IUSE/Professional Formation of Engineers: Revolutionizing Engineering Departments

The National Science Foundation (NSF), through its Directorate for Engineering and Directorate for STEM Education, administers the IUSE/Professional Formation of Engineers: Revolutionizing Engineering Departments (RED) program. This initiative falls under the broader Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) framework, aiming to transform undergraduate engineering education. RED is designed to catalyze radical departmental change by shifting cultural, structural, pedagogical, and organizational elements within engineering education. The program builds on the success of prior NSF investments in improving first-year experiences and capstone design but identifies the sophomore and junior years as critical gaps where professional formation and technical integration have been inconsistent. The RED program supports four distinct tracks. Track 1, RED Planning, provides capacity-building funds to institutions that serve as feeders into engineering programs or are strategically important to NSF’s mission, including two-year colleges, Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), institutions in EPSCoR jurisdictions, and Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs). These grants help institutions assemble teams, develop goals, and build toward competitive proposals for Tracks 2, 3, or 4. Track 2, Adaptation and Implementation, supports the contextualized adoption of proven change strategies. Track 3, Innovation, funds completely new approaches that challenge and replace traditional engineering education models. Track 4, Innovation Partnerships, builds on Track 3 but requires collaboration across multiple institutions, particularly including two-year colleges or underrepresented institutions. Eligible institutions include accredited two- and four-year U.S. institutions of higher education acting on behalf of their faculty. Proposals must be led by a department chair or equivalent who can drive institutional change, or a dean or senior leader if appropriate. Track 1 is exclusive to eligible IHEs falling under specific designations (MSI, PUI, EPSCoR, or two-year transfer institutions). Each proposal must include a clear vision for revolutionary change, address systemic barriers, and show how planning funds will develop actionable goals, team dynamics, and research capacity for future full-scale efforts. The RED program anticipates making 13 to 19 awards across all tracks, with Track 1 receiving between 10 and 13 of those. Track 1 grants are capped at $75,000 per year for up to two years. Track 2 awards are capped at $1 million, while Track 3 projects may range from $1 million to $2 million. Track 4 awards range from $1.5 to $2.5 million, each over a period of up to five years. The total estimated program funding is between $7 and $8 million annually, contingent on available funds. Cost sharing is not required, and inclusion of voluntary committed cost sharing is explicitly prohibited. The next deadlines for full proposals are September 10, 2024, and April 8, 2025. The program is recurring with future deadlines on the second Tuesday of April and September annually. All proposals must be submitted via Research.gov or Grants.gov, and applicants are encouraged to consult the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) and submit a concept outline at least 30 days in advance of the deadline. For Track 1, the proposal title must begin with "Planning: IUSE/PFE:RED Planning". Contact details for the program include Alice L. Pawley (apawley@nsf.gov), Christine Delahanty (cdelahan@nsf.gov), and Matthew A. Verleger (mverlege@nsf.gov), who can assist with questions regarding eligibility and project planning.