University of Texas at Austin
Project Title
As one time funding for a project modeling the effects of nuclear use in outer space as part of a Request for Proposals on “Emerging Technologies and Nuclear Weapon Risks"
Date
Sep. 11, 2025
Duration
24 months
Description
Recent public reports suggest that the risk of nuclear use in outer space is rising. However, the consequences of such an event remain poorly understood. Existing public knowledge related to nuclear explosions in space relies on outdated data that does not reflect the modern commercial and military space environment. The University of Texas at Austin will apply updated modeling techniques to examine how nuclear detonations in space would affect key military and civilian satellite constellations across different orbits, as well as ground-based electrical and electronic infrastructure. The study will also estimate the potential economic and socio-political impacts of these disruptions. The findings will inform practical policy recommendations to reduce security vulnerabilities and identify diplomatic strategies to lower the risk of nuclear use in space.
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Project Title
As a final core support grant to the Charles A. Dana Center
Date
Dec. 12, 2024
Duration
12 months
Description
Established in 1987, the Charles A. Dana Center at The University of Texas at Austin (the Center) develops and scales effective mathematics and science innovations to support educators, administrators, and policymakers in creating seamless transitions throughout K–12 and postsecondary education for every student. The Center seeks to empower the next generation of students who understand the purpose, power, and relevance of mathematics and science in their roles as citizens and as future participants and leaders in the workforce. Applying research, policy, and wisdom of practice, the Center develops innovative and practical solutions to the persistent institutional structural and practice problems that every level of the educational system faces. This final grant will support the development and implementation of the Center’s revised strategic plans focusing on the national pathways movement.
Website
Project Title
For support of the Asia Policy Program and China Policy Bootcamp
Date
Sep. 14, 2023
Duration
36 months
Description
As focus on China intensifies in U.S. national security and foreign policy communities, more policymakers and researchers are asked to analyze and craft U.S. policy toward China without the benefit of years of specialized language training or immersive field experience. The China security policy bootcamp and the Asia Policy Program (APP) at the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) provide policy-relevant programming on Asia and China to help develop a cohort of China-literate professionals. Renewed Corporation support will fund the APP as a hub to connect UT Austin students and academics with cutting-edge research on China and East Asia as well as two versions of the China policy bootcamp for national- and state-level policymakers in Washington and Austin.
Website
Project Title
For core support of the Charles A. Dana Center
Date
Jun. 08, 2023
Duration
18 months
Description
The Charles A. Dana Center has taken up the challenge of replacing existing developmental and gateway math education models with mathematics pathways that propel students toward degrees, readiness for high-value careers, and informed, responsible citizenship. An accepted transformation moving to implementation at scale as a normative practice, the Dana Center Mathematics Pathways (DCMP) initiative creates pathways to educational and economic opportunity through systemic changes in mathematics education across the transition years from high school into higher education. The initiative replaces the one-size-fits-all approach of a single pathway through a procedural College Algebra course with multiple pathways such as statistics, quantitative reasoning, and mathematical modeling and analysis—all increasingly important for today’s workplaces. The project will increase stakeholder understanding of the value of a curriculum that includes statistics, quantitative literacy, and computational and data science.
Website
Project Title
For a project to build capacity focused on the use of high-quality instructional materials into teacher preparation courses
Date
Sep. 15, 2022
Duration
24 months
Description
To date, most educator preparation programs (EPPs) have not adapted their curriculum to include the development of curriculum literacy and the skills and experience needed to navigate, negotiate, and implement high quality instructional materials. Making curriculum literacy a key component of educator preparation has potential for accelerating effectiveness, efficacy, and impact of new teachers. The nationally ranked College of Education at The University of Texas at Austin is uniquely qualified and positioned to study the issue and explore ways that they and other EPPs across the state could align their degree requirements to ensure that their graduates have the skills and experiences needed to navigate and implement high quality instructional materials. The continuation of the Texas Education Curriculum Literacy Learning Community will engage three EPPs in program analysis and revision as well as site-based case studies to ensure teacher candidates have the skills and experiences needed to navigate and implement high-quality instructional materials.
Website
Project Title
For a project to build capacity focused on the use of high-quality instructional materials into teacher preparation courses
Date
Sep. 02, 2021
Duration
28 months
Description
While a national movement is underway to ensure more teachers have access to high-quality instructional materials and the skills and support to implement them effectively, few teacher preparation programs have been involved in these discussions. Making curriculum literacy a requirement of teacher preparation programs has research-based potential for accelerating the effectiveness and impact of new teachers. As a nationally ranked college of education at Texas’ flagship public university, the College of Education is compelled to explore high quality instructional materials and how they could support excellence and equitable outcomes through the proposed Texas Education Curriculum Literacy Learning Community. Through this small grant, the College of Education will a) identify a Steering Committee, b) create an assessment and learning agenda, c) conduct workshops with teacher preparation program partners, and d) conduct a landscape analysis.
Website
Project Title
For support of the Asia Policy Program and China Policy Bootcamp
Date
Sep. 02, 2021
Duration
24 months
Description
As a result of the central focus of U.S. national security and foreign policy work on China, an increasing number of functional, but not country-specific experts, are leading impactful policy work on China without previous training on Chinese politics or foreign policy. At the same time, the channels that researchers have traditionally used to learn about and understand China are narrowing. To address these related challenges, the newly-launched Asia Policy Program (APP) at the University of Texas – Austin’s (U.T. Austin) LBJ School of Public Policy (LBJ School) seeks to establish an annual workshop to strengthen and expand the pipeline of rising national security analysts and policymakers who are well-versed in critical issues related to Chinese policymaking, and to provide important area studies events and curricula to better understand the role China plays in their work, now and in the future.
