The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is accepting applications for its Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) Program, which supports educational activities for pre-kindergarten to grade 12 (P–12) to ensure that students and teachers from all communities and regions of the country have the opportunity to pursue studies in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
SEPA has a long history of supporting projects at science centers and museums, including many ASTC members; for example, current awardees include the Academy of Natural Sciences at Drexel University, Exploratorium, New York Hall of Science, Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, and The Tech Interactive. Other eligible institutions include colleges and universities, research institutes, professional societies, publishers, and others.
SEPA focuses on two key STEM areas: 1) classroom-based projects for P–12 students and teachers, and 2) informal science education (ISE) projects conducted in external venues such as science centers, museums, and libraries. Projects that support quantitative and computational skills development are strongly encouraged. Audiences may include pre-college students, teachers, or the general public.
SEPA projects may focus on one or more of the following activities centered on any discipline of health research within NIH’s mission
- Courses for Skills Development: Courses in a specific discipline or research area that extend the STEM content normally taught in schools.
- Research Experiences: Hands-on exposure to research for pre-college students and teachers.
- Mentoring Activities: Provide participants with a perspective on the biomedical research training pathways and tools for overcoming challenges, navigating career transition points, and successfully transitioning into careers in the biomedical research workforce.
- Curriculum or Methods Development: STEM education resources to improve biomedical, behavioral, or clinical science education, or develop novel instructional approaches or computer-based educational tools.
- Outreach: Dissemination of STEM education resources or biomedical, behavioral and clinical research findings to students, teachers and the general public.
Although the SEPA program is administered by the National Institute of General Medical Science (NIGMS), more than 20 of NIH’s institutes, centers, and offices (ICOs) participate in the program and have their own areas of focus. Consult section I of the funding opportunity announcement for details about the scientific interests of the participating ICOs; the names of contacts, phone numbers, and email addresses at each ICO is in section VII.
A program director/principal investigator with an active SEPA award may submit another SEPA application if the proposed project is distinct from the active one. Refer to full eligibility details in section III of PAR-23-137. More than one SEPA application per due date may be submitted as long as each is scientifically distinct and doesn’t scientifically overlap an active SEPA award.
SEPA is reviewed by a panel of P–12 STEM and ISE experts. Peer review is in October/November, and NIGMS Council review is in January; award announcements are May through August. SEPA budgets are up to $250,000 plus 8% facilities and administrative costs per year for a maximum of five years. Next application receipt dates are June 7, 2024, and June 6, 2025. Refer to PAR-23-137 for details.
Pre-Application Webinar
Thursday, April 4, 2024
3:00–4:30 p.m. ET
Contact Dr. Tony Beck (beckl@mail.nih.gov) or the scientific contact at other participating ICOs with any questions.
Additional Information:
- Notification of Funding Opportunity: NIH Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) (PAR-23-137)
- SEPA Program Information on NIGMS website
- SEPA Website