A crisis in STEM education: We must fund STEM education research focused on interdisciplinary problem solving

A crisis in STEM education: We must fund STEM education research focused on interdisciplinary problem solving Reductions in STEM education funding occur at a crucial time when interdisciplinary problem-solving is vital for innovation. Nancy Butler Songer highlights the importance of Iterative Science and Engineering (ISE) programs, where students engage in cycles of designing and testing solutions to regional problems. Recent reports indicate that in 2025, the National Science Foundation, which funds a significant portion of research in fundamental science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) at American universities, terminated more than 1,600 active grants worth approximately $1.5 billion. The area experiencing the most significant cuts is grants focusing on STEM education. In addition, in 2025, the National Science Foundation demonstrated the slowest pace of new grant awards seen in 35 years, with an 80% reduction in funding for STEM education (Bhatia, Cabreros, Elkeurti, & Singer, 2025).