Special Projects and Initiatives Mission
The Office of Special Projects and Initiatives works to develop and implement innovative programs designed to improve Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education and related areas. The primary goal of the office is to advance STEM education and related areas locally, nationally, and internationally through projects that impact students, faculty, and staff.
The office engages cross-disciplinary teams of faculty and staff to create projects for innovative approaches to teaching, research, service, and outreach in STEM and related areas. Current projects include increasing student retention in STEM disciplines, facilitating international collaboration between US, European, and African scientists, supporting underrepresented minorities and persons with disabilities in STEM, building the capacity for higher education in least developed countries, providing research opportunities locally and internationally for undergraduate students, and promoting STEM education throughout Alabama's Black Belt Region and beyond.