IUSE/Professional Formation of Engineers: Revolutionizing Engineering Departments

The IUSE Professional Formation of Engineers: Revolutionizing Engineering Departments program is administered by the National Science Foundation as part of its broader mission to advance science, engineering, and education across the United States. The program builds on prior investments in engineering education and seeks to address systemic gaps in how engineering students are prepared for professional practice. While earlier reforms have improved first-year and capstone experiences, the middle years of undergraduate engineering education remain underdeveloped. This program aims to catalyze transformational change across entire engineering departments rather than incremental improvements, aligning educational structures with the evolving demands of the engineering profession and society. The primary objective of the program is to support revolutionary approaches that fundamentally reshape engineering education. Projects funded under this opportunity are expected to address organizational, cultural, structural, and pedagogical changes within departments. The program is structured into four tracks: Planning, Adaptation and Implementation, Innovation, and Innovation Partnerships. These tracks collectively support activities ranging from capacity-building and proposal development to large-scale implementation of new educational models and multi-institution collaborations. Emphasis is placed on integrating technical and professional skills throughout all four years of undergraduate study, ensuring students develop competencies aligned with real-world engineering challenges. Funding varies by track, with Planning awards offering up to 75000 dollars per year for up to two years, while Innovation and Partnership awards may reach up to 2500000 dollars over five years. The program’s total anticipated funding ranges from 7000000 to 8000000 dollars. Funds may be used for activities such as curriculum redesign, faculty development, organizational restructuring, industry collaboration, and research into engineering education practices. Cost sharing is not required and voluntary cost sharing is prohibited. Projects are expected to result in sustainable institutional change and to be integrated into departmental operations beyond the funding period. Eligibility is limited to accredited two- and four-year institutions of higher education located in the United States, including community colleges. Proposals must be submitted on behalf of faculty, and the Principal Investigator must be a department chair or equivalent leader with authority to implement departmental change. In certain cases, a dean or senior administrator may serve as PI if they are directly responsible for leading the transformation. Planning track proposals have additional eligibility requirements, including focus on specific institution types such as minority-serving institutions, primarily undergraduate institutions, or institutions in EPSCoR jurisdictions. Applications must be submitted through Research.gov or Grants.gov in accordance with NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide requirements. Required components include a detailed project description, budget justification, evaluation plan, dissemination strategy, and supporting documentation such as letters of commitment and participant lists. Proposals are evaluated based on NSF’s merit review criteria, including intellectual merit and broader impacts, as well as program-specific considerations such as faculty development and sustainability of change. Reviewers assess the feasibility, innovation, and potential long-term impact of proposed projects. The program operates on a recurring annual schedule with multiple deadlines. A full proposal deadline occurred on September 10, 2024, followed by April 8, 2025, and continuing annually on the second Tuesday in April. Additional deadlines for Planning track proposals occur annually on the second Tuesday in September. Proposals must be submitted by 5 p.m. local time of the submitting organization. NSF typically provides funding decisions within approximately six months of submission, although timelines may vary depending on proposal complexity. Program contacts include multiple NSF program officers who provide guidance on proposal development and submission. Applicants are encouraged to review all solicitation materials carefully and ensure compliance with current NSF policies. The program reflects NSF’s broader commitment to strengthening the engineering workforce, promoting diversity and inclusion, and advancing innovative educational practices that prepare engineers to address complex societal challenges.

Focus on transformational departmental change rather than incremental improvements; align proposal with intellectual merit and broader impacts; demonstrate sustainability and faculty engagement