Our project team has been fortunate to partner with a number of organizations. These partnerships have lead to funded initiatives that have impacted over 5000 teachers and their students over the previous ten years. Our work is being utilizined in China, India, and the United States through which our team’s work has impacted close to 2 million youth. Our R&D team has received close to $35,000,000 in funding and an additional $5,000,000 from foundations and other donors over the past 12 years. Most of our grants are included here, we have been fortunate to have some foundations that wish to remain anonymous support our work over the years. Unfortunately those proprosals cannot be shared.

    Building youth trajectories for success to college

    Principal investigator: Mike Barnett
    Co-PIs: Dr. Helen Zhang, Mr. Rajeev Rupani
    September 2020 - August 2021
    Amount: $90,000
    Agency: Anonymous Foundation

    Building a pathway for urban youth to college

    Principal investigator: Mike Barnett
    Co-PIs: Dr. Helen Zhang, Mr. Rajeev Rupani
    September 2018 - August 2020
    Amount: $160,000
    Agency: Anonymous Foundation

    Energy to Educate: Building teacher capacity around automation

    Principal Investigator: George Barnett
    Co-Principal Investigators: Helen Zhang, Rajeev Rupani
    Start Date: 05/01/2020
    Award Amount: $35,000
    Agency:  Constellation Energy

    Building a Youth-Led Learning Community through Automating Systems

    Award Number: 2048994
    Principal Investigator: George Barnett
    Co-Principal Investigators: Claudi Rinaldi, Maureen Kenny, David Blustein, Helen Zhang
    Start Date:  06/01/2021
    Award Amount: $1,414,733
    Agency/Program NSF: ITEST

     Interdisciplinary Approaches to Teaching Computational Environmental Science

    Award Number: 1814001
    Principal Investigator: George Barnett
    Co-Principal Investigators: R. Benjamin Shapiro, Ludovico Cademartiri, Helen Zhang, David Blustein
    Start Date:09/01/2018
    Award Amount: $1,519,631.00
    Agency/Program: NSF: STEM+C/DRK12

    Change Makers: Urban Youth Food Justice Ambassadors

    Award Number: 1713460
    Principal Investigator: George Barnett
    Co-Principal Investigators: David Blustein, Belle Liang
    Start Date:09/01/2017
    Award Amount:$2,032,296.00
    Agency/Program: NSF: AISL

    Broadening Participation by Middle-School Students in STEM via Integrating Hands-on Experiences in Science Learning (Science Theater)

    Award Number: 1811166
    Principal Investigator: Meghan Hill
    Co-Principal Investigators: George Barnett, Helen Zhang, Belle Liang;
    Organization: The Dorothy and Charles Mosesian Center for the Arts
    Start Date:11/01/2018
    Award Amount:$299,780.00
    Agency/Program: NSF: AISL

    Seeding the Future: Integrating Financial Literacy, Environmental Education, and Scientific Research through hydroponic food production

    Award Number:  2015-38414-24206
    Principal Investigator:  George Barnett
    Co-Principal Investigators:  Jameson Chace, David Blustein
    Start Date:  09/01/15
    Award Amount:  $250,000
    Agency/Program: NIFA:  SPECA

    Strategies: Seeding the Future of STEM researchers through emerging agricultural technologies

    Award Number: 1759152
    Principal Investigator: George Barnett
    Co-Principal Investigators: David Blustein, Ludovico Cademartiri, Belle Liang;
    Start Date:03/01/2018
    Award Amount:$1,198,658.00
    Agency/Program: NSF: ITEST

    IT and College Pathways through application of Technology to explore Urban Ecological Challenges

    Award Number: 0833624
    Principal Investigator: George Barnett
    Co-Principal Investigator:Eric Strauss, Charles Lord, David Blustein, Laura O'Dwyer, Franklin Reece
    Start Date:07/01/2009
    Award Amount:$1,499,812.00
    Agency/Program: NSF: ITEST

    Urban Ecology, Information Technology, and Inquiry Science for Students and Teachers

    Award Number :0525040
    Principal Investigator: George Barnett
    Co-Principal Investigator: Eric Strauss, Charles Lord, Maureen Kenny, Maureen Kenny, Maureen Kenny, David Blustein
    Start Date:10/01/2005
    Award Amount: $1,428,584.00
    Agency/Program: NSF: ITEST

    A Strategies Project - Seeding the Future: Creating a Green Collar Workforce Through Learning about Indoor Urban Farming Technologies and Alternative Energy Sources

    Award Number: 1312073
    Principal Investigator: George Barnett
    Co-Principal Investigator: Eric Strauss, David Blustein, Catherine Wong, Elizabeth Bagnani
    Start Date:08/01/2013
    Award Amount:$1,196,874.00
    Agency/Program: NSF: ITEST

