Strengthening Engineering Education for Tomorrow's Workforce

Engineering for US All (e4usa™) introduces all students to engineering and supports educators to prepare students successfully to be key contributors to the United States workforce. The curriculum features hands-on projects addressing real-world challenges, fostering creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration skills essential for future engineers.

Rooted in feedback from educators, the curriculum continues to evolve with new content and instructional resources. e4usa™ will improve and grow the usage of its end of course examination and the MyDesign® Learning Management System, which provides students and educators with a valid and reliable way to assess engineering design process portfolios. e4usa™ prioritizes teacher development with year-round professional learning opportunities, preparing both new and returning educators to implement the curriculum effectively and grow their pedagogical practices. Professional learning at e4usa™ will include the development of new professional development opportunities to support a wider audience and be responsive to the needs of educators.

In doing so, professional developments will continue to be designed in partnership with educators, and the e4usa™ Hub will be leveraged to increase engagement with professional developments and the e4usa™ curriculum. Elevating the impact of e4usa™, more institutions of higher education will join e4usa™ to offer college credit and placement to students completing e4usa™ in high school.

As e4usa™ increasingly scales, it will work to retain current e4usa™ educators and engage with new schools, districts, and states. Furthermore, the network of both universities and industries partnering with and supporting educators and students will grow through increased numbers of liaisons and funding. By continuing to grow all intertwined initiatives of e4usa™, e4usa™ seeks to transform the engineering education system and strengthen students’ readiness to join the United States workforce.

For the past 22-years, Engineering for US All (e4usa™) has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to the core mission of revolutionizing high school engineering education and building students’ skills to become tomorrow’s engineers. This mission guides e4usa™ as it continues to strengthen the landscape of the nation's educational system and be responsive to the demands for a highly skilled workforce.

To date, e4usa™ has strengthened engineering education for over 7700 students across 105 high schools. e4usa™ aims to continue and grow that impact by working closely alongside states and school systems across the nation. This mission guides e4usa™ as it continues to be malleable and responsive to the changing landscape of the nation's educational system and workforce demands.

In doing so, e4usa™ consists of many critical initiatives that are closely intertwined to continue to make an impact toward expanding engineering engagement for all students and educators. These initiatives support the intentional growth of the e4usa™ curriculum and teacher professional learning, including the scaling of the e4usa™ Hub. Evolving key technologies, including the MyDesign® Learning Management System, and leveraging technologies for the purposes of the end-of-course assessment further support students and teachers engaged in e4usa™.

Scaling the network of e4usa™ through colleges and universities granting credit and/or placement for students, as well as increasing partnerships with more states, schools, teachers, and students across the nation is essential to growth. Furthermore, strategic partnerships with other initiatives and organizations are key to the scalability of e4usa™.

As the premier choice for introducing engineering to all high school students, e4usa™ is a leader in showcasing the importance of building a deep understanding of engineering design principles in students, investing in the continual professional development of our nation’s educators, and helping to create a better future for citizens nationwide.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.