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FARMINGTON — The University of Maine at Farmington has received a National Science Foundation grant of $96,377 to engage rural students with disabilities in science, technology, engineering and math learning through its makerspace.
The innovative UMF incubator makerspace, Maine-Makerspaces for Abilities Driving Entrepreneurship is in the Mantor Library Learning Commons. It is currently available to the University community, with plans to be open to members of the public of all abilities and disabilities.
A makerspace is an area that contains materials and tools for people to work together to learn, collaborate, create and share. They provide hands-on, creative ways to encourage students to design, experiment, build and invent as they deeply engage in STEM.
Over a 16-month period of the NSF planning grant, UMF and its current partners, the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance and the Mt. Blue Middle School will focus on developing activities, including, outreach to K-12 schools throughout the state.
“UMF has a long history of providing exceptional instruction in teacher education, rehabilitation services, and arts and science,” said Edward Serna, UMF president. “We are so honored by this NSF grant that will amplify our faculty’s expertise to benefit the youth in our region, around the state, and across the nation.”
The NSF grant will build on the progress of a three-year, $300,000 grant received from the University of Maine System’s Maine Economic Improvement Fund in spring 2020.
In its award notice, the NSF acknowledged that the shortage of readily available, evidence-based inclusive STEM curriculum and technologies that capitalize on rural educational opportunities for students with disabilities is a major obstacle for utilizing accessible makerspaces, especially in rural areas.
