Our Story

Engineering for US All (e4usa™) traces its history to 2002, when a small group of people led by Dr. Leigh Abts envisioned creating an advanced engineering course.
After receiving feedback that no standardized method existed for assessing engineering design process portfolios, the team began researching what became the MyDesign Scoring Rubric in 2005. In 2015, the MyDesign® learning management system took root, and the College Board® launched efforts to create a framework for an advanced course in engineering.
Recognizing the need for support from engineering deans, Dr. Darryll Pines and the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) completed an effort to sign on over 120 deans who supported the launch of Engineering for US All.
We are indebted to the National Science Foundation (NSF) for its unwavering support since 2018 through Awards Nos. 1849430, 2120746, 2323098, and 2323684. This investment enabled e4usa to grow from a research initiative into a comprehensive program that includes research-based and evidence-backed curricula, professional learning, assessment tools, and a national community of practice connecting high schools, colleges and universities, industry partners, and educators.
In 2022, Engineering for US All officially became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, created to sustain and expand this work. Over the next several years, the original grant-funded initiative and the nonprofit developed alongside one another, allowing research, curriculum development, and classroom implementation to continue while the organization built the capacity needed to carry the mission forward.
The original seven-year period of NSF-supported development concluded in 2025, but NSF’s investment in e4usa continues through Award No. 2525989, made directly to Engineering for US All, Inc. Today, e4usa has reached more than 15,000 students through over 120 high school partners and continues to expand pathways from high school to college and careers through authentic engineering experiences, college credit and placement, and workforce-relevant skills and credentials.
Grounded in more than two decades of research, e4usa continues to carry forward Dr. Leigh Abts’s vision: making engineering accessible, relevant, and empowering for every student.
We hope you’ll join us in shaping what comes next!