Collaborative Research: CISE-MSI: RCBP-ED: CCRI: TechHouse Partnership to Increase the Computer Engineering Research Expansion at Morehouse College

The award expands a symbiotic, sustainable alliance between a top-five engineering program, Georgia Tech, and a top-five HBCU, Morehouse College, with a primary end goal of increasing the number of African American students who possess knowledge of both computer science AND computer engineering to help address national needs like semiconductor manufacturing. With the passing of the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, it is not only a goal of the nation to increase jobs and strengthen supply chains but of national security. Many of these emerging jobs will require advanced degrees in electrical and computer engineering. With the cost of equipment, labs, and faculty to teach in graduate programs, strategic partnership maximizes the yield of engineers and researchers needed to work in these roles. To achieve this goal, the grant is centered around increasing the research infrastructure in the Department of Computer Science at Morehouse College. Support will come from a collective effort from Georgia Tech. However, the College of Electrical and Computer Engineering will serve as the primary college at Georgia Tech supporting this effort. Project activities included in the grant are organized visits to Georgia Tech research labs, regular meetings to discuss collaboration goals, pre-freshman summer research program integration, conference travel, and academic support for participating Morehouse students. The partnership aims to train Morehouse students who may consider returning to Morehouse as postdoctoral researchers, research scientists, or faculty after completing their graduate degree at Georgia Tech. Two computer science faculty members from two other Atlanta HBCUs (Spelman College and Clark Atlanta University) will also be invited to participate in meetings for eventual collaboration on future NSF proposals. Graduating students who participated in the program’s activities may go on to dual degree and graduate programs outside of Georgia Tech, creating a nationwide funnel of CHIPS talent. 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.