    Seeding the Future: Growing STEM Learning and Interest through Hydroponic Food Production

    Award Number: 1223173
    Principal Investigator:George Barnett
    Start Date:09/15/2012
    Award Amount:$249,661.00
    Agency/Program: NSF: AISL

    An Integrated Approach to Creating STEM Career Pathways

    Award Number: 1512996
    Principal Investigator: George Barnett
    Co-Principal Investigators: David Blustein, Shamsi Moussavi, Laura Foote
    Start Date:01/15/2016
    Award Amount: $1,197,756.00;
    Agency/Program: NSF: ITEST

    Connecting Undergraduate Research with the Public through Innovative Technologies

    Award Number :1244936
    Principal Investigator: George Barnett
    Start Date:03/15/2013
    Award Amount:$199,714.00
    Agency/Program: NSF: TUES

    Urban Ecology Course Materials Created with a Universal Design for Learning Framework

    Award Number :0628143
    Principal Investigator: Eric Strauss
    Co-Principal Investigators: Tracey Hall, George Barnett, Katherine McNeill, Charles Lord;
    Start Date:10/01/2006
    Award Amount:$2,084,428.00
    Agency/Program: NSF:  IMD

    iCREAT: A pathway to middle-skill positions through the Introduction to Coding, Robotics, Electronics, And Technology

    Award Number: 1501451
    Principal Investigator: Shamsi Moussavi
    Co-Principal Investigators: George Barnett, Susanne Steiger-Escobar, Marina Bograd, Giuseppe Sena;
    Organization: Massachusetts Bay Community College
    Start Date:09/01/2015
    Award Amount:$891,414.00
    Agency/Program: NSF: ATE

    Transforming Elementary Science Learning through LEGO(TM) Engineering Design

    Award Number: 0633952
    Principal Investigator: Chris Rogers
    Co-Principal Investigator: Linda Jarvin, George Barnett; 
    Organization: Tufts University 
    Start Date:09/15/2006
    Award Amount: $998,145.00
    Agency/Program: NSF: REESE

    Developing an Integrated Pathway for Urban STEM Teaching and Learning in Grades 5-8

    Award Number :0639466
    Principal Investigator: George Barnett
    Co-Principal Investigators: Eric Strauss, Charles Lord, Katherine McNeill
    Start Date:01/01/2007
    Award Amount: $799,860.00
    Agency/Program: NSF:  AYS

    Inquiry-Based Learning Through Laboratory Exercises in Seismology: An Invitation to the World of Science Research

    Award Number: 0331227
    Principal Investigator: Alan Kafka
    Co-Principal Investigators: John Ebel, George Barnett
    Start Date:09/15/2003
    Award Amount:$177,220.00
    Agency/Program: NSF:  TUES

    Other Grants

    Co-Principal Investigator: Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS). Fall 2007 – Fall 2008, $60,000. This grant provides additional support and funding for the existing educational seismology program.  This grant builds upon the work of an earlier NSF grants and school district based grants.  Principal Investigator: Alan Kafka. Other Co-PIs: John Ebel

    Principal Investigator: HP Technology Initiative, HP Foundation, Summer 2007 – Fall 2008, approximately ~$68,000. This grant provided the Lynch School of Education with a cutting edge computing facilities. This grant provided the school 21 tablet PCs and supporting peripherals as well as $19,000 in funds to purchase additional materials and support students. This grant was made possible through the work conducted through the NSF ITEST funded grant.

     

    Principal Investigator: Exploratory Research in Urban Schools using an Ecological Science-Based Video Game, Fall 2006 – Spring 2007, $17,000 (Subcontract through Indiana University). This project focuses on implementing and researching the impact of an academic video game on student learning outcomes. This grant was a direct result from the work conducted through funding with the Boston College Collaborative Fund.

    Principal-Investigator, Women in Science and the Environment, $24,500.00, United States Department of Education, Spring 2005 – Fall 2006.  This was a sub-contract through the Boston Public Schools to better understand how project based learning influences girls and boys interest toward science and how such learning environments improve student achievement. Co-Principal Investigator: Thomas Higginbotham.

    Co-Principal Investigator, Inquiry-Based Learning through Recording Earthquakes in the Classroom: Inviting Students into the World of Science Research, $22,878.00, 6/1/04-9/30/05. Nashoba Valley Technical High School. Collaborators: Alan Kafka, John Ebel

    Co-Principal Investigator, Inquiry-Based Learning through Recording Earthquakes in the Classroom: Inviting Students into the World of Science Research, $2,500.00, 6/1/04-9/30/05. C.J. Prescott School. Collaborators: Alan Kafka, John Ebel