Programs

The Center for STEM Education and Research has been the recipient of multiple grants expanding its reach and programming. In addition, the success of our programs, collaborations, and students—as documented in external evaluator reports and empirical data - has allowed us to organize efforts on a national scale. Through the lifetime of CSER, we have brought Broadening Participation to multiple institutions and industries on a much larger scale.

Six students smile and stand closely together to pose for a photo in front of a white backdrop with the Illinois LSAMP logo across it.

ILSAMP

The Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program, led by Chicago State University since 1993, establishes alliances of higher education institutions to diversify the nation's STEM workforce. Within this initiative, Chicago State provided programming support and funding to 11 Illinois higher education institutions and community colleges, the Field Museum of Natural History, and Argonne National Laboratory, significantly expanding the impact of historically marginalized students in pursuit of STEM.

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LSMRCE

Chicago State expanded its impact and reach of students pursuing STEM degrees through the Louis Stokes Midwest Regional Center of Excellence (LSMRCE), a partnership of CSU and Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) in collaboration with the Ohio State University (OSU) and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab).

The LSMRCE evolved from a regional initiative into a national model for Broadening Participation in STEM by fostering connections between academia and industry, building a database of online resources, hosting research conferences, and creating programs and partnerships that promote mentorship and increase the number of STEM professionals nationwide.

Six professionally dressed student researchers stand next to each other and pose for a photo. They’re in a warmly lit conference hall with a chandelier above them. In the background are more conference attendees and a display of four art canvases hanging on a hallway wall.

NSF LSAMP logo

LSAMP-NCH

The awarding of the NSF LSAMP National Coordination Hub in 2024 to Chicago State University as the lead institution cemented our impact on the national broadening participation agenda. The overall objective of the LSAMP-NCH is to provide a nationally unified platform that promotes collaboration, communication, partnership, and dissemination to the broader STEM community.

Two panelists, a man and a woman, seated side-by-side at a table covered with a shiny, black tablecloth. The man, with dreadlocks and glasses, is speaking into a microphone. An open black laptop sits on the table in front of him. The woman to his left is listening attentively.

NSF Engineering plus logo

Engineering PLUS

The Engineering PLUS (Partnerships Launching Underrepresented Students) is a NSF initiative dedicated to addressing the decline in US Engineering graduates. The alliance addresses areas of workforce readiness, math and academic readiness, research opportunities, and retention among engineering students. As a partner institution in the Engineering PLUS Alliance leading the Midwest Regional Hub, CSER has made a significant effort in broadening participation in the Engineering field for students from historically marginalized communities.

A student researcher with long, dark, wavy hair smiles and stands in front of his research poster. He’s wearing glasses, a black hoodie that says Chicago State Welcome Week and a blue conference lanyard.

Walder Foundation

The Walder Foundation supports scientific discovery and research primarily in the Chicago region. Under their Environmental Sciences and Sustainability Program, CSER supports faculty and student researchers in scientific discovery aimed at addressing issues in these disciplines. Projects under this initiative not only work to enhance the rich and diverse landscape of the Chicago area but also center on subjects of environmental inequities and urban development affecting the natural environment.

The Walder Foundation funds the Illinois Consortium for Life and Environmental Science (ICLES) at Chicago State University and managed by the Center for STEM Education and Research.

More information and application instructions for the ICLES program can be found on the ICLES website.

Illinois Consortium for Life and Environmental Science news here.

For more information on these programs and the work of the Center for STEM Education and Research, contact us.