Call for K-12 Outreach Initiative Proposals: Deadline 16 May 2022

The IEEE Signal Processing Society (SPS) is excited to announce a new initiative to support SPS member volunteers in the development of K-12 reusable learning modules and curated experiences that introduce and demonstrate signal processing ideas, techniques, and applications. “K-12” is a notion that refers to the pre-college educational years collectively, and commonly includes elementary, middle, and high schools.

The K-12 Outreach Initiative Program strives to increase the visibility of SPS and the signal processing discipline to K-12 students worldwide by developing exciting, impactful educational programs that utilize tools and applications with hands-on signal processing experiences. Successful proposals will demonstrate to students how signal processing concepts are ideated and executed and how they impact the world. Additionally, the program aims to create a pipeline of students that enter universities to pursue a signal processing related degree.  SPS encourages the development of K-12 outreach efforts that can bring the awareness of signal processing to students who belong to groups that are underrepresented in STEM fields regionally and/or globally.

The ability to give back to local communities is a cornerstone to the success of this program, and SPS member participation is vital. All proposals are required to provide ample opportunity for SPS members and volunteers to actively engage with and contribute to the initiative; direct involvement with K-12 students and/or teachers are strongly encouraged.  Proposal outputs should be easily replicated and sustainable, as well as provide public visibility to signal processing technologies and SPS.  Recognizing the primary responsibilities of local and national education infrastructure, this initiative is not designed to support general in-school or after-school activities in math, science, and coding. Proposals that partner with these activities and add signal processing related exposures or synergy will be considered.

This SPS initiative will consider providing up to US$10,000 in support for selected proposals to help offset the cost of the proposed effort.  To encourage partnership for a shared commitment to advance K-12 STEM education, favorable considerations will be given to proposals that have matching or in-kind contributions from other partner agencies or organizations.

A copy of the K-12 Outreach Initiative Proposal Form is included in the link below.

Submit your K-12 Outreach Initiative Proposal Today

Proposals for the K-12 Outreach Initiative Proposal are due no later than 16 May 2022 to Theresa Argiropoulos, Senior Manager, Operations at t.argiropoulos@ieee.org. Questions about the K-12 Outreach Initiative Program can be submitted to t.argiropoulos@ieee.org.