Master ATE Awards
| Award # | Title | NSFOrganization | Program(s) | LastAmendmentDate | Principal Investigator | PI Email Address | State | Organization | Award Type | ProgramManager | Start Date | End Date | Awarded Amount | Co-PIName(s) | OrganizationStreet | OrganizationCity | OrganizationState | OrganizationZip | OrganizationPhone | NSFDirectorate | ProgramElementCode(s) | ProgramReferenceCode(s) | ARRAAmount | Abstract |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2409118 | Implementation of an Industry-Recognized Credentialing System for Biotechnicians | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/15/2024 | PHILIP GIBSON | PhilipGGibson@gmail.com | GA | GEORGIA BIOSCIENCES ORGANIZATION, INC. | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 11/15/2023 | 12/31/2024 | $208,180.00 | 999 PEACHTREE ST NE | ATLANTA | GA | 303.094.524 | 4.049.662.027 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 8038, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The ATE program supports biotechnology technician education programs that partner with industry to ensure the education of a skilled bioscience technical workforce. Yet, there remains a gap between educational preparation and industry’s recognition of potential workers who have completed two-year biotechnology programs. Over the next ten years, reports predict that life science companies will have an increased demand for skilled technical workers, and that filling these positions will be difficult. Thus, preparation of sufficient biotechnicians represents a significant need for the biological economy and related sectors. This project aims to bridge the gap between education and industry through an industry-recognized biotechnician credentialing system. Recently, the Bioscience Industry has identified the Biotechnician Assistant Credentialing Exam (BACE) as an effective tool to certify student capabilities. This exam is already used in six states and the District of Columbia, thus increasing its potential to become the industry-recognized credentialing system for entry-level biotechnicians. This project will pilot the BACE system in five additional states, build consortia of industry and education stakeholders, and disseminate BACE broadly through InnovATEBIO (an NSF ATE Center of Excellence) and the Consortium for Advanced Manufacturing of Cell-based Therapies (an Advanced Technical Education Coordination Network). A nationwide industry-recognized credentialing system will give students a portable credential that is recognized across the nation, thus helping to address the workforce gap in the life science industry. This credentialing model may also inform credentialing approaches for other areas of technician education. The BACE credential was developed through engagement of educators with industry and industry representatives. This partnership continues to evaluate the credential to ensure that it meets changing industry needs. This project intends to expand the number of states using the BACE by adding Georgia, Washington, California, Texas, and Nebraska. To this end, it will set up state task forces comprised of industry professionals, educational leaders, and government representatives. Each task force will examine the use and sustainability of BACE in their state. Testing sites will be established in each state, and the sites will provide faculty and teachers with professional development to understand the BACE, so they can support students’ exam preparation. The project will leverage the extensive networks of InnovATEBIO and the Consortium for Advanced Manufacturing of Cell-based Therapies to disseminate the BACE credential, and also disseminate it through national and state industry associations, district-level industry advisory boards, boards of education, technical educators, and government officials. A nationally recognized credential has strong potential to improve the transition from two-year college technician education programs to employment in the biotechnology industry. This result would not only serve the industry, but also serve the emerging workforce by identifying skillsets in demand across the country. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2400407 | Curriculum Integration in Training EVs (CITE) | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/15/2024 | Carl Stutz | cjstutz@waketech.edu | NC | Wake Technical Community College | Standard Grant | Olga Pierrakos | 07/01/2024 | 06/30/2027 | $636,128.00 | John McNary | 9101 FAYETTEVILLE RD | RALEIGH | NC | 276.035.655 | 9.198.665.076 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Wake Technical Community College (Wake Tech) in Raleigh, North Carolina will be investigating emerging electric vehicle (EV) and hybrid vehicle workforce challenges in the nation's race to increase energy security. This project will advance knowledge by training technicians to be safely prepared for diverse and emerging automotive systems and workplaces for a greater range of automotive employment opportunities. Wake Tech will collaborate with partners to develop effective, safety-focused training standards and contribute to the national discussion of such standards. Through focused outreach to increase representation of women and underrepresented students in the program, the project will aim to diversify the automotive workforce. Wake Tech's (a) facilities and online instruction resources, (b) the project team's focus on diversifying the automotive program, and (c) collaboration with project partners, will improve curriculum and create effective educational materials for Wake Tech Community College, fellow North Carolina community colleges, and impact national technician training standards. The resulting programmatic educational materials will be available to all 58 North Carolina community colleges. Additional dissemination with occur via the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program partners. This project will be accomplished in collaboration with local and national partners with a focus on developing and implementing an advanced EV and hybrid vehicle technician curriculum with four new courses comprising a new certificate option. The team will (a) survey industry to understand their ongoing need for technicians, (b) work with evaluators to beta test, assess, and continually improve educational materials, (c) develop effective online, classroom, and hands-on instruction, (d) infuse EV safety modules into the entire automotive curricula, and (e) disseminate to interdisciplinary programs nationally. The project will also provide faculty with professional development leading to industry certifications. