TLU awarded grant to inspire non-STEM majors University granted almost $300K for program focusing on quantitative studies

Texas Lutheran University is seeing the support for the second time this year from the National Science Foundation.

The National Science Foundation awarded the local university a $298,542 grant to help empower non-STEM majors, according to a TLU news release.

The grant is expected to go toward supporting the Mathematical and Statistical Projects Across the Curriculum: Empowering Non-STEM Students to Appreciate and Use Quantitative Modeling program.

The project, led by Information Systems Department Chair Reza Abbasian and math professor John Sieben, is meant to “improve attitudes, awareness, and use of quantitative modeling among students in the social sciences, applied sciences, arts, humanities and biology.”

While quantitative methods can create fear in students, Abbasin said he hopes this program will change that and encourage them to use it in their studies.

“Most areas outside of the STEM disciplines have kind of a negative view of quantitative modeling,” Abbasian said. “While you do still need some mathematical and statistical knowledge to complete certain tasks, it’s not like how it was maybe 30 years ago where you needed a lot of mathematical knowledge and lengthy calculations to do a project because there wasn’t any user-friendly software.”

The project design team plans to create a technology-based project as well as work with other faculty members, including those in such areas of study as philosophy, political science, kinesiology, psychology, biology and visual arts.

Abbasian added that he hopes the program helps people better understand the use of technology and that they can share their findings with other universities.

“During this project, we will give numerous presentations at regional and national meetings, sharing our work with the math and statistics community and beyond,” Abbasian said. “The archived material will be accessible to all and easily incorporated into courses. Use of these methods will strengthen students’ preparation for professional life and enhance critical thinking skills.”

This is the second time this year TLU has received a grant from the National Science Foundation. In March, TLU secured a $1.1 million grant to help grow the pool of high school STEM teachers in South Central Texas.

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Valerie Bustamante is a staff writer for the Seguin Gazette. You can e-mail her at valerie.bustamante@seguingazette.com .