Nashville, TN, USA, June 27, 2011 - Fisk University today announced it has been awarded a $150,000 grant to participate in the HP Catalyst Initiative, a global social innovation program designed to develop more effective approaches to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education. The network of educational institutions belonging to the program will use an interdisciplinary approach and emphasize creativity, collaboration and cross-cultural expertise to transform STEM teaching and learning, and to inspire students to use their technical and creative ingenuity to help address immediate social challenges.  

At Fisk, the grant will be used to introduce and expand online teaching technologies to include virtual labs, web-based computer simulations, webinars as well as STEM lectures and courses. As one of 55 institutions selected for this initiative, Fisk will collaborate with HP Catalyst peer institutions to share these teaching and learning resources.

"Working with HP and joining the Catalyst Initiative give our students new resources to be creative and collaborate globally to examine new ways of problem solving to create positive changes in our communities,"said Fisk Assistant Professor and Coordinator of Computer Science Dr. Lei Qian.

Through the HP Catalyst Initiative, HP has invested more than $10 million since 2010 and engaged more than 55 educational institutions in

15 countries to further innovation in STEM education. As a new member of this distinguished international network, Fisk University will join the HP Catalyst Multi-Versity and receive a grant of HP technology, financial contributions and professional support valued at more than $150,000.

"Education has the power to transform the lives of individuals and communities. By bringing together leading education organizations to work in collaboration, HP is creating an international network of innovative educators who are showcasing new and powerful student-centered approaches to STEM education," said HP Vice President of Global Social Innovation Gabi Zedlmayer.

About The HP Catalyst Initiative

The HP Catalyst Initiative created five global consortia in 2010, each focusing on a specific theme focused on transforming STEM education.

These "sandboxes" of innovation are developing new approaches to teacher preparation, online education, technology to measure learning outcomes, and engagement with students in global, collaborative learning experiences. In 2011, an additional 14 organizations have been funded as members in one of the five existing HP Catalyst consortia. The program also is adding a sixth theme, "STEM-preneur," to focus specifically on novel ways to combine STEM education with the skills and passion of entrepreneurship. In total, 21 organizations from 12 countries join the network of leading institutions that are transforming STEM+ teaching and learning.

About Fisk University

Founded in 1866, Fisk is Nashville's first university. U.S. News and World Report ranks Fisk in the elite Tier One group of 246 liberal arts institutions selected for the distinction among the 1,400 colleges and universities in the nation. Fisk is one of only three HBCUs ranked in Tier One. Fisk is one of six historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) listed in Forbes Magazine's "America's Best Colleges" and the University has been ranked nineteen consecutive years in The Princeton Review's "Best 373 Colleges" publication. Fisk has earned three R & D 100 Awards for work in the creation of radiation detectors developed in collaboration with several National Laboratories and Corporations. No other HBCU has earned an R & D 100 Award.

According to the National Science Foundation, Fisk produces more African Americans who go on to earn doctoral degrees in the natural sciences than any school in the nation.