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202105 | An Initiative of Closing the Cloud Computing Skills Gap | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/01/2022 | MUBARAK BANISAKHER | mbanisakher@hccfl.edu | FL | Hillsborough Community College | Standard Grant | Huihui Wang | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $491,794.00 | Marilyn Carrasquillo | 4115 N LOIS AVE | TAMPA | FL | 336.147.824 | 8.132.537.005 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national interest by developing a cloud computing program to meet a regional workforce need. The cloud computing industry has grown exponentially at an unprecedented rate especially during the pandemic. Community colleges nationwide, however, have not yet widely created curriculum and supporting materials to effectively train technicians in this rapidly growing field. There are widespread workforce gaps of cloud computing technicians. This project will develop new courses that will strengthen knowledge in cloud technologies, virtualization, storage, operating systems, networking, and cybersecurity. A collaboration with other institutions and industry partners has the potential to help program adoptions with curricula and best practices to jumpstart a workforce training pipeline in cloud computing. The project team intends to focus on the recruitment of women and students from underrepresented groups in order to meet the growing demands of cloud computing technicians in Tampa region. The project has the potential to advance knowledge of accelerating the development of cloud computing training programs. The primary goal is to develop a cloud computing curriculum with stackable courses towards a college-credit certificate and an associate degree. This goal will be met through four objectives: 1) Development of a clouding computing curriculum that will foster an environment of learning and success through hands-on experiences in cloud technology courses; 2) Acquisition of expertise and technical knowledge through a Business and Industry Leadership Team and a mentoring collaboration with the Cloud Computing Center at Miami Dade College; 3) Provision of opportunities to secondary and post-secondary faculty by taking cloud certifications; and 4) Recruitment activities including job preparations, and retention services. In addition, the project will provide an annual summer program of cloud computing for high school and college students in collaboration with local public schools. The project team plans to disseminate the proposed curriculum and practices in recruiting students from underrepresented groups at various national and regional conferences. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202038 | GeoTech Geospatial Resource Center | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/29/2022 | Vincent DiNoto | Vince.DiNoto@kctcs.edu | KY | Kentucky Community & Technical College System | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $1,649,295.00 | Ken Yanow, Thomas Mueller, Ann Johnson, Nicole Ernst | 300 N MAIN ST | VERSAILLES | KY | 403.831.245 | 8.592.563.397 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Geospatial Science and Technology (GST) integrates innovative tools and techniques to enable users to visualize, analyze, query, and predict temporal, spatial and critical relationships. GST helps to solve problems by looking at data in a way that is readily displayed, can be spatially analyzed, and easily shared. It is a science that includes Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing and image analysis, mapping and cartography, spatial analysis, and data collection tools such as global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Whether it is the map on a smart phone or the navigation system in a car, the base-map in a video game, or the maps that one sees on TV, “geospatial” is all around. The science of GST is being used in resource management, environmental studies, urban planning, criminology, homeland security, military analysis, archaeology, precision agriculture, health sciences, political science, public safety and emergency response, physical sciences, earth sciences, marketing, logistics, economics, business, history, and virtually any other field that has a spatial and/or temporal component. Due to the ubiquitous nature of GST and the need for spatial analysis across many disciplines, instructors from middle school through college are embedding GST into their curriculum (including web-based mapping tools) to promote spatial thinking, or are offering GST specific courses or programs at their respective institutions to prepare students to successfully enter the workforce. The GeoTech National ATE Center is proposing to transition from a national center to a national Resource Center. The GeoTech Resource Center will focus on researching evolving workforce geospatial competencies and career pathways, curriculum modification based on changes/revisions to workforce geospatial competencies, curriculum especially designed for historically underserved populations, and professional development opportunities for secondary and post-secondary educators. The goals for the GeoTech Geospatial Resource Center are: 1) Research, create, and aggregate competencies that will support careers and programs. 2) Create and disseminate curriculum resources in an easily searchable resource repository, and 3) Provide professional development opportunities in face- to-face and virtual synchronous and asynchronous modalities to prepare educators to teach standards- based curriculum. These goals will provide the geospatial community of users (educators and industry professionals alike) curricular offerings in cutting edge GST, which is crucial in creating a well-prepared geospatial technician and technologist workforce. An evaluative process will be implemented to continually review workforce competencies, improve the educational materials produced, and enrich innovative professional development offerings. Learning modules will developed and will be contextual and relevant to historically underserved populations to excite them about GST careers and applications. Lessons will address a wide spectrum of social justice issues for people of color, women, tribal institutions, the LGBTQ community, and historical lessons such as redline maps. Environmental current events such as climate change and wildfires will also be addressed. The curriculum will be modularized and portable to different learning environments and therefore designed to reach a large cohort of users. