U.S. Representative Kathleen Rice (NY-04) today announced that the National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded a $314,155 federal grant to Nassau Community College (NCC) for its project, “Collaborative Research: Broadening Participation in Computing through Authentic, Collaborative Engagement with Computing for the Greater Good.” The project will expand computer science education at NCC with a focus placed on the societal benefits of computing in order to increase and broaden participation in the computer science program.
“With nearly every aspect of our society becoming increasingly connected to the Internet, it is imperative that we do more to strengthen and expand computer science education,” said Rep. Kathleen Rice. “We need more qualified computer scientists to fill the jobs of the 21st Century economy, and that starts by getting more students into these programs. I am thrilled the NSF has awarded these federal funds to Nassau Community College to expand its computer science offerings, which will widen their appeal and attract new students.”
“At Nassau Community College we are committed to providing our students with relevant and high quality academic experiences necessary to ensure they leave NCC with a credential of economic value and the qualities necessary to be an engaged member of the community,” said Dr. Jermaine Williams, President, Nassau Community College. “We are honored the NSF has awarded the College this grant and are very grateful to our talented and dedicated faculty members who were instrumental in obtaining the funds. This grant will allow the College to broaden participation in our Computer Science programs, an important step in increasing the number of computer science graduates which directly correlates to the critical economic need to grow the computing workforce.”
The NSF-funded project is a collaboration between five institutions: Nassau Community College, Drexel University, Western New England University, Worcester State University, and Dickinson College. It will enable students to learn contemporary software engineering and develop professional skills, while gaining first-hand experience with the positive impact that computing can have on society. Further information on the project and grant award can be found here.
NSF is an independent federal agency that supports research, innovation, and discovery to provide the foundation for economic growth in the United States.
