The CLC Innovators Program is funded by the National Science Foundation's Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE# 2337027 & DUE# 2337028). 

This project aims to serve the national interest by offering a professional development program to equip chemistry instructors and curricula developers with evidence-based teaching practices in chemistry laboratory courses. Currently, there are no large-scale or nationwide professional development opportunities focused on reforming chemistry laboratory curricula. This comprehensive year-long professional development program will empower chemistry educators to enhance student learning in chemistry laboratories by promoting scientific practices and fostering a sense of belonging. Moreover, as part of the professional development program, participants will create and disseminate more than 40 new inquiry-based laboratory projects, which have been shown to be more effective for student learning than traditional "cookbook" style laboratory experiences. Data will be collected and analyzed to broaden understanding of the extent to which such professional development affects teaching beliefs and instructional practices of laboratory curricula developers. This new knowledge will have the potential to impact the success of future faculty professional development initiatives. Overall, this project will lead to direct instructional support that can benefit thousands of undergraduate chemistry students and may lead to long-term changes in the instructional practices of up to 126 laboratory curriculum developers. This Institutional and Community Transformation Level 2 project aligns with NSF's mission to advance science education, serving the national interest by improving student success.