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000715 | Improving Pathways into the Geospatial and Unmanned Aircraft Systems Technician Workforce | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 08/10/2020 | Chris Carter | cxcarter@odu.edu | VA | Old Dominion University Research Foundation | Standard Grant | Keith Sverdrup | 10/01/2020 | 09/30/2024 | $561,977.00 | David Webb, John McGee, Cheryl Aukland, Shawn Shields Lyons | 4111 MONARCH WAY | NORFOLK | VA | 235.082.561 | 7.576.834.293 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Demand for skilled technicians in geospatial technologies and small unmanned aircraft systems continues to increase as new applications are developed for these emerging technologies. To help meet these demands, this project is designed to increase the number of students who are trained to use these technologies in multiple disciplines. Specifically, Germana Community College will create new academic pathways that provide students with multiple opportunities to enter the technical workforce. Building on previous work, an online version of a course that prepares students for the FAA Remote Pilot Certificate exam will be developed to increase student access and enrollment. Students will learn how to apply geospatial and unmanned aircraft technologies to solve real world problems through service-learning projects that will be integrated into existing courses. The project will also support professional development programs and mentoring to increase the capacity of community college faculty to teach in these technical areas. By supporting the integration of geospatial and unmanned aircraft systems technologies into community college technical programs, this project has the potential to increase opportunities for students to enter the technical workforce. The goals of the project are to: 1) develop new pathways for students at Germana Community College to pursue technical education in geospatial technology and small unmanned aircraft systems; 2) provide faculty professional development programs that will prepare community college faculty for implementing courses that will train students in this field; and 3) increase the number and diversity of students in these technical programs through high school outreach activities. The pathways at Germana Community College will include two stackable certificates that students can use to complete requirements for an Associate of Applied Science degree. To support the new pathways, an online course will be developed that will facilitate completion of the remote pilot certificate. Instructors will assess student learning through knowledge tests and videos of students demonstrating their flying capabilities. The project will offer two faculty institutes to train community college faculty in best practices for implementing curricula relevant to these technologies. Training of faculty will provide hands-on experiences with the technologies using project-based learning that will span different disciplines aligned with participant interests. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2400875 | Developing the Blue-Collar AI Workforce | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/11/2024 | George Cooke | gcooke@broward.edu | FL | Broward College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 05/01/2024 | 04/30/2027 | $649,983.00 | Kareen Torres, Samar Swaid, Michael Fenick | 111 E LAS OLAS BLVD | FORT LAUDERDALE | FL | 333.012.298 | 9.542.017.410 | EDU | 741200 | 093Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The widespread use of artificial intelligence (AI) in industries like healthcare, education, finance, and manufacturing necessitates the need for a skilled AI workforce. The goal of this project is to create a program that will increase the pool of work-ready students who are qualified for employment as AI technicians. The program will create new career AI technician pathways and make use of problem-based learning experiences to stimulate engagement and interest in AI careers. The resulting program will feature a summer bridge, high school after school program, industry engagement, faculty professional development, and evidence-based practices designed to enhance enrollment and retention. A secondary goal of the project is to increase the number of low-income and nontraditional students entering the AI workforce. The project will test the hypothesis that early exposure to AI through problem-based learning positively impacts enrollment and credential attainment. Research will focus on how problem-based learning experiences can spark interest and engagement in AI careers. The project will contribute to the knowledge base of case study teaching methods in enhancing the achievement of learning objectives in AI. The evaluation plan will identify the impact of the program on the target audience and will provide feedback to the project team to adjust the program as needed. The evaluation design includes clear and specific student performance objectives with measurable qualities. