Penn State Behrend is announcing five $500 grants to support full-time faculty in developing Open Lab projects for their courses. This initiative aims to encourage our collaborations with external partners, create meaningful, hands-on learning opportunities for students, and provide innovative solutions to stakeholder needs. The projects will be developed in collaboration with the Center for Educational Innovation (CEI) instructional designers. An Open Lab Grant is an exciting opportunity to innovate your teaching, enhance student learning, and strengthen Behrend’s connection to the broader community.
Grant Objectives
- Incorporate Open Lab Principles: Incorporate Open Lab activities into your course or project, integrating collaboration with an external partner, experiential learning for students, and tangible deliverables.
- Strengthen Real-World Connections: Develop a partnership with a business, non-profit, or government organization to bring authentic challenges to Behrend students.
- Enhance Student Experience: Provide students with career-building opportunities to solve real-world problems while meeting stakeholder needs.
- Create a Scalable Model: Design a course project that can serve as a model for other faculty interested in adopting the Open Lab strategy. Grant winners will be expected to partner with the Admissions and Strategic Communications on the creation of video, stories, and social media content related to their Open Lab project.
Grant Details
- Award: $500 per faculty member (five grants available).
- Eligibility: Open to all full-time Penn State Behrend faculty.
Before You Apply
Carol Putman, Charisse Nixon, Gamini Mendis, and Mike Rutter share what the Open Lab concept means to them and how it has shaped their teaching, research, and mentorship.
Ensure that your proposed project meets the definition of an Open Lab activity.
Open Lab activities require collaboration with an external partner. Before applying, you must have identified an external partner who is committed to collaborating on the project. For assistance with identifying an external partner, contact your School Director.
How to Apply
Complete the grant application, including the following:
- A description of your course/organization and how it will incorporate Open Lab principles.
- The external partner(s) who will collaborate with you on this project.
- A description of the project students will undertake and its intended deliverable(s).
- A timeline for redesign and implementation.
Timeline
- Applications Due: March 24, 2025
- Implementation: 2025/2026 Academic Year
Applications are now closed
Have questions about Open Lab Grants? Contact Jon Gunnell.
