# A collaborative data collection and analysis for inquiry-based experiential learning for health sciences related STEM education

> **NIH NIH R44** · WICKED DEVICE, LLC · 2020 · $723,337

## Abstract

Abstract
The U.S. Department of Commerce predicts that STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) jobs
occupations will grow by 8.9 % from 2014 to 2024, compared to 6.4% for non-STEM occupations. STEM wages
are generally higher than non-STEM, with a 29% difference in 2015. Yet, current approaches to STEM education
are falling significantly short. In 2016, 64% of U.S. high school students underwent American College Testing
(ACT). Of these, only 20% attained the benchmark or higher for STEM scores, with percentages considerably
lower for those in underrepresented racial/ethnic minority groups. Lack of racial/ethnic diversity persists into
higher education. There is an acute need for educational opportunities that will not only enhance STEM literacy,
but also increase the likelihood that students of diverse backgrounds will go on to pursue scientific careers. To
date, there are no tools that allow student to tailor exploration to their own interests. For this SBIR proposal,
Wicked Device will collaborate with Robin Taylor Wilson, the Principal Investigator of the Early
Preparation and Inspiration for Careers in the Biomedical Sciences (EPIC) Program, to create a uniquely
accessible and potentially transformative STEM education opportunity. Dr. Wilson's team has
demonstrated that using epidemiologic principles for STEM education can increase interest and ability in related
fields. Wicked Device's core innovation, a shared, cloud-based data collection and analysis platform for
collaborative STEM and big data research and education, will be adapted to experiential learning opportunities
in health sciences that use survey collected data (e.g. epidemiology). The resulting platform will create a fuller,
real time, highly collaborative and highly engaging scientific experience that aligns with how scientific research
is conducted in the real world. Wicked Device's technology will be the first educational platform to allow users to
collaborate via a global multi-school network to develop innovative experiments and share findings, and will fulfill
the need for educational platforms to expose students to big data collection and analytics. Most significantly, the
platform allows students to conduct large scale experiments that stimulate their personal interests in health
sciences. In Phase I, Wicked Device will develop the infrastructure and software applications to successfully
create an innovative proof-of-concept educational, data collection and analysis platform for STEM education. Dr.
Wilson's team will then evaluate the platform and associated curricula in secondary students for usability and
feasibility. For Phase II, Wicked Device will build out the full system, including inter-school collaborative features
such as videoconferencing to share and present data. Dr. Wilson's team will then conduct an expanded-scale,
inter-school evaluation of the platform's ability to promote greater learning and more positive attitudes toward
science in an educati...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10016382
- **Project number:** 5R44GM130255-03
- **Recipient organization:** WICKED DEVICE, LLC
- **Principal Investigator:** Dirk Swart
- **Activity code:** R44 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $723,337
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-11 → 2022-09-10

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10016382

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10016382, A collaborative data collection and analysis for inquiry-based experiential learning for health sciences related STEM education (5R44GM130255-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10016382. Licensed CC0.

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