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2054895 | Implementation of an Industry-Recognized Credentialing System for Biotechnicians | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/21/2021 | PHILIP GIBSON | PhilipGGibson@gmail.com | GA | Georgia Biomedical Partnership | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 05/15/2021 | 04/30/2024 | $1,197,839.00 | Bridgette Kirkpatrick, Cameron Craft, Tamara Mandell | 999 PEACHTREE ST NE | ATLANTA | GA | 303.094.524 | 4.049.662.027 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The ATE program supports biotechnology technician education programs that partner with industry to ensure the education of a skilled bioscience technical workforce. Yet, there remains a gap between educational preparation and industry’s recognition of potential workers who have completed two-year biotechnology programs. Over the next ten years, reports predict that life science companies will have an increased demand for skilled technical workers, and that filling these positions will be difficult. Thus, preparation of sufficient biotechnicians represents a significant need for the biological economy and related sectors. This project aims to bridge the gap between education and industry through an industry-recognized biotechnician credentialing system. Recently, the Bioscience Industry has identified the Biotechnician Assistant Credentialing Exam (BACE) as an effective tool to certify student capabilities. This exam is already used in six states and the District of Columbia, thus increasing its potential to become the industry-recognized credentialing system for entry-level biotechnicians. This project will pilot the BACE system in five additional states, build consortia of industry and education stakeholders, and disseminate BACE broadly through InnovATEBIO (an NSF ATE Center of Excellence) and the Consortium for Advanced Manufacturing of Cell-based Therapies (an Advanced Technical Education Coordination Network). A nationwide industry-recognized credentialing system will give students a portable credential that is recognized across the nation, thus helping to address the workforce gap in the life science industry. This credentialing model may also inform credentialing approaches for other areas of technician education. The BACE credential was developed through engagement of educators with industry and industry representatives. This partnership continues to evaluate the credential to ensure that it meets changing industry needs. This project intends to expand the number of states using the BACE by adding Georgia, Washington, California, Texas, and Nebraska. To this end, it will set up state task forces comprised of industry professionals, educational leaders, and government representatives. Each task force will examine the use and sustainability of BACE in their state. Testing sites will be established in each state, and the sites will provide faculty and teachers with professional development to understand the BACE, so they can support students’ exam preparation. The project will leverage the extensive networks of InnovATEBIO and the Consortium for Advanced Manufacturing of Cell-based Therapies to disseminate the BACE credential, and also disseminate it through national and state industry associations, district-level industry advisory boards, boards of education, technical educators, and government officials. A nationally recognized credential has strong potential to improve the transition from two-year college technician education programs to employment in the biotechnology industry. This result would not only serve the industry, but also serve the emerging workforce by identifying skillsets in demand across the country. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202122 | CyberTech: Expanding Opportunities in Cybersecurity | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/10/2024 | Luis Pentzke | lpentzke@broward.edu | FL | Broward College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 06/01/2022 | 05/31/2025 | $324,191.00 | John Hadley | 111 E LAS OLAS BLVD | FORT LAUDERDALE | FL | 333.012.298 | 9.542.017.410 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an increase of 31% in job openings in cybersecurity between 2019 and 2029. Even though the state of Florida has the fourth highest employment level in cybersecurity in the Nation, educational options for Florida students who wish to prepare for and pursue employment in the cybersecurity field are limited. The goal of this project is to increase access for low-income students, and underrepresented students to cybersecurity technician training while increasing overall graduation rates. This project will make use of a co-teaching model where faculty and cybersecurity graduate students work together to ensure the relevancy of the curriculum in the cybersecurity program. Graduate students will co-teach classes with faculty bringing the latest knowledge of cybersecurity threats and security breaches to the classroom. Partnerships with industry, universities, community colleges, and secondary schools will help ensure project success and alignment with the rapidly changing needs of the industry. This project will support regional workforce needs by providing local employers with a larger and better trained supply of cybersecurity technicians. This project will respond to local industry needs while supplying broader insight into effectiveness of the co-teaching model on technician enrollment, retention, and certification acquisition. The program will pair cybersecurity instructors with cybersecurity graduate students through a co-teaching collaboration that will offer students near-peer support, access to current cybersecurity research, and a competency-based framework with recognition for prior learning. Project objectives include: 1) Increasing enrollment in cybersecurity courses; 2) Increasing fall-to-fall retention in cybersecurity courses; and 3) Increasing the number of credentials earned by students participating in the program. The evaluation plan will study the impact of the program on the target audience and the program’s potential for benefiting others. The evaluation design includes clear and specific student performance objectives with measurable qualities; use of multiple measures; use of project documents, records, and results for formative evaluation. