Belong in STEM Grant

Supporting inclusive teaching through NIU’s NSF S-STEM program.

Northern Illinois University’s Belong in STEM initiative is part of a $2 million, five-year National Science Foundation (NSF) Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S-STEM) grant supporting academically talented students with financial need who are pursuing undergraduate STEM degrees. The project builds on NIU’s previous NSF S-STEM and Noyce initiatives and expands support to include engineering majors alongside science majors.

This project focuses on strengthening recruitment, retention and career preparation for students from low-income and historically underrepresented backgrounds in STEM.

As part of the project, the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CITL) is leading a faculty development initiative designed to enhance inclusive STEM teaching and learning environments that support the success of S-STEM scholars and all NIU STEM students.

CITL’s Role in the Project

CITL leads the faculty development component of the grant, helping STEM faculty design courses that expand access to rigorous STEM learning while maintaining high academic standards.

Through workshops, instructional design partnerships, and faculty learning communities, CITL supports faculty and graduate teaching assistants in implementing evidence-based inclusive teaching practices and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles in STEM courses.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Faculty Development Series

At the core of CITL’s work is a three-part professional development workshop series grounded in the Universal Design for Learning (UDL 3.0) framework. This approach emphasizes designing learning environments for learner variability from the outset rather than retrofitting accommodations after barriers emerge.

The series helps faculty create STEM learning experiences that increase access to rigorous content, support student motivation and persistence and strengthen students' strategic learning and self-regulation skills. Faculty participants explore ways to address structural, cognitive, linguistic and socio-emotional barriers that can affect STEM student success.

Faculty Learning Community and Course Redesign

Following the workshop series, participating faculty work with CITL instructional designers to apply UDL principles to a STEM course they teach.

Support includes:

• One-on-one instructional design consultation
• Course redesign focused on inclusive teaching practices
• Peer discussion through a Faculty Learning Community (FLC)
• Ongoing implementation support during the academic year

Faculty participants also receive stipends for workshop participation and opportunities to share insights and examples of redesigned courses with colleagues across STEM disciplines.

Evaluation and Research

The faculty development initiatives is being evaluated by a team in NIU's College of Education that will examine:

• Faculty and TA participation in professional development
• Changes in instructional practices
• Implementation of inclusive teaching strategies across STEM disciplines
• Connections between teaching practices and student success outcomes

Findings will contribute to broader knowledge about inclusive STEM teaching and the role of faculty development in improving student persistence and success.

Implementation Timeline

These cycles allow the project team to refine workshop materials, gather feedback and expand the community of faculty implementing inclusive STEM teaching practices.

Project Partners

The Belong in STEM S-STEM project is a collaborative effort involving:

• College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• College of Engineering and Engineering Technology
• Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CITL)
• NIU faculty mentors, graduate assistants and peer mentors

Together, these partners support student success through scholarships, mentoring, career preparation and inclusive teaching practices.

Learn More

Additional information about the Belong in STEM S-STEM program, including scholarship opportunities and student support initiatives, will be shared through project updates and campus communications as the program progresses.

For questions about CITL’s faculty development role in the project, contact Amanda Hirsch or Linh Nguyen.