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IEEE TryEngineering STEM Grants Make an Impact in Developing Countries Across the Globe
This year the IEEE TryEngineering STEM Grants Program awarded more than US$61,000 to 53 volunteer-led programs for pre-university outreach activities. A global effort, the call for proposals garnered applications from nine of the ten IEEE regions, including submissions from Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Uganda.
A team of IEEE Members involved in pre-university outreach programs, including STEM Champions and the 2024 Pre-university Education Coordinating Committee (PECC) Members, reviewed a total of 462 submissions using a criteria-based rubric. The successful proposals funded a wide range of activities, from robotics workshops and career explorations, to programming and cybersecurity. Highlighted below are just two of the many funded projects:
The ConnectXperiece: the Journey into the World of IoT, a proposal submitted by the IEEE Education Society and the IEEE Education Society Region 10 Young Professionals AdHoc in Region 10, brought experiences to high school students over a four day period in various locations. Each session provided students with hands-on experiences in programming using Arduinos and using sensors to collect data.
Innovate Ed: Fostering Innovation Through Project Expos, a proposal submitted by the IEEE Signal Processing Society Bombay Section Chapter, hosted a series of events in which brilliant students designed and presented innovative projects across various STEM fields, including robotics, renewable energy, artificial intelligence, and environmental sustainability.
More than 90% of the 2024 STEM grants were awarded to proposals for projects that are taking place in developing countries. These projects were funded in part by the Jon C. Taenzer Memorial Fund with the IEEE Foundation, continuing the Jon C. Taenzer Estate’s wish to provide support for developing countries. This generous funding was supplemented by support from IEEE society partners including the IEEE Communication Society, IEEE Oceanic Society, IEEE Signal Processing Society, IEEE Women in Engineering, and IEEE Educational Activities.
Since the launch of the IEEE TryEngineering STEM Grant program in 2021, US$176,000 has been awarded to 144 programs in more than 40 countries. For more information visit TryEngineering.
Photo (top): Students at the Atal Tinkering Lab in Narasaraopet, Andhra Pradesh, India buzzed with excitement.
Photo: Students at the Suchitra Academy International School in Hyderabad, India, are beaming with pride as they are recognized for their winning projects!