Seminole State secures $440,217 grant from the National Science Foundation

Seminole State College of Florida has received a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant totaling $440,217 to be paid over the next three years. The grant comes from the NSF Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) program, and Professor of Biological Science Dr. Maya Byfield will serve as principal investigator (PI). This is the second NSF grant Byfield has secured.  

The Benefits of Undergraduate Research

Historically, undergraduate courses are not as research-focused as graduate-level classes. However, introducing the practice to students earlier benefits them academically and professionally. The goal of the grant is to build student and faculty capacity in data-driven undergraduate research while strengthening STEM workforce preparation.

“Conducting research turns a student's curiosity into capability. Many students do not realize the opportunities available to them or the impact they can have through research. At the same time, faculty play a critical role in recognizing and developing student potential,” said Byfield. “This project is a dual effort, expanding research opportunities for students while empowering faculty to serve as mentors who challenge students to achieve more than they thought possible. These skills and experiences better prepare students for STEM workforce opportunities or furthering their education in STEM-related programs.”

By studying and conducting research, students build skills in data literacy, critical thinking, communication, problem solving and more. This knowledge helps them not only in their academic career path, but also in any field they choose to pursue.

IUSE in Action

In addition to Byfield, the PI team includes co-PIs:

• Dr. Debra Socci, distinguished professor of biological science
• Dr. Marisol de Jesus Berrios, professor of biological science
• Dr. Simone Nelson, professor of biological science
• Dr. Modupe Soremi, professor of economics

The award began in October 2026 and runs for three years, finishing in September 2029. The grant will establish a Faculty Community of Practice focused on undergraduate research, mentoring, research skills and integration of research experiences into courses. Seminole State’s eLearning department and the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning will assist in developing and supporting the community.

For students, the grant expands undergraduate research opportunities in research-specific courses as well as the courses that integrate the experiences into the pre-existing curriculum. Eligible students in the specific STEM research courses, ISC2530 Introduction to STEM Research and ISC2531 STEM Research, may receive stipends associated with their work and participate in conferences.

In February, Byfield will take select students participating in the research courses to the Florida Undergraduate Research Association conference. These experiences reinforce scientific collaboration and provide chances for students to practice networking, public speaking and sharing what they have studied.

The courses will be available across the Sanford/Lake Mary and Altamonte Springs campuses and the Lee Campus at Oviedo. Integrating research into undergraduate courses utilizes high-impact practices that promote active learning and real-world applications. Research practices will also be implemented in relevant Summer Bridge courses, introducing these skills to recent high school graduates and providing a pipeline to ISC2530 and ISC2531. The PIs will also work with the Grindle Honors Institute, which hosts an undergraduate research symposium, to recruit students into the relevant courses and support more opportunities for honors students in STEM departments.

The Power of Grants

As Your Learning Partner for Career Success, Seminole State is constantly looking for ways to evolve and improve its practices to serve students and meet the region’s needs for qualified, workforce-ready graduates. Through community, state and federal grants, the College can not only invest in the success of individual learners, but develop curriculum and staff to lay the foundation for programs that prepare students to meet the challenges of tomorrow.

“In the world of grants, an NSF grant is like winning the lottery,” said Dr. Jennifer Keefe, director of grants development at Seminole State. “It takes a lot of work to get a major grant, but they are incredible opportunities to grow cross-departmental relationships as programs are planned, built out and sustained. Seeing this team come together to create this proposal, and then seeing it awarded, makes me so proud. They’re poised to do great things that will impact students for years to come.”

The grant period will culminate in a final evaluation. Afterward, Seminole State will share its results and best practices with colleges throughout the country, so more institutions can effectively integrate undergraduate research.