2 QOL Grants and 1 PFRDG Grant Targeting Middle Schoolers, High Schoolers, and Children with ASD
Hui Fang Su Ed.D. is a Professor of Mathematics Education in the NSU Abraham S. Fischler College of Education & School of Criminal Justice. She has received multiple President’s Faculty Research and Development Grant (PFRDG) and Quality of Life (QOL) grants while at NSU, with three currently active and described below.
Tell me about your recent grant-funded project.
I currently have three active grants, two QOL grants and one PFRDG grant. The PFRDG grant is in the final stage. We presented our final findings including an international presentation in the UK. We also had a paper accepted and published by the World Academy of Sciences that compared two methods of teaching mathematics to children with autism. The other QOL grants I am involved in are implementing a STEM program at a middle school and a high school. The latter QOL grant is being implemented with high school female students and explores “STEAM” instead of “STEM” education. The “A” in STEAM stands for arts as we are including arts teaching in our intervention on STEM. An example of this includes implementing the use of Tai Chi while teaching physics and engineering. The students get hands-on exposure while attending the 15 workshops.
Who is working with you on this project?
My Co-PIs are Dr. Jia Borror and Dr. Teri Williams in Fischler. Dr. Williams is a guru in the field of the arts, and Dr. Borror helps with developing the arts components of this grant and coordinates workshops.
Can you tell me more about the role of the community partner in this project?
Our community partner is SLAM, a Palm Beach public charter high school. They provide our student population, a site to host the intervention, assistance when we meet on site, and help identifying student volunteers.
Do you have any students working with you on this project?
We will be having a Razor’s Edge student research assistant join us.
How does this grant intersect with your work at NSU?
My role in the College of Education is to teach mathematics. I share information collected under this grant with my graduate students who help me decide what’s the best way to present the information.
What advice do you have for other grant seekers at NSU?
Make sure you have a large impact idea. What you find can have a staggering impact more than you originally intended.
What is the next grant proposal or project on your agenda? What Is your hope for the outcomes in this project and expanding on It in the future?
I am hoping to bring STEM awareness to girls in their early education. The goal is to make this a nationwide program to intrigue girls with STEAM activities. We are currently looking for external grants to further our program implementation. We are excited to already see the students’ enthusiasm and our best outcome would be to fully engage them in the STEM field with the arts integrated.