Grants

Over the last two decades, Dr. Heffernan's shared scientific infrastructure and student learning tools have benefited from million in grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), the Spencer Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Eric Schmidt's philanthropy and many other philanthropic organizations. 

• GA62 (2024) Neil and Cristina were funded to create a conversational AI enabled tutor to student while they are doing their homework.  So instead of just getting hints they can have the problem broken down into peices.  Talking Math: Improving Math Performance and Engagement Through AI-Enabled Conversational Tutoring.  R305T240029. (03/01/2024 – 02/28/2027)  $3,749,600

• GA61 (2023)  Neil and Cristina Heffernan recived $20,000 dollars in the VITAL prize competition that was funded by NSF. 

• GA60 (2023) Cyberinfrastructure for Learning Engineering Research & Development. With the generous support  (~$100,000) of Schmidt Futures, this grant will leverage data from LEVI teams and external datasets to fine-tune existing large language models to cater to K-12 students.  

• GA59 (2023) Collaborative Research: Using ASSISTments for College Math: An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Supports and Transferability of Findings. This grant will run a set of adaptation studies to determine the transferability of findings between different populations of students, faculty, and institutional types. Specifically, we investigate whether ASSISTments achieves similar successful results in college-level mathematics education. NSF IUSE. WPI grant number 2215842 is for $90,000 or a $300,000 project with The ASSISTments Foundation, Belmont Abby and UNCC.  

• GA58 (2023) Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Analyze Students’ Math Work Uploaded in a Digital Platform. $120,000. With the generous support of the Jaffe Foundation, this grant aims to capture and analyze image-based open-responses from students uploaded into the ASSISTments learning platform; to remove Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and enhance the quality of the image; and to extract and analyze relevant content from images to develop innovative deep learning methods that enables computers to better understand students' written work. 

• GA57 (2022) A Systemic Replication Study of Interleaved Mathematics Practice. WPI gets $250,000 of the $4 million. With Bryan Matlen of WestEd and Doug Rohrer of University of South Florida, this grant will conduct an efficacy replication study of the mathematics learning intervention known as "Interleaved Practice." 

• G56 (2022) Building a Mathematical Problem-Solving Environment to Prepare K-5 Students for Success in STEM and Health Careers. $500,000. Working with Teachley and The ASSISTments Foundation, this grant will design and conduct randomized control trials within the E-TRIALS infrastructure for research questions based around K-5 Students for Success in STEM and Health Careers. 

• GA55 (2022) Recovering from COVID-Learning-Loss with a Platform to Support Human Tutoring. My spouse, Cristina Heffernan, wrote a great grant to allow us to study human tutors, and to try to assist them with an AI agent (my part) that uses ASSISTments data from their classwork/homework to suggest which problem the tutor should give to the student.  $8 million. EIR (S411B210024).  

• GA54 (2021) Revisions to the ASSISTments Digital Learning Platform to Expand Its Support for Rigorous Education Research. $2 million. This is a grant to allow us to add extra research infrastructure to the ASSISTments platform. R305N210049.  

• GA53 (2021 ) Collaborative Research: Common Error Diagnostics and Support in Short-answer Math Questions, $849,775 for three years. With Professor Andrew Lan at UMASS( #2118706) and Stacy Shaw@WPI as well as Cristina Heffernan at The ASSISTments Foundation(#2118904) work on common mistakes (WPI portion is $239,307). WPI NSF (#2118725)

• GA52 (2021) Fully Latent Principal Stratification: A New Framework for Big, Complex Implementation Data from Education RCTs. $891,895 for 3 years. Professors Adam Sales is PI. IES #R305D210036.    

• GA51 (2020) REU Site: Leveraging The Learning Sciences & Technologies to Enhance Education and Learning in Secondary Schools. $320,639.00 for three years. Prof Beck is PI. NSF# 1950683

• GA50 (2019) EIR Midphase: Scaling Teachers' Professional Development for ASSISTments. U.S. Department of Education. In collaboration with the ASSISTments Foundation, WestEd and Lesley University. $8 million  The abstract and full grant and others we competed with are listed here.  

• GA49 (2019) Collaborative Research:  CyberInfrastructure for Shared Algorithmic and Experimental Research in Online Learning. In collaboration with UPENN's Ryan Baker. $3,500,000 (WPI portion = $1,800,000) Grant #1931523

• GA48 (2019) Collaborative Research: Precision Learning: Data-Driven Experimentation of Learning Theories using Internet-of-Videos. In collaboration with PennState and Arkansas State  $1,400,000 (WPI portion = $700,000) Grant #1940236. (PennState #1940076)

• GA47 (2019) ETRIALS. Schmidt Futures. $2,000,000. Grant #995

• GA46 (2019) The Arnold Foundation to add an extra year to the IES Replication Grant ($500,000 via Wested.)

