Centers provide a rich environment for encouraging scientists, engineers, and educators to take risks in pursuing discoveries and new knowledge. STCs foster excellence in education by integrating education and research, and by creating connections between learning and inquiry so that discovery and creativity fully support the learning process.

NSF encourages input and participation in the STC program from the full spectrum of diverse talent that society has to offer which includes underrepresented and underserved communities.  In addition, NSF expects STCs to both involve individuals who are members of groups that have been traditionally underrepresented in science, engineering and mathematics at all levels within the Center (faculty, staff, students, and postdoctoral researchers) as well as be a leader in broadening participation in STEM.  Centers may use either proven or innovative mechanisms based on the relevant literature to address matters such as recruitment, retention, success, and career progression of all individuals in the Center.

Along with research, education and broadening participation, Centers must undertake activities that facilitate knowledge transfer, i.e., the exchange of scientific and technical information with the objective of disseminating and utilizing knowledge broadly in multiple sectors. Examples of knowledge transfer include technology transfer, providing key information to public policy-makers, or dissemination of knowledge from one field of science to another.