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2026262 | The Hidden Innovation Infrastructure: Understanding the Economic Development Role of Technician Education in the Changing Future of Work | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/23/2023 | Michelle Van Noy | mvannoy@rutgers.edu | NJ | Rutgers University New Brunswick | Standard Grant | Connie Della-Piana | 09/01/2020 | 08/31/2024 | $1,708,318.00 | Marilyn Barger, Renee Edwards | 3 RUTGERS PLZ | NEW BRUNSWICK | NJ | 89.018.559 | 8.489.320.150 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The roles of technicians and two-year institutions are unrecognized in most traditional approaches to measuring the impact of higher education on economic development. This project aims address this gap by identifying the economic impact of technician education programs and workforce development at two-year institutions. The research will investigate the hypothesis that community college technician education programs and the NSF Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Program form an infrastructure that creates both a workforce of skilled technicians and an ecosystem of supports that help to increase workplace productivity and innovation, thus spurring regional economic development. The multi-faceted mixed-methods research study will include a national analysis of community college technician education and economic development, as well as in-depth regional case studies of technician education and industries in advanced manufacturing. The national analyses will examine data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics and the U.S. Census County Business Patterns. Case study sites will be selected based on ATE program investments, level of rurality, manufacturing sector, economic context, and economic development region. The project will advance understanding of technician education’s contribution to economic development in two ways. First, the project will develop a more refined conception of the role that community college technician education plays in economic development. Second, the project will provide a deeper examination of workplace outcomes beyond simple employment and earnings models to generate insights on the nature of technician work and on innovation and productivity in the workplace. In addition to a new data collection, two primary datasets will be combined in the analyses: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics data and the U.S. Census County Business Patterns data. Both use the North American Industry Classification System. The Integrated Post-Secondary Education System data and ATE program award data will be used to measure different cognate areas, such as the number of students in higher education. The National Center for Education Statistics crosswalk between Classification of Instruction Program codes with the Standard Occupation Classification codes will be used to link education programs to occupations. The project will examine trends in technician production from community colleges and trends in the technician labor market, which will be augmented with data from the NSF’s National Training, Education, and Workforce Survey. A quasi-experimental difference-in-differences approach will be used to establish causal linkages between technician education/ATE program and innovation/economic and workforce development. On-going work by the Aspen Institute and the State New Economy Index will inform case study measures and analyses. Comparative analysis of the linked case studies will contribute to: identifying the presence or absence of the phenomenon of interest; exploring how the phenomenon varies across conditions; investigating differences in the impact of the phenomenon; testing theoretical and emerging linkages among different phenomena; and examining conditions under which the phenomenon arises. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2400719 | Building a Sustainable Transportation Service Technician Education Program | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/11/2024 | Patrick English | patrickenglish@ferris.edu | MI | Ferris State University (Inc.) | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 05/01/2024 | 04/30/2027 | $350,000.00 | Jeremy Themm | 1201 S STATE ST | BIG RAPIDS | MI | 493.072.747 | 2.315.912.100 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | A major shift in the automotive industry to Electric Vehicles (EV) has created a need for skilled technicians both regionally and nationally. This project from Ferris State University will establish an industry aligned associate degree and certificate program that is designed to meet industry needs and SAE International EV Certification standards to prepare students for EV employment. Over the course of the three-year project, a new degree and certificate program will be created and launched enabling students to obtain a workforce credential that will prepare them for success in the rapidly growing EV workforce. The project will use a Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT) to maintain the industry-driven focus of the degree and certificate. The new certificate will enable technicians working on conventional automotive technology in the field to return for a two-semester program that will re-skill them to support electric vehicles. Instructors from Ferris State and other schools in the area will benefit from professional development and certification opportunities in EV service technology. Students without previous automotive experience will be able to earn stackable credentials and be prepared for an international certification in two semesters and may continue to pursue a four-semester program for a transferable degree. The main goals of the project are to focus on program and curriculum development and improvements and align with the industry verified skills needed for the future EV Technician workforce. This program also provides a pathway for current technicians in automotive service to update their skill set to meet the growing needs of their employers. Collaboration with the BILT and other institutions will extend the reach of this project farther into the region surrounding Ferris State and potentially increase economic opportunities for the service area. The project will increase the number of workforce-ready EV technicians, through retraining of existing technicians in EV and educating students who have not been in the field in sustainable transportation technology. Ferris has a significant number of students from underrepresented and underserved groups as well as a large number of students who are the first in their family to attend college. Strategic partnerships will support the recruitment and retention of underserved and underrepresented students to support a welcoming entry to higher education and the workforce. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2201214 