The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced a $48 million investment to extend its support of the work of the NSF Broadening Participation in Computing (BPC) Alliances. These awards are designed to address systemic barriers and increase the participation of underrepresented groups in computer and information science and engineering, building a more inclusive and innovative computing community nationwide.
The NSF BPC Alliances serve as national resources for broadening participation in computing research and education, with each alliance tackling specific challenges and focusing on particular groups. Together, they have made significant strides in diversifying the computing field and advancing equity.
Greg Hager, Assistant Director for the NSF Computer and Information Science and Engineering Directorate, remarked, “These awards exemplify our commitment to continuously expand opportunities for underserved groups and break down systemic barriers in computing education and research. By investing in innovative programs that address disparities, we are not just broadening participation — we are building a more inclusive, creative, and robust computing workforce that will drive technological leadership for decades to come.”
About the NSF BPC Alliances
The NSF BPC Alliances are collaborative efforts across multiple institutions and organizations aimed at fostering diversity in computing fields. The new funding supports the following alliances:
- Computing Research Association, CRA-WP: CRA-WP will expand its successful mentorship programs to increase awareness of computing research for undergraduate students, help graduate students build research connections through virtual minicourses, and train faculty and graduate students to become effective mentors.
- Morehouse College, NSF iAAMCS: The Institute for African-American Mentoring in Computing Sciences (iAAMCS) continues its work in retaining and supporting Black doctoral students in computing, while enhancing its role as a national hub for information, networking, and mentorship.
- New Jersey Institute of Technology, NSF STARS: The STARS Computing Corps, which focuses on increasing the representation of Black, Hispanic, and women/non-binary students in computing, will expand its community-driven efforts through social justice-oriented service-learning projects.
- New York City Foundation for Computer Science Education, CSforALL: CSforALL aims to build a more inclusive CS education system by promoting equity-driven systemic change in K-12 computing education.
- University of Colorado at Boulder, NCWIT: The National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT) will focus on diversifying emerging research fields such as AI and quantum computing by expanding change leadership initiatives and promoting diversity in research labs.
- University of Washington, AccessComputing: AccessComputing seeks to increase the participation of people with disabilities in computing by engaging them in research, enhancing institutional capacity, and fostering collaboration to drive systemic change.
- University of Chicago, NSF LEAP: The NSF LEAP Alliance works to diversify leadership within computing faculty at research universities by building on strategies to increase diversity among future academic leaders.
- University of Texas at Austin, NSF ECEP: The Expanding Computing Education Pathways (ECEP) project addresses state-level systemic barriers in K-12 computing education and promotes equity-driven change through state-led initiatives.
- University of Texas at El Paso, NSF CAHSI: The Computing Alliance of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (CAHSI) focuses on increasing the number of Hispanic and underrepresented students completing doctoral degrees in computing and enhancing research capacity at Hispanic-serving institutions.
These alliances are working to build a more diverse and inclusive computing workforce by providing mentorship, resources, and support at multiple stages of the academic pipeline.
For more information on these NSF BPC Alliances and their impact on the computing field, visit the NSF website at new.nsf.gov/cise/broadening-participation.