Improving Access to Career and Educational Development (I-ACED) Program is a multi-institutional NSF-backed program integrating internships and research experiences to prepare talented, low-income students for careers in engineering and STEM fields through the Flexible Internships-Research-Education (FIRE) model of education.

Applying the FIRE model, this grant will support 220 students from low-income backgrounds seeking Master’s degrees in engineering, computer science, mathematics, and data science. Students will select from among disciplines in one of three technical tracks: biotechnology, sustainability and resilience, and digital twinning.

Five key partners are contributing to this grant, Jackson State University, Prairie View A&M University, Rice University, Texas Southern University, and the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC). In addition to supporting Master’s students, this program will employ and study the team-of-teams approach.

To read the full abstract about the grant, see this link.

I-ACED Objectives

This grant program has three main objectives:

  1. Increase the number of domestic low-income academically talented students with demonstrated financial need (S-STEM eligible) obtaining master’s degrees in I-ACED disciplines and entering the U.S. STEM workforce.
  2. Implement and evaluate the impact of the FIRE model, which integrates evidence-based strategies that provide student career and educational development support, on student success.
  3. Implement, study, and disseminate a multi-team system (MTS) model for multi-organizational collaboration toward career and educational development.

How I-ACED Works

Eligible students apply to the selected Master’s programs at I-ACED partner universities (see technical tracks below and visit our APPLICATION page). Upon confirming their FAFSA eligibility and full-time enrollment, the students may be eligible for the I-ACED Award which includes:

  • Up to $10,000 in tuition scholarship funds toward student’s education
    • NOTE: At Rice University, two types of I-ACED Awards are available: Full and Partial. A limited number of both Awards are available. The Full I-ACED Scholar Award comes with a Full tuition waiver for the Master’s program of choice at Rice University. The Partial I-ACED Scholar Award does not include the tuition waiver but does include the up to $10,000 in scholarship funds, all of the career and cohort support, and the paid trip to U.S. Army Engineer Research & Development Center.
  • Career and educational development professional and social support by faculty mentors and student cohorts
  • Ongoing scholar engagement activities during the academic year
  • Guided in-person tour of U.S. Army Engineer Research & Development Center facilities (expenses covered)
  • Coordinated internships or research experiences (locally or at the U.S. Army Engineer Research & Development Center)

The I-ACED Scholars can participate in multi-institutional cohorts based on their area of interest and the I-ACED Technical Track, allowing them to connect with the professional community and share educational experiences.