IUSE/Professional Formation of Engineers: Revolutionizing Engineering Departments | 19 614

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the NSF RED funding opportunity?

The National Science Foundation (NSF) funding opportunity "IUSE/Professional Formation of Engineers: Revolutionizing Engineering Departments" (RED) is a discretionary grant program focused on deep, department-level transformation in undergraduate engineering and computer science education.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this solicitation?

The Funding Opportunity Number is 19-614.

What is the main goal of RED?

RED aims to drive meaningful, lasting improvement in how engineering and computer science departments educate and support undergraduates, with an emphasis on organizational and cultural change (not just isolated course redesigns). The end goal is to produce graduates who are better prepared to think, act, and identify as professional engineers.

What problem in undergraduate engineering education is RED trying to address?

RED starts from the observation that while first-year experiences and senior capstone design have improved in many places, the "middle" of the curriculum (especially sophomore and junior years) often does not consistently deepen the professional and integrative competencies students need for capstone design and real engineering practice. RED is intended to help departments create a coherent developmental pathway across the full curriculum.

How does RED relate to NSF's IUSE and PFE efforts?

RED is positioned within NSF's Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) framework and the Professional Formation of Engineers (PFE) initiative, building on prior progress in first-year engineering improvements and stronger senior capstone design experiences.

Which NSF directorates support RED?

RED is supported by multiple NSF directorates, including Engineering (ENG), Education and Human Resources (EHR), and Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE).

Is RED focused on engineering only, or does it include computer science?

The opportunity is described as targeting undergraduate engineering and computer science education, with explicit support from NSF's Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) directorate.

What kinds of changes does RED encourage departments to make?

RED emphasizes department-level transformation that can include cultural, organizational, structural, and pedagogical changes. Examples described from prior RED-funded efforts include rethinking what content is considered foundational (the "canon"), restructuring how courses fit together, building new departmental structures, and creating stronger educational collaborations with industry.

Does RED fund individual course redesigns?

RED emphasizes that meaningful, lasting improvement requires more than isolated course redesigns. Projects are expected to pursue organizational and cultural change at the department system level, rather than incremental tweaks.

What parts of the curriculum are projects expected to focus on?

A key expectation is that projects center on the department's disciplinary courses and the overall program, not just introductory experiences or standalone capstone enhancements. Particular attention is placed on strengthening the sophomore and junior years to support a coherent developmental arc across the undergraduate experience.

Why does RED emphasize the sophomore and junior years?

The program description highlights that students may experience an engaging first year and a strong capstone in the fourth year, but lack a coherent pathway in between. RED seeks to strengthen the middle years so students repeatedly practice and deepen the skills and mindsets expected in professional practice.

What student skills and outcomes does RED aim to develop across the curriculum?

RED highlights both technical competence and professional capacities associated with engineering practice and capstone design, including decision-making, reflective judgment, teamwork, and communication, developed progressively rather than left to the end of the program.

What are the two RED tracks?

The solicitation is organized into two tracks: (1) RED Innovation and (2) RED Adaptation and Implementation (RED-A&I).

What is the RED Innovation track?

RED Innovation supports teams that want to develop and test new, potentially high-risk/high-reward approaches and change strategies capable of transforming undergraduate engineering education. These projects focus on creating genuinely new models, structures, and cultures within departments.

What is the RED Adaptation and Implementation (RED-A&I) track?

RED-A&I is focused on spreading what works by helping departments adapt and implement evidence-based organizational change strategies that have shown promise in other contexts. It emphasizes thoughtful translation to local circumstances rather than copying a model verbatim.

How is RED-A&I different from simply replicating a successful program?

RED-A&I recognizes that departmental culture, institutional constraints, student populations, and regional workforce needs vary widely. The track focuses on adapting and implementing proven strategies in a way that fits local conditions, rather than duplicating another department's approach exactly.

Do RED projects need to involve stakeholders beyond faculty?

RED calls for organizational and cultural change inside departments that involves faculty, students, and staff, and often includes industry partners, to rethink what an engineering program is, how it is delivered, and how students are supported in becoming engineers.

What role can industry partnerships play in RED projects?

The program description notes that prior RED-funded efforts have created stronger educational collaborations with industry. More broadly, the opportunity envisions community-engaged transformation and often includes industry partners as part of departmental change efforts.

What is the award instrument for this opportunity?

The award instrument is a grant.

What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The award ceiling listed for this solicitation is $2,000,000.

How many awards does NSF anticipate making under this solicitation?

The opportunity lists an anticipated six awards.

What CFDA numbers are associated with this funding opportunity?

The CFDA numbers listed are 47.041 and 47.076.

When was the solicitation created?

The solicitation was created on September 25, 2019.

What was the original closing date for proposals?

The original closing date listed is February 7, 2020.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with additional clarification referenced in the solicitation's eligibility section.

What kind of department is RED best suited for?

Based on the program description, RED is aimed at departments ready to commit to sustained, evidence-informed, and community-engaged transformation that changes how engineering education is structured and experienced across the full curriculum.

Is RED focused on incremental improvements or transformative change?

The unifying theme of RED is transformation at the departmental system level rather than incremental tweaks, with an emphasis on lasting organizational and cultural change.

What does RED mean by creating a "coherent developmental arc"?

It refers to designing the undergraduate program so that students build and deepen technical and professional competencies in a connected way from the first year through the capstone, with the middle years intentionally supporting and extending what students learn early on.

Can a RED project focus only on first-year improvements or only on the capstone?

The program description indicates that projects should not focus only on introductory experiences or standalone capstone enhancements. Instead, they are expected to center on the department's disciplinary courses and overall program, strengthening the full pathway across the undergraduate curriculum.