Science (GEMS) program for middle school
Summer Research Opportunity (SRO) summer camp for middle school
The Immokalee Foundation (TIF) summer camp for middle school

Funding Opportunities:

Mini-Grants to support your STEM research or presentation
Holmes Development Grants to develop and submit another grant proposal to grow their research
External grant development (We are happy to review proposals, suggest pieces for Broader Impacts, or assist with proposal evaluation – contact us!)

Funding Opportunities

Whitaker Center Mini-Grant Applications
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Application Information
- Applicants must be either a faculty or student at FGCU
- Funds will not be awarded for salary stipends.
- Funds may not be awarded for student travel associated with an FGCU course (example, we cannot fund study abroad)
Fall 2024 Mini-Grant Application Deadline is November 12, 2024

Award Information

Decisions will be made within 2-3 weeks of the submission deadline. If you are awarded a grant, you must agree to spend your funds by April 30, 2025 and submit a one-page report outlining your use of funds by August 31, 2025. Failure to submit a report or encumber funds by these dates may result in loss of award or inability to apply for future awards.

Other Opportunities for Funding

For Students: SRA awards are made on a rolling basis.

APPLY FOR MINI-GRANT
The Whitaker Center supports the development and reporting of a variety of curriculum and teaching innovations at all levels of STEM education. The Center also fosters and supports research and evaluation of teaching innovations and practices. Funding for faculty and graduate activities is provided for assessment and evaluation of teaching innovations and practice where the research meets the Center's goals. Funding levels are determined annually by the Leadership Team. Funding, while limited, is meant to encourage pilot studies that may lead to larger externally funded projects. Faculty are encouraged to pursue other funding sources, including matching funds and in-kind support. This not only broadens the funding base, enabling larger or more varied projects, but also encourages and strengthens the network of science, mathematics and technology educators at all levels. Whitaker Center Undergraduate Research Program funds are available for students in any major and with science, technology, engineering, and/or mathematics as a focus as well as teaching and learning in these areas.

Professional travel for faculty and students is supported through the Whitaker Center for activities that support the Whitaker Center goals. Faculty travel should include presentations in STEM education at meetings or conferences. Student travel funds are provided for presenting STEM research or attending STEM education meetings and conferences. Students are encouraged to present individual research posters. Poster/presentation abstracts are required to be submitted at the time of application for Mini-Grants.

The Whitaker Center supports the development and implementation of PK-12 initiatives. Funding may be sought for projects that target either PK-12 teachers or students. Projects for students must integrate STEM-topics, be hands-on in nature and must be shown to align with PK-12 education standards. Initiatives geared toward teachers might involve course development, labs and activities, technology training and other similar endeavors. Initiatives geared toward students might involve outreach, workshops or camps. If funded, projects should in some way highlight Whitaker Center Funding.
Holmes Development Fund
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Description: Holmes Development Grants are seed grants awarded to faculty who will leverage the funding to develop and submit another grant proposal to grow their research. Holmes Development Grants of up to $10,000 are awarded to 4 faculty in the Spring and all funds must be spent within 18 months of the award. Please see the RFP linked below for a detailed description of the opportunity.

Application Instructions:
1. Read the RFP for detailed application instructions.
2. Applications have been closed.
3. Applications will be reviewed and awardees announced early in the Spring 2024 semester.

Become a Member

Responsibilities of membership are outlined in the Whitaker Center Proposal approved in 2004 by the Deans of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) and the College of Education (COE), the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP), the University President, the President’s Executive Cabinet, and the Board of Governors (BOG). Under this agreement all faculty in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) areas including STEM education qualify for Whitaker Center faculty membership.

Membership is voluntary and verified by faculty Professional Development Plans (PDPs). All teaching, scholarship, and service activities listed in a faculty PDP that are related to STEM education and the goals of the Whitaker Center substantiate membership. Faculty are credited for contributing to the goals of their college, the Whitaker Center, and the University simultaneously.

The expectation outlined in this agreement is that all STEM education grant proposals will be submitted in consultation with the Whitaker Center. This agreement does not extend to discipline specific research or educational research outside of the STEM areas.

Read more details of the responsibilities for membership approved by the Leadership Team August 2013.

Membership does not require an application, it only requires that you report your STEM Education activities to the Whitaker Center when requested to do so.