HBCU FACULTY INNOVATION LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE

OVERVIEW

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in partnership with the National Science Foundation (NSF) Historically Black Colleges & Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) is launching its inaugural HBCU Faculty Innovation Leadership Institute. The call for applications is now open. The Institute will provide training, research opportunities, grant opportunities, professional development, and resources in innovation-related areas to support and advance HBCU faculty leadership development. The cohort will learn from top stakeholders about topics including:  

  • Tech transfer & R&D commercialization 

  • Developing strategic partnerships & collaborations 

  • Developing innovation-related curriculum 

  • Identifying & applying for innovation-related grants 

The cohort will participate in an eight-month long commitment from October 2025 to June 2026. The sessions will be held synchronously via Zoom on the first Friday of every month from 12 - 1 pm ET.  

The course will culminate with a capstone presentation by the cohort in front of AAAS and NSF leadership at the AAAS Headquarters in Washington, DC (Date TBD) in June 2026.  

  • To participate in the Faculty Innovation Leadership Institute, participants must be able to meet the following requirements: 

    • Attend the institute orientation on October 3, 2025, from 12 – 1 pm ET 

    • Attend the monthly webinars scheduled on the first Friday of every month from 12 – 1 pm ET

    • Review the preparatory articles (pre-work) before each session:  

    • Submit all assignments prior to the following webinar 

    • Practically engage with the cohort  

    Failure to adequately engage in the institute will result in termination from the program. 

COURSE SCHEDULE

 

  • Read her bio here.

    STEM Program Director, AAAS 

    Orientation/Introduction to Innovation Frameworks Speaker.

  • Read his bio here.

    Interim Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and Research, Coppin State University 

    Orientation/Introduction to Innovation Frameworks speaker

  • Read her bio here. 

    Associate Professor, School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University

    Design Thinking speaker

  • Read her bio here.

    Associate Professor, George Mason University

    Leading Innovation Research speaker & Capstone office hours advisor

  • Read her bio here.

    Executive Director, Center for Applied Data Science & Analytics, Howard University 

    Grants and Resources to Advance Research & Innovation Capacity 

  • Read her bio here.

    Innovation Advisor, Innovator Connector

    Introduction to Tech Transfer & Commercialization speaker

  • Read her bio here.

    Founder, Consciously Funded

    Innovation-Related Curriculum Development speaker

  • Read her bio here.

    Founder & CEO, DataedX Group, LLC

     Leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI)

  • Read his bio here.

    Director, Higher Education Innovation Ecosystems, VentureWell 

    Strategic Partnerships & Collaborations to Advance Innovation Capacity speaker