Brenda R. Brand

• Sociocultural factors influencing students’ participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics

• PhD, Virginia Tech
• MS, Virginia Tech
• BS, Delta State University

• Virginia Mathematics Science Coalition (board member 2014-present) 
• National Association for Research in Science Teaching
• Association for Science Teacher Education
• American Educational Research
• Association National Association for Multicultural Education

• National Distinction Merit Award (2016)
• Jerome Niles Faculty Research Award (2010)
• College of Liberal Arts and Human Science Excellence in Outreach Award (2010)

Books

Brand, B. (2015) A Broom and a Mop Just Won’t Do: From Sharecropper to Educator, A Forerunner for Social Change. Tate Publishing: Mustang, Ok.  

Articles

Brand, B., Kasarda, M., & Williams, C. (in press). Inquiry by Engineering Design: Applying the Sixth "E". Technology and Engineering Teacher.

Simonetti, J., Brand, B., & Glasson, G.E. (2015) Phystec at Virginia Tech: The Importance of Engineering. Forum on Education: Summer 2015 Newsletter 15-16. http://www.aps.org/units/fed/newsletters/summer2015/virginia-tech.cfm

Brand, B., & Kasarda, M. (2014) The Influence of Social Interactions on Female Students Retention in Two Engineering Programs. Diversity as Friend and Foe of Teaching and Learning Processes in Multicultural Contexts" Special Edition of Insights on Learning Disabilities: From Prevailing Theories to Validated Practices.

Wallace, T., & Brand, B., (2012) Using critical race theory to analyze science teachers culturally responsive practices. Cultural Studies in Science Education.

Co-PIs: Brand, Brenda; Thomas, Williams; Sato, Takumi. SPrEaD: Actualizing STEM Potential in the Mississippi Delta, National Science Foundation, National Science Foundation, $1,641,313 (Active: 2015 - 2022).

Co-PIs: Brand, Brenda; Faulkner, Brandy. Collaborative Research: The AGEP Alliance Model for Advancing the Faculty Careers of Historically Underrepresented STEM Doctoral Candidates who are Instructors at Historically Black Universities, National Science Foundation, $ 1,995,977 (Active: 2020 - 2025).

2020

Brand, B., Kreye, B., Sanders, K., (submitted) Mission Mathematics. Gates Foundation, Balance the Equation.

Brand, B., Ernst, J., Faulkner, B., Rockward, W., Ndip, G.,Talley, J. & Kniola, D. The AGEP Alliance Model for Advancing the Faculty Careers of Underrepresented Minority STEM Doctoral Candidates who are Instructors at Historically Black Universities. National Science Foundation AGEP $1,995,977. September 2020-August 2024.

Brand, B. & Sato, T. “Actualizing STEM Potential in the Mississippi Delta,” National Science Foundation ITEST $1,641,313.00, July 2015-June 2021.

Pre-2020

NSF ITEST Drs. Brenda Brand and Takumi Sato, “Actualizing STEM Potential in the Mississippi Delta,” $1,641,313.00, July 2015-June 2019.

NSF RET Drs. Chris Williams and Brenda Brand “Innovation Based Manufacturing,” $449,421, June 2012- August 2015.

VDOE MSP Drs. Brenda Brand and Mary Kasarda "VA STEM CoNNECT," $140,486, March 2012 – September, 2014.

2021

1. STEM summer camp, Expedition to China, middle school STEM summer camp for students in Petersburg, Virginia in collaboration with the College Access Collaborative.
2. Actualizing STEM Potential in the Mississippi Delta, a pre-engineering program for students in grades 9-12.
3. Montgomery County Robotics Program, partnership service-learning course In Montgomery County Public Schools.
4. Actualizing STEM Potential in the Mississippi Delta, collaborative with Sunflower County Consolidated School District in Indianola, MS.

2020

1. Facilitated STEM activities for 9-12 students in the Actualizing STEM Potential in the Mississippi Delta Program   
2. The MCPS/VT Robotics Collaborative includes Mr. Michael Collver as the lead teacher. It is a STEM program designed to expose students to engineering by situating engineering and physics students (primarily seniors) within the robotics program through a service learning course, EDCI 4454: Engineering Leadership: Managing the Technical Design Process. The program averages about 25 high school students per year, grades 9-12 and approximately 10 students who are seniors in engineering and physics.  
3. Actualizing STEM Potential in the Mississippi Delta is a robotics collaborative program that includes VT, a HBCU, Mississippi Valley State University and Sunflower Consolidated School District. The program is a replica of the MCPS/VT robotics collaborative having similar goals, and specifically designed to enhance students scientific identities and self-efficacy. This program also has a pipeline STEM program in the summers, with robotics summer camps for grades 3-5 and 6-8. The collaborative consists of faculty and a grad student from VT, three university faculty and three high school faculty. Mr. John Cochran is the high school lead teacher, and Dr. Daniel Trent is the lead faculty from the university.