Denver's Couragion has won a $150,000 National Science Foundation Innovation Research Grant to improve awareness of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) careers. The woman-owned education technology is focused on STEM and how education can lead to fulfilling careers.
The company says its mission is to inspire kids to pursue skills, degrees, and careers in STEM. The company has developed an app that helps users understand what careers are possible with STEM-based education. Data shows 84 percent of users are traditionally underrepresented in STEM.
The company, which launched in 2014 is quickly expanding. The app is already being used at numerous schools in Denver and the app is available for iOS devices. Now it's working on a new project, which will be supported by the grant.
The grant aims to help improve awareness and perception of careers that require science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competencies. People who may be in the best position to influence children might expose children to certain bias when discussing potential career pathways. "If kids understood the opportunities, they could pursue academic pathways to amass skills that better prepare them to enter the workforce," the award states.
Couragion's project will use big data, perceived capacity building, continuous STEM programming and self-reflection to create a commercialized STEM career and self-discovery application and companion data visualization tool. "Career exploration and readiness focused on helping individuals select rewarding and suitable degrees, training, and careers will increase the likelihood that individuals stay in those careers, exhibit greater creativity, and decrease the number of people who invest in education they never use," the company says in a statement.
Contact Confluence Denver Innovation & Jobs News Editor Chris Meehan with tips and leads for future stories at chris@confluence-denver.com.
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