• GA45 (2019) Collaborative Research: Student Affect Detection and Intervention with Teachers in the Loop.  $750,000 (WPI portion = $250,000) Grant 1917808  (UMASS 1917713 & UPENN 1917545)

• GA44 (2019) NSF:IUSE EHR: Improving Undergraduate Algorithms Instructing with Online Feedback  ADVISOR. The first ASSISTments-related grant to fund computer science education. $300,000 . Grant #1903304

• GA43 (2019) Support to create the ASSISTments Foundation from an anonymous philanthropy. $1 million.

• GA42 (2018) QUICK-COMMENTS. Schmidt Futures. $300,000. Grant #916

• GA41 (2018) GAANN Elke Rundensteiner and I won a ~$900,000 award to fund U.S. Ph.D. students in Artificial Intelligence (which I teach). Grant #P200A180088

• GA40 (2018) NSF-Cyberlearning (1822830). "Putting Teachers in the Driver’s Seat: Using Machine Learning to Personalize Interactions with Students (DRIVER-SEAT)". With CoPI Jacob Whitehill (WPI). $750,000. Press Release. 

• GA39 (2018) ONR (N00014-18-1-2768)."A Bayesian Multi-Scale Personalized Learning Approach" with CoPI Jacob Whitehill (WPI). $400,000 (8/1/2018-7/31/2021) 

• GA38 (2018) IES (R305A180401): "From Here to There" Efficacy Trial. The PI is Erin Ottmar (WPI). $3.2 million.

• GA37 (2018) NSF (1759229): "Personalizing Mathematics to Maximize Relevance and Skill for Tomorrow's STEM Workforce". PI is Candace Walkington (SMU) and Matt Bernaki at (UNC Chapel Hill). $1 million. Read Press about this. 

• GA36 (2017) IES (R305A170137): "Efficacy of ASSISTments Online Homework Support for Middle School Mathematics Learning: A Replication Study". U.S. Department of Education: Institute for Education Sciences. The PI is Mingyu Feng (SRI). $3.2 million, WPI's share is $1.2 million.

• GA35 (2017) IES (R305A170243): "Evaluating the Effectiveness of the ASSISTments Feedback System". U.S. Department of Education: Institute for Education Sciences. PI Kirk Walters (AIR). $3.8 million, WPI's share is $1.5 million. 

• GA34 (2017) NSF (1724889): CIF21 DIBBs: "PD: Enhancing and Personalizing Educational Resources through Tools for Experimentation". PI Heffernan (WPI) & Korinn Ostrow (WPI). 7/1/2017-6/30/2020. 

• GA33 (2016) NSF (1636782): BD Spokes: Spoke: NorthEast: Collaborative: Grand Challenges for Data-Driven Education. NSF-Div Of Information & Intelligent Systems. NSF Program: BD Spokes -Big Data Regional Innovation Spokes. $430,000. 9/1/2016-8/31/2019.

• GA32 (2015) (P200A150306). "GAANN Fellowships in Computer Science to Support Data-Driven Computing Research". U.S. Department of Education PI Elke Rundensteiner (WPI). $900,000.  P200A150306. 09/01/2015 - 08/31/2018.

• GA31 (2015) NSF (1535428): "Collaborating Research: The Downside of Perseverance - Investigating and Moving Students Beyond Unproductive Persistence". NSF EHR Core. $500,000. 10/1/2015-9/30-2018.

• GA30 (2015) “Integration of Intelligent Tutoring Systems for Electronics” Office of Naval Research. $170,000. 5/1/15 – 12/31/15. 

• GA29 (2014) NSF (1440753): SI2-SSE&SSI. "Adding Research Accounts to the ASSISTments Platform: Helping Researchers Do Randomized Controlled Studies with Thousands of Students". $500,000. 2014 - 2016. 

• GA28 (2013) NSF (DRL-1316736): DRK12 "Improving Formative Assessment Practices: Using Learning Trajectories to Develop Resources that Support Teacher Instructional Practice and Student Learning in CMP2". PI Allison Superfine Castro, Mara V. Martinez, Susan R. Goldman and James W. Pellegrino (UIC Chicago). $2.2 million, WPI's share is $350,000.

• GA27 (2013) NSF (DRL-1252297): "Making Math Tutors More Engaging and Effective through Interaction Design Patterns and Educational Data Mining". PI Ryan Baker (UPenn). $1.5 million, WPI's share is $400,000.

• GA26 (2012) Dr. Joe Beck wrote a grant to the Gates Foundation to add adaptive personalized learning to a WPI course. Dr. Heffernan is a CoPI on the project. $100,000.

• GA25 (2012) Office of Naval Research. Two computer tutors will be combined. PI Beverly Woolf (UMass Amherst). $1.5 million award, WPI's share is $700,000. 2012 - 2014.

• GA24 (2012)  (R305A120125) Efficacy Trial: “An Efficacy Study of Online Mathematics Homework Support: An Evaluation of the ASSISTments Formative Assessment and Tutoring Platform.” PI Jeremy Roschelle (SRI). Read more here. $3.5 million award, WPI's share is $1.2 million. 2012 - 2016.

