Thanks so much for your interest in the "Funds of Knowledge" project at UC Berkeley! Please enter in your information below to stay in touch with researchers about this project. Through this form you can ask questions, offer suggestions or feedback, or be added to our contact list in order to be notified about ways to get involved.

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OVERVIEW:

In this project, we are designing a new model for undergraduates to conduct research (in biology and chemistry-related fields), and re-working the “matching” process, so that it’s based on shared interests. Students will first learn technical skills from their mentors, and then design a research project based on their own lived experiences, and funds of knowledge from their “home community.” We hope that this culturally-inclusive approach will help students to co-create knowledge sooner, and will also “give back” to the communities they come from. In this work, there is a special focus on meeting the needs of first and near-first generation to college STEM majors who begin their studies at a community college.

Current funding comes from the NSF GRFP (although this is ending soon), the Berkeley Graduate School of Education through the Barbara White Fund, and the Berkeley Graduate Division through the SMART program.

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GETTING INVOLVED:

We ask that you provide us with some information about yourself, so we know what kind of information to send you. For students, we have some surveys coming, and your perspectives can help to shape the ways in which we think about supporting students. If you are a faculty member at a 2-year or 4-year school, we'll have a survey for you and your colleagues, and we hope that you'll help us test out the materials we generate. And, we also want to hear from researchers who have had experience working with students, or who would like to learn more about mentoring students who are interested in STEM careers.

Basically, we welcome ANYONE who would like to be involved, and make a contribution. This research is all about community, after all.  

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The primary contact and author of this work is Laleh Coté, and you can send her an email directly at LalehCote@berkeley.edu, or connect on Twitter at @LalehEsmaili.

For social media lovers, the hashtag for this project is #CCFoKinSTEM.