Three USD Faculty Members Receive Education-Focused Seed Grants
Meghann Jarchow, Ph.D., Jing Liu, Ph.D., and John Williams, Ed.D., are leading projects that strengthen STEM education and resources across the state of South Dakota.
Meghann Jarchow, Ph.D., chair and professor in the Department of Sustainability & Environment, College of Arts & Sciences
Project: “Integrating Place-Based Role-Play Simulation Research with K-12 STEM Teacher Training”
The Department of Sustainability & Environment project is using place‑based role‑play simulation to help university students explore sustainability in creative and hopeful ways. This approach aligns with emerging skills in sustainability education that emphasize introspection and learning how to take meaningful action.
Through an introductory university course, students will take on fictional roles within a simulated community, collaborate on shared challenges, and practice making decisions in a structured environment. This format will allow students to explore new ideas and “take action” in a setting that encourages experimentation and thoughtful engagement.
The insights gained from this course will inform the “STEM Classrooms Connections: Exploring the Environment” teacher training that USD is hosting from June 29 through July 1, 2026.
"The fact that sustainability, physics and the School of Education received grants shows us how many of us across USD are committed to improving science education,” said Jarchow. “Sustainability can be an effective framework through which to excite young people about science and we are excited to use this grant to engage K-12 teachers, improve science education and studying how active learning through simulation can better engage students.”
Jing Liu, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Physics, College of Arts & Sciences
Project: “Co-Designing Mechanical Engineering Toys: A Human-Centered STEM Learning Pilot in South Dakota”
The QuarkNet Center is launching a project to bring high-quality STEM education to teachers and students across the state, addressing the challenges of South Dakota’s geography and culture. Current funding limits make it difficult for K-12 STEM educators to access world-class research facilities, so this project will use funds to create a 12-month program that combines in-person experiences with virtual resources.
The project has three main components:
- A cohort of 10 East River STEM teachers will travel to the West River region for a multi-day QuarkNet workshop, including a tour of the Sanford Underground Research Facility and participation in the annual Neutrino Day event.
- An undergraduate computer science student will develop virtual learning tools, including a VR video library and virtual lab experiences, allowing students and teachers statewide to explore cutting-edge research in particle physics and nuclear science.
- Three teachers from the cohort will serve as Teacher Leader Ambassadors, sharing the program’s resources at the South Dakota STEM Education Conference.
According to Liu, this hybrid model not only strengthens teacher content knowledge and collaboration between East and West River educational communities but also creates lasting digital resources that will continue to support STEM education and student engagement across South Dakota.
“We are incredibly honored to receive the NSF EPSCoR E-CORE Seed Grant, as it allows us to bridge the geographical gap for STEM educators across South Dakota. By bringing teachers from the eastern part of the state directly to the Sanford Underground Research Facility, we are providing them with an unparalleled opportunity to experience world-class physics research firsthand,” said Liu. “This funding doesn’t just support a workshop; it empowers our teachers to translate complex science into inspiring classroom lessons that will resonate with students from Vermillion to the Black Hills.”
John Williams, Ed.D., assistant professor in the Division of Teacher Residency & Education, School of Education
Project: “Expanding the Core: Supporting STEM Extracurricular Activities for K-12 Students”
The SE-CE-BP E-CORE grant programs support K-12 STEM education across South Dakota, but many students—especially in rural areas—face barriers to participating in STEM extracurricular activities like Science Olympiad and VEX Robotics. These activities are shown to have a strong impact on students’ STEM identity and career interest, yet challenges such as high equipment costs, lack of coaching support and long travel distances have kept participation low. To address this, the project launches two initiatives: the STEM Activity Launch Program (STEM-ALP), which provides funding for team hardware, travel and coaching stipends, and the STEM-Individual Extracurricular Scholarship Program (STEM-1E), which offers need-based scholarships for students to attend STEM-focused camps in the state.
In addition to supporting students, the project includes research to understand the experiences of new STEM extracurricular coaches in rural districts. By tracking the formation of new teams and their participation in competitions, the project evaluates the effectiveness of STEM-ALP while generating insights to improve STEM education statewide. The program also strengthens connections between K-12 students and higher education institutions, develops STEM teacher leaders and engages graduate students in hands-on research, ensuring lasting benefits for students, teachers and the broader STEM community in South Dakota.
"I’m excited that we are able to provide nearly $90,000 of support for middle and high school STEM extracurricular activities in South Dakota,” said Williams. “Many students find their passion for STEM not just in the classroom, but also through participation in competitive STEM teams and STEM-based summer camps. Our vision is to bring more of these opportunities to students throughout the state.”
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