The Center for Professional Development and Education Reform's
Broader Impacts
Demonstrating and Increasing the Broader Impacts of STEM Research
The Broader Impacts team in the Center for Professional Development and Education Reform provides support in program design, consultation, connecting researchers with existing opportunities and community members, and developing broader impacts sections for federal grants. We are frequently listed as key personnel on grants to collaboratively develop, implement, and deliver programs.
We have specialized expertise in improving STEM education and educator development at all levels, including K–12. Additionally, we foster university–community partnerships that save time, enhance competitiveness, and build capacity, thereby amplifying the impact of the university’s STEM research within the broader community.
How does STEM research at the URochester benefit society and have broader impacts?
Empowers Educators
Empower K-12 educators to promote interest and skills for STEM careers by equipping them with innovative teaching strategies, advanced content knowledge, and the tools to inspire and prepare students for opportunities in emerging STEM industries.
Enhances Communication
Enhance bidirectional communication between STEM researchers and the community to ensure that scientific knowledge is accessible, relevant, and responsive to societal needs, while incorporating community perspectives into STEM education.
Fosters Scientific Literacy
Foster a scientifically literate society by engaging public with STEM research themes and promoting importance of STEM in everyday life.
Addresses Societal Challenges
Use STEM education and innovation to address societal challenges, improve individual well-being, and contribute to the betterment of communities.
Excels in STEM Education
Support K-12, undergraduate, and graduate STEM educators to lead transformative learning experiences by providing research-informed teaching tools, immersive training opportunities, and knowledge to connect the latest STEM advancements with their classrooms.
Builds Partnerships
Build strategic partnerships between the University of Rochester, the industry, K-12 school districts, and other relevant stakeholders to advance STEM education, research, and workforce development. Therefore, research and educational efforts are grounded in community needs and real-world.
At the Warner Center for Professional Development and Education Reform, we believe that research has the greatest impact when it is meaningfully connected to educators, learners, and communities. The Broader Impacts work highlighted on this page reflects our commitment to helping researchers translate their work into educational opportunities that extend beyond the university.
Ever Impacting.
Interested in strengthening the broader impacts of your STEM research?
The Warner Center partners with researchers to design meaningful outreach, education, and community engagement initiatives.Contact the Director to explore how Broader Impacts can extend the reach, relevance, and societal value of your work.
How do we develop a Broader Impact Project to increase awareness, visibility, and impact?
Working with K-12 Students and Teachers
A successful set of projects with researchers has been NSF grant funded opportunities to work directly with K-12 students and teachers in short institutes (teachers) or summer externships (students).
The role of Warner has been to co-develop with the PI such opportunities that translate and disseminate the science they propose to fund with community members as partners who then share their experiences, ways of thinking and communicating, with researcher
Regional Science Teacher Leadership Cadre
Annually, the Center for Professional Development and Education Reform facilitates the Regional Science Teacher Leadership Cadre. Science teacher leaders from across the region gather for four days of science and leadership professional learning.
Centered around the annual theme, URochester researchers contribute to the success of the program by delivering research talks. The talks provide an opportunity for URochester researchers to connect with a broader audience of STEM teachers and share about the excitement of their work. Talks have included professors, post-docs, and doctoral students.
We welcome expressions of interest from STEM researchers to support the development of an annual theme and contribute further through research talks.
URochester Biomedical Engineering Partnership
An evolving partnership has been with the school of Biomedical Engineering (BME) which started with an interested researcher (NSF, Early Career Grant) twelve years ago and has persisted as a supported doctoral student endeavor where we partner with elementary teachers who spend a day in BME laboratories engaging in hands-on experiences to understand engineering principles and the humans that engage in that research.
The reciprocity of this experience is that BME doctoral students benefit by designing and communicating their science to educators who help them revise and refine their communication practice, and the teachers gain deep insight into the identity development and practices of research engineers from a diverse group of doctoral students.
Our Partnerships
Working with K-12 Students and Teachers
A successful set of projects with researchers has been NSF grant funded opportunities to work directly with K-12 students and teachers in short institutes (teachers) or summer externships (students).
The role of Warner has been to co-develop with the PI such opportunities that translate and disseminate the science they propose to fund with community members as partners who then share their experiences, ways of thinking and communicating, with researcher
Regional Science Teacher Leadership Cadre
Annually, the Center for Professional Development and Education Reform facilitates the Regional Science Teacher Leadership Cadre. Science teacher leaders from across the region gather for four days of science and leadership professional learning.
Centered around the annual theme, URochester researchers contribute to the success of the program by delivering research talks. The talks provide an opportunity for URochester researchers to connect with a broader audience of STEM teachers and share about the excitement of their work. Talks have included professors, post-docs, and doctoral students.
We welcome expressions of interest from STEM researchers to support the development of an annual theme and contribute further through research talks.
URochester Biomedical Engineering Partnership
An evolving partnership has been with the school of Biomedical Engineering (BME) which started with an interested researcher (NSF, Early Career Grant) twelve years ago and has persisted as a supported doctoral student endeavor where we partner with elementary teachers who spend a day in BME laboratories engaging in hands-on experiences to understand engineering principles and the humans that engage in that research.
The reciprocity of this experience is that BME doctoral students benefit by designing and communicating their science to educators who help them revise and refine their communication practice, and the teachers gain deep insight into the identity development and practices of research engineers from a diverse group of doctoral students.