Updates from the IGE Hub

The IGE Hub, hosted by CGS and funded by the NSF, is a network that supports communication and collaboration across the NSF’s Innovations in Graduate Education (IGE) grants. The project also seeks to build bridges between this group and the broader STEM graduate education community. 

Submit a Proposal to NSF’s Innovations in Graduate Education (IGE) Program

The National Science Foundation is requesting proposal submissions for the Innovations in Graduate Education (IGE) Program. Projects for this award should explore ways for graduate students in STEM master’s and doctoral degree programs to develop the skills, knowledge, and competencies needed to pursue a range of STEM careers, or support research on the graduate education system and outcomes of systemic interventions and policies.  Join the community of researchers implementing changes in graduation education by submitting a proposal.

Proposals are due April 22, 2024. Learn more about this opportunity on the NSF website.

 CGS to Host Meeting with IGE PIs

On February 29 and March 1, CGS is partnering with NSF to host a meeting of IGE Principal Investigators in Alexandria, VA. Distinguished guest and keynote speaker, Keivan Stassun, Stevenson Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Vanderbilt University, will kick off the meeting by sharing insights with the community. The PIs will have the opportunity to meet and network in small breakout groups and share strategies for scaling their projects. Subscribe to the IGE Insider for photos and insights from the meeting.

Preparing Students for Industry by Closing the GAPS

Recently the IGE Hub team sat down with Dr. Shan Jiang, associate professor in the ​Materials Science and Engineering Department at Iowa State University and engineering graduate student, Yiqui Liang, to hear about their innovative work on the Graduate for Professional Skills (GAPS) program.

Jiang first went from his PhD program into industry and like other technical scientists, he was less interested in navigating projects with colleagues than directly engineering products. He didn’t enjoy dealing with project management issues and having to collaborate. In 2016 he became an assistant professor at Iowa State University, and while initially eager to mentor students, realized they lacked professional skills such as project management, team collaboration and effective writing. He recalled his own experience in industry and reflected on the importance of developing professional skills prior to graduating. That’s when he started forming the GAPS program. Learn more about the project on the IGE Hub.

To stay up to date on new IGE innovations, subscribe to the IGE Insider.