AWARD YEAR: 2024

DUKE UNIVERSITY

DIRECTOR: MEGAN MADONNA

PROJECT TITLE: IGNITE: HUMAN-CENTERED ENGINEERING DESIGN TO CULTIVATE STEM IDENTITY AND BUILD COMMUNITY IDENTITY

Ignite is a human-centered design (HCD) program created by Duke University’s Center for Global Women’s Health Technologies and the Department of Biomedical Engineering in partnership with the Museum of Life and Science in Durham, NC. Ignite has three components: (1) Ignite Learners: an 8-week spring program for middle school students, (2) Ignite Makers: an 8-month academic year program for high school students, and (3) monthly HCD Sprints for families of middle and high school students. Each program aims to cultivate STEM interest and self-efficacy while valuing community identity in Durham and surrounding area students. This program challenges students to use STEM concepts and hands-on skills of tinkering and design to tackle community issues related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals of Good Health, Clean Water, Clean Energy, and Climate Action, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Ignite works with middle school students (Learners) and high school students (Makers) through immersive learning experiences, transitioning from guided to open-ended inquiry as students graduate from Learners to Makers. Throughout, undergraduate students serve as near-peer mentors, called Ignite Trainers, to promote continuous learning and empowerment while guiding students through the design process. Ignite seeks to democratize education and shift career pathways through accessible STEM programming by building positive perceptions and experiences in science and math through an engineering lens. Since 2021, Ignite has engaged over 200 North Carolina middle and high school students through Learners and Makers and many more through our HCD Sprints. This funding will reach another 300 students across three middle school and three high school cohorts of tinkerers.

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