2025-2026 BER News and Events
Last Update: October 6, 2025
News
The Importance of Early Math Education, a video highlighted in the August 2025 CADRE newsletter for NSF DRK-12 program, spotlights Art Baroody’s implementation research for his early numeracy tool, The Electronic Test of Early Numeracy (e-TEN). CADRE the (Community for Advancing Discovery Research in Education) has supported the NSF Discovery Research K-12 (DRK-12) program, and selected Art Baroody’s work to represent the impact of the now-closed funding program. C&I Emeritus Professor Art Baroody continues his work to complete development of the the eTEN tool, supported over more than 20 years by the Spencer Foundation, IES, NIH, and by NSF.
Research Events
Grant Writing: Best Practices for Competitive NIH Research Grant Applications. Offered by Columbia University College of Medicine. Oct 8, 2025, 11-1pm CT. Registration required.
GenAI Dialogues are back for Fall 2025. The recording of Episode 11: GenAI in Teaching and Learning: Integrate it or not? (held 9/30/2025) is now available. This monthly online and in-person event, a collaboration of SCD, Education, Gies, and CiTL, sparks inspiration for educators, technologists, researchers, students, or those just curious about AI. Come chat, engage in discussions, and see real-world examples. Interested attendees are free to sign up to share a 5-minute presentation. Series episodes to date are posted to GenAI Dialogues website.
- Doing Social-Environmental Research with Little to No Funding. NASEM session recording, slides and recommended resource list are now posted from the September 22, 2025 webinar. The session showcased practical, low-cost methods to sustain meaningful environmental and societal research during times of limited financial support. It was aimed at supporting graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and early-career faculty in environmental, social science, and associated disciplines.
Training Opportunities and Tools
- Statistics, Survey, and Data Consulting Services training is being offered by the CITL Data Analytics group for the Fall 2025 semester, both through Zoom and in person at the Media Commons. Supported software includes: R, SPSS, STATA, SAS, Python, Qualtrics, and Alchemer.
- The Research Support & Opportunities for the Humanities & Related Fields office (HARF) will convene a Next Project Group for faculty in the humanities, arts, and humanistic social sciences. Open Writing Hours places and times are offered. Contact the RAPD-HARF Office for information.
- Register: Intro to AI for Researchers - Group Workshop Series for PhD students and Postdocs. 4-session series, Wednesdays, October 8-29, 3:30-5:00PM. What is AI, is it useful for your research, and how can the University help support your exploration? 4-session workshop series for PhD students and postdocs to experiment with ways to use AI in their research process and reflect on its usefulness. IT professionals will lead hands-on exercises, followed by in-depth discussion. Topics include getting started with generative AI, ethics & privacy, and working with qualitative and quantitative data. Sponsored by the Graduate College and the Office of the Chief Information Officer. Registration Required.
- Serve as an NSF Reviewer, Help Make NSF Research More Actionable to Practice. If you would like to serve as a reviewer and panelist for proposals submitted to the NSF Translation to Practice (NSF TTP) program, please complete the reviewer interest survey. The NSF TTP program supports use-inspired research, translational activities, and partnerships that turn scientific discoveries into real-world solutions. Researchers can gain market insights, launch commercial applications and/or facilitate industry adoption. Responses are due 10/10/2025.
- Grantforward Funding Search Tool, for Education Researchers. Grantforward is a personalized funding search tool, free to UIUC faculty, students, and staff. An introductory workshop was held Tuesday, September 17th, 2024, a session tailored specifically for education researchers. The GrantForward Event Recording is available. Establish your own Grantforward Profile here.
Research Funding
- STEM K-12, a new funding program from NSF EDU will support innovative, multidisciplinary research that explores how AI and other emerging technologies can be leveraged to study and enhance STEM teaching and learning. No submission deadline. It replaces discontinued programs (AISL, CSforAll, DRK-12, TD; partially replaces ECR:CORE).
- A 9/4/25 NSF webinar introduced STEM-K12 (along with ITEST and RITEL). Zoom recording is available to view (use Passcode: KK..xiT7). Webinar slides are also available.
- ACLS Digital Justice Seed and Development Grants are due 11/20/25. Seed Grants and Digital Justice Development Grants diversify the digital domain, advance justice and equity in digital scholarly practice, and/or contribute to public understanding of racial and social justice issues. Grantees may work with the Nonprofit Finance Fund on developing long-term project financial plans.
- The NSF Translation to Practice program (TPP) includes EDU Directorate participation. Project activities identify and support use-inspired research and translational activities, develop partnerships and collaborations with other entities, promote and advance the education and training of students and postdoctoral researchers, identify future customer needs and opportunities. Exploratory proposals are accepted anytime.