Explorations: Bridging to AI and Data Science Careers through Experiential Learning and Training

Award ID: 2526307

This ExLENT Explorations Track project serves the national interest by creating and implementing a transformative experiential learning opportunity in data science and AI for undergraduate students and adult learners. Designed to close the widening skills gap and broaden entry points into STEM careers, the initiative engages non-STEM undergraduates and adults from various backgrounds in a year-long, hands-on, data-science focused curriculum. By combining technical literacy, domain-specific application, and industry-embedded internships, the project aims to prepare participants with both data acumen and essential super skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, and decision-making. Through partnerships with local governments, community organizations, and small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) across Indiana, the project seeks to cultivate a multidisciplinary ecosystem that enhances regional economic resilience, fosters access to technology careers, and empowers young and adult learners alike to engage with emerging technologies. Rooted in interdisciplinary education, the initiative advances science and innovation for broad societal benefit. The primary goal of this project is to develop a transformative experiential education opportunity that unites participants from different fields and life stages to gain training in AI and data science. To achieve this, a structured curriculum integrates technical instruction, human-centered design thinking, and applied data science methods, tailored to the needs of a mixed-age cohort. Capstone projects, co-developed with industry and civil society partners, address real-world challenges and foster domain-informed problem solving. The experience culminates in an eight-week experiential internship with a local company. An external evaluator applies a mixed-methods framework to assess implementation fidelity, participant outcomes, and partnership quality, complemented by a longitudinal study to analyze graduates career trajectories and contributions. Dissemination targets academic, practitioner, and policymaking audiences through peer-reviewed publications and presentations that highlight new insights into mixed-age learning, cross-stage peer mentoring, and interdisciplinary training. By bridging education, workforce development, and community impact, the project contributes evidence for effective interdisciplinary and experiential learning models. The NSF ExLENT Program, supported by the NSF TIP and EDU Directorates, seeks to support experiential learning opportunities for individuals to increase their interest in and their access to career pathways in emerging technology fields. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF Program Director: Karen Crosby