Since the first AAAS HBCU Making and Innovation Showcase in 2018, 241 brilliant students and 83 inspiring faculty members from 32 HBCUs have lit up the stage with their groundbreaking ideas and innovations.
The journey of advancing innovation capacity at HBCUs is not just an annual celebration but a continuous revolution. Over 80 coaching, professional development, and mentoring sessions have empowered the participants, inspired by the Obama White House’s 2015 National Week of Making, celebrating the maker movement where imagination meets technology to create the future.
In Fall 2020, AAAS was awarded a transformative 3-year NSF project (Award no. 2037362) focused on igniting the making and innovation-related capacities of HBCU students and faculty. The “Maker” project, Enhancing Making and Innovation Capacity for HBCU Students and Faculty Via an Inclusive Community of Practice, builds on 3 years of dedicated efforts to provide resources, training, and mentorship in making, innovation, entrepreneurship, and invention.
The mission? To unleash the full potential of diverse student talent, driving equitable STEM education, pioneering research, and opening up exciting career opportunities.
The maker movement has exploded over the last decade thanks to tech advancements like 3-D printing, fabrication, robotics, and AI, democratizing access to innovation. Yet, the vibrant Maker spaces seen nationwide haven’t fully reached HBCU campuses. HBCUs, responsible for graduating the highest number of African Americans with STEM degrees, are poised to be powerhouses of economic growth and technological advancement. This project taps into the talent at HBCUs, fostering making and innovation through an inclusive community of practice.
The HBCU teams, mentored by visionary faculty advisors, have crafted innovations and prototypes addressing United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, from Affordable and Clean Energy to Zero Hunger and Quality Education. At the AAAS Showcase, students dazzled with their presentations, showcasing the power of teamwork, communication, and intentionality. These strategic initiatives provide essential skills, knowledge, and expertise in making and innovation, sustained through a robust community of practice.
One participant eloquently captured the essence of the event: “It is so nice to be at an event where you see a lot of Black and people of color coming together for STEM, creating innovations, and letting them know we are here to stay. We can support our communities, meet their needs, and create innovations that help students with STEM.”
We at MNA and AAAS, have waited a long time to release this report. It has truly been a labor of love, capturing the incredible journey and achievements of HBCU students and faculty. Let’s celebrate the spirit of making, the power of innovation, and the unique opportunities at HBCUs that drive innovation.
Report: https://lnkd.in/e2a7SxRr
