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$3 Million NSF Grant Will Build Numeracy Education Infrastructure
July 1, 2025
A new education initiative developed at Lehman by Professor of Sociology Esther Wilder was awarded a five-year, $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to create an online hub that helps students and educators build skills in working with numbers and data—known as quantitative literacy. The project, called the STEM Hub for Innovation in Numeracy Education (SHINE), marks Wilder’s fifth NSF-funded project in numeracy education.
“I've seen how building confidence in data analysis and numeracy can open doors for students, both academically and professionally,” she said.
With a goal to become a national center for training and resources, the program will support colleges in Arizona, Texas, and New York, including Lehman and LaGuardia Community College.
The grant will train approximately 50 faculty, and 100 students will participate in an intensive Data Analysis Research Program. Thousands more students will take part in courses taught by participating faculty.
“My hope is that our research can contribute to a deeper understanding of which teaching practices, mentoring approaches, and learning environments lead to meaningful improvements in students’ data analysis skills,” Wilder said. “Just as importantly, I hope we can identify strategies that help students develop more positive attitudes toward quantitative methods and see these tools as relevant, meaningful, and empowering in both academic and real-world contexts.”
SHINE will also include a repository of resources connecting students with internships, job opportunities, and educational pathways.