Friday Institute

Feb 7, 2020

Friday Institute Selects 2020 Graduate Research Fellows

Every year, the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation Executive Director selects a few graduate or doctoral students to become Friday Institute graduate research fellows. Learn more about the 2020 graduate research fellows. 

Jan 23, 2020

Friday Institute Partners with Vance County Schools to Bring Immersive Virtual Reality Technology Into Science Classrooms

With the help of a team from the NC State College of Education's Friday Institute for Educational Innovation, students at Vance County Schools have had the opportunity to conduct scientific investigations in ways that were never possible before. 

Jan 3, 2020

New Book from Professor Hiller Spires Guides Teachers Through the Use of Project-Based Inquiry, Disciplinary Literacy

The latest book from Hiller Spires, Ph.D., Alumni Distinguished Graduate Professor and executive director of the Friday Institute, helps teachers build students’ discipline-specific knowledge through project-based inquiry and disciplinary literacy. 

Nov 19, 2019

Hiller A. Spires Named Executive Director of Friday Institute for Educational Innovation, Associate Dean

Hiller A. Spires, Ph.D., will serve as executive director of the NC State College of Education’s William and Ida Friday Institute for Educational Innovation and associate dean, effective Wednesday, Nov. 20. 

Oct 31, 2019

NSF Grant Will Broaden Project-Based Inquiry (PBI) Global to Include STEM Learning Through An NC Rural/Urban School Partnership

A new grant from the National Science Foundation will allow Hiller Spires, Ph.D., and Erin Krupa, Ph.D., to expand the Project-Based Inquiry Global project to include STEM learning. 

Oct 18, 2019

STEM Education Researchers Gather at National Summit to Explore Next Big Ideas, Questions in STEM Education

On Thursday, Oct. 10, STEM researchers, policymakers and educators were given a forum to come together to discuss the definitions and implications of STEM at the National STEM Education Research Summit held at the NC State College of Education’s Friday Institute for Educational Innovation. 

Aug 15, 2019

Professor Hollylynne Lee Continues to Help Teachers Prepare Data Literate Students Through $2.9 Million NSF Grant

Professor Hollylynne Lee believes many high school graduates are underprepared with the necessary statistics and data science skills to pursue a STEM career. She is now using an NSF grant to curate and create online resources to help statistics teachers prepare data literate students. 

Jul 2, 2019

Associate Dean, Friday Institute Executive Director Carla C. Johnson Co-PI on Grant to Create Cybersecurity Apprenticeships

Carla C. Johnson, executive director of the Friday Institute and associate dean of the NC State College of Education, will serve as co-PI on a four-year, $12 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor focused on creating cybersecurity apprenticeships to help fill a growing need for cybersecurity professionals. Johnson will lead the conceptualization, design and implementation of the research plan and evaluation of the progress of Purdue University’s Cybersecurity Apprenticeship Program (P-CAP). NC State will receive approximately $1.2 million dollars across the four-year span of the program award. 

May 29, 2019

NC State Education Awarded $7.6M in Research Funding March-May 2019

Faculty and researchers at the NC State College of Education and its Friday Institute for Educational Innovation were awarded $7,643,909 to support 11 research projects from March 13 to May 15, 2019. 

May 16, 2019

Associate Dean and Friday Institute Executive Director Carla C. Johnson on STEM Education, What Shaped Her Work and Astronaut Buzz Aldrin

Carla C. Johnson, Ph.D., began her role as the executive director of the Friday Institute and associate dean at the NC State College of Education April 30. She provides strategic direction and leadership for the Friday Institute, including expanding and sustaining its success and operation in North Carolina and beyond. In this Q&A, she shares how she became interested in STEM education, what shaped her work and how she began working with astronaut Buzz Aldrin.