Idaho National Laboratory offers grants to enhance science education for Idaho students

Idaho National Laboratory http://www.inl.gov is pleased to announce two grant programs for 2010 in support of excellence and innovation in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education. Applications are currently being accepted for INL Mini Grants and the new INL Extreme Classroom Makeover Grant.

Funding for the grants comes from Battelle Energy Alliance, which operates INL for the U.S. Department of Energy.

The 2010 INL STEM Mini Grants will provide funds to enhance public and private elementary, middle school and high school programs. Teachers can apply for up to $2,000 to fund technology or lab equipment, material for special projects, or professional development. This grant cycle has $60,000 available for teachers statewide.

The INL Extreme Classroom Makeover Grant will provide funding to a teacher or school to transform a classroom into a 21st century STEM learning environment. The $10,000 award will support classroom instructional resources, materials and laboratory equipment used to integrate STEM concepts across all disciplines. INL will award two Extreme Classroom Makeover grants.

Grant applications are available at http://www.inl.gov/k-12/. Completed applications must be received by March 31. A panel of judges will evaluate the applications based on specific criteria. Teachers are required to provide information on how learning objectives and curriculum concepts will be enhanced and how the project or program will improve student interest and achievement. Grant recipients will be announced in April 2010.

In 2009, INL contributed a total of $473,000 to local and regional K-12 programs that promote STEM education and encourage students to pursue careers in these areas. That includes more than $100,000 distributed as 46 grants for Idaho STEM teachers.

Over the past four years, INL’s Education Programs office has contributed nearly $1.7 million to enhance STEM education. That includes 166 grants totaling more than $330,000.

INL is one of the DOE’s 10 multiprogram national laboratories. The laboratory performs work in each of DOE’s strategic goal areas: energy, national security, science and environment. INL is the nation’s leading center for nuclear energy research and development. Day-to-day management and operation of the laboratory is the responsibility of Battelle Energy Alliance.

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