• GA23 (2012) U.S. Department of Education: GAANN. "Fellowships in CS to Support the Learning Sciences and Security". Awarded approximately $800,000 to support five Ph.D. students per year. 2012-2016. 

• GA22 (2011) "Next Generation Learning Challenge" through EDUCASUE. (The primary funders are the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Hewlett Foundation) ASSISTments: Using Web-Based Technologies to Support Grades Mathematics. $500,000. 2011 - 2012.

• GA21 (2011) NSF (1109483): REESE Program. "Taking advantage of Cognitive Science Principles: Adding to a Computer-Based tutor an Automatic Reassessment and Relearning System (ARRS)". PI Joseph Beck (WPI), CoPI Heffernan. $750,000. 2011 - 2014.

• GA20 (2011) NSF (1031398): ITEST Program. "Predicting STEM career choice from computational indicators of student engagement within middle school mathematics classes". PI Ryan Baker (UPENN), CoPI Dr. Heffernan. $700,000. 2011 - 2014. 

• GA19 (2010) (R305C100024) U.S. Department of Education: Institute for Education Sciences. "National Center for Cognition and Mathematics Instruction (NCCMI)". WestEd was the project lead. Dr Heffernan's share was $500,000. 2010 - 2015.

• GA18 (2009) (R305A090170) U.S. Department of Education: Institute for Education Sciences: "ASSISTments Meets Science Learning". PI Janice Gobert (Rutgers) CoPIs Heffernan and Beck (WPI). $1.2 million. 2009 - 2012.

• GA17 (2008) (0742503) NSF: GK12 Program. "Partnership Implementing Math and Science Education: Assisting Middle School Use of Tutoring Technology". $2 million. 2008 - 2013.

• GA16 (2008) NSF: "Research Experience for Teachers Supplement". $20,000.

• GA15 (2007) NSF (0733286): DRK-12. ASSISTments Meets Inquiry. PI Janice Gobert. Co-PIs Heffernan, Ruiz & Kim (WPI). $1.5 million. 2007 - 2012.

• GA14 (2007) NSF Supplement Research Experience for Undergraduates. $13,500.

• GA13 (2007) Massachusetts Technology Transfer Center. "Scaling up a Web-Based Formative Assessment System: Testing the Replicability of Deploying ASSISTments beyond its 'Home Town'". $40,000. 2007.

• GA12 (2007) U.S. Department of Education (R305A070440). "Making Longitudinal Web-Based Assessments Give Cognitively Diagnostic Reports to Teachers, Parents & Students While Employing Mastery Learning". PI Heffernan. $2 million. 2007 - 2011.

• GA11 (2006) U.S. Department of Education: GAANN. "Fellowships in CS to Support the Learning Sciences and Security". PI Matt Ward. Co-PIs Heffernan, Agu and Mani. Awarded approximately $800,000 to support five Ph.D. per year. 2006 - 2009.

• GA10 (2006) National Science Foundation. Research Experience for K12. $100,000. PI Elke Rundensteiner (WPI). Co-PI Heffernan. 2006 – 2008.

• GA9 (2005) National Science Foundation (0448319): CAREER Grant. "Learning About Learning". PI Dr. Heffernan. $646,000. 2005 – 2010.

• GA8 (2005) Office of Naval Research (ONR). "Demonstrating Affordable Behavior Modeling with CTAT through Machine Learning and Human Computer Interaction Techniques". $275,000. 2005 - 2008.

• GA7 (2004) U.S. Army: Phase 2: STTR. PI Sonalysts, Inc. 2004. $500,000.

• GA6 (2004) U.S. Army: Phase 1: STTR. "How to incorporate intelligent tutoring into Army warrior simulation systems". PI Sonalysts Inc. 2004. $100,000.

• GA5 (2003) Research Advancement Program at WPI: “Programming by Demonstration for Intelligent Tutoring Systems.” $7,500. 2003.

• GA4 (2003) U.S. Department of Education (R305K030140): Institute of Education Sciences. Using Web-Based Cognitive Assessment Systems for Predicting Student Performance on State Exams. PI Ken Koedinger. Co-PIs Heffernan, Junker and Ritter. $1.4 million. 2003 - 2007.

• GA3 (2003) Office of Naval Research (ONR). "Affordable Cognitive Modeling Authoring Tools using HCI Methods. PI Heffernan". $200,000. 2003 - 2006.

• GA2 (2002) Office of Naval Research (ONR). "Cognitive Tutor Tools for Advanced Instructional Strategies". PI Ken Koedinger. Co-PIs Heffernan & Aleven. $200,000. 2002.

• GA1 (2002) National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation. "A Comparison of Student Learning Under Multiple Conditions: Classroom Instruction, One-on-one Human Tutoring, and Different types of Computer Tutoring". PI-Heffernan. $50,000. 2002 - 2004.