Website
Project Title
For core support of the Charles A. Dana Center
Date
Dec. 02, 2021
Duration
18 months
Description
The Charles A. Dana Center has taken up the challenge of replacing existing models of developmental and gateway math education with mathematics pathways that propel students toward degrees, readiness for high-value careers, and informed responsible citizenship. An accepted transformation moving to implementation at scale as a normative practice, the Dana Center Mathematics Pathways (DCMP) initiative is creating pathways to educational and economic opportunity through systemic changes in mathematics education across the transition years from high school into higher education. The initiative replaces the one-size-fits-all approach of a single pathway through a procedural College Algebra course with multiple pathways such as statistics, quantitative reasoning, and mathematical modeling and analysis—all increasingly important for today’s workplaces. The project will increasestakeholder understanding of the value of a curriculum that includes statistics, quantitative literacy, and computational and data science.
Website
Project Title
For continuation of the Dana Center Math Pathways work
Date
Dec. 10, 2020
Duration
12 months
Description
The Charles A. Dana Center at The University of Texas at Austin has taken up the challenge of replacing existing models of developmental and gateway math education with mathematics pathways that propel students to degrees and postsecondary certifications with labor market value. The Dana Center Mathematics Pathways (DCMP) is the Center’s approach to ensuring that every student has equitable access to and the opportunity for success in rigorous math pathways aligned and relevant to his/her future aspirations, paving the way to upward economic and social mobility. With Corporation support, the DCMP has contributed to the implementation of math pathways in higher education systems, institutions, and campuses in thirty-two states and the District of Columbia, moving from a novel approach to one of normative practice at scale. In its pathways work, the Dana Center has identified a gap between math courses and the quantitative skills needed for the future workforce. Due to high workforce demand, two areas requiring immediate investigation are nursing and manufacturing.
Website
Project Title
For a project on emerging Anti-Satellite (ASAT) threats to U.S. nuclear Command, Control and Communications (C3) space assets
Date
Mar. 05, 2020
Duration
30 months
Description
A consensus is now emerging in the U.S. defense community that Chinese and Russian anti-satellite (ASAT) capabilities pose dangers to U.S. nuclear early-warning and command, control, and communications (C3) assets. However, the scope and scale of these risks remain unclear. This project will culminate in a detailed technical evaluation of the vulnerability of nuclear early-warning and C3 satellites to ASAT attacks. The research will also explore options that U.S. policymakers might take to mitigate the impact of such attacks.
Website
Project Title
For a study and policy dialogues on the impact of private universities on public universities in Africa
Date
Sep. 12, 2019
Duration
73 months
Description
The past three decades have seen accelerated expansion of private universities in Africa. Despite the high number of matriculated students seeking university admission, public universities have inadequate space to admit them. Policy approaches on private higher education vary, but private universities have in many cases alleviated the burden of access placed on public universities. However, not much is known about the evolving patterns and impacts of private universities on public universities in Africa. This grant will support a research study on the impact of private universities on public universities in Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Uganda, and Kenya, and two regional policy dialogues to disseminate learnings.
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Project Title
For continuation of the Dana Center math pathways work
Date
Sep. 13, 2018
Duration
27 months
Description
The Dana Center has become a leading force in modernizing introductory college mathematics and enabling student success. The Center’s mathematics pathways project, which began as a partnership with all fifty Texas community college districts, is now working actively with more than a dozen states and key national higher education organizations and mathematics professional societies. This reflects a novel innovation by which community colleges are increasing students’ access to and completion of rigorous and relevant math pathways. This grant will enable the Dana Center to provide the technical assistance support and resources needed to establish full implementation and normative practice of mathematics pathways in one state, with in-depth support for one region. In addition, the Center plans to lay the foundation for the next innovation in pathways work — the redesign of the pathway to Calculus — and amplify its influence in the field.
Website
Project Title
For continued support of "New Math Pathways," a project building successful transitions to post-secondary education
Date
Jun. 09, 2016
Duration
24 months
Description
The Dana Center has become a leading force in modernizing introductory college mathematics and enabling student success. The Center’s New Mathways Project (NMP), which began as a partnership with all fifty Texas community college districts, is now working actively with more than a dozen states and key national higher education organizations and mathematics professional societies. The NMP reflects a novel innovation by which community colleges are increasing students’ access to and completion of rigorous and relevant math pathways.This grant will enable the Dana Center to scale its NMP work, sustain its leadership of a national movement to modernize postsecondary math education, and apply what it has learned at the college level to improve K-12 math learning and the transition from high school to college.
Website
Project Title
For "New Math Pathways," a project building successful transitions to postsecondary education
Date
Mar. 06, 2014
Duration
27 months
Website
Project Title
For capturing and communicating lessons learned from the New Mathways Project
Date
Mar. 06, 2014
Duration
8 months
Website
Project Title
For the New Mathways Project
Date
Sep. 13, 2012
Duration
15 months
Website
Project Title
For support of its Charles A. Dana Center
Date
Sep. 22, 2011
Duration
18 months
Website
Project Title
For enhancing journalism curricula to bridge campus, community and the digital media divide
Date
Jun. 11, 2009
Duration
50 months
Website
Project Title
Toward development and expansion of math networks and adolescent literacy networks
Date
Dec. 06, 2007
Duration
44 months
Website
Project Title
Toward enhancing journalism curricula in the areas of news literacy, demographics, and technology
Date
Mar. 02, 2006
Duration
38 months