Understanding how failure affects motivation in STEM education for underrepresented students
Official title: The importance of failure in science education: Interventions to promote STEM motivation through failure
Funded at University of Wisconsin-Madison · NIH-11375173 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This program explores how talking about and handling failure in STEM courses can boost motivation and persistence for historically excluded students.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $388,750 |
| NIH project number | 5R01GM155840-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11375173 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are students historically excluded from STEM fields who are enrolled in biomedical or related degree programs.
✕Less likely to help
Students who are not in STEM majors or who do not experience coursework related to failure may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
The project looks at why students from historically excluded communities switch out of STEM and how failure is perceived in STEM courses. It will test educational approaches that de-stigmatize failure and help students view setbacks as a natural part of learning. Through classroom interventions and data collection, the team aims to identify strategies that improve persistence in biomedical sciences among diverse student groups. The work is led by a team at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and seeks to inform educators on how to redesign curriculum to support all students.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the initiative could help more biomedical students from underrepresented groups stay in STEM and graduate.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research showed that addressing attitudes toward failure can influence persistence, but this project tests targeted interventions in biomedical education.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Handelsman, Jo E. — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Handelsman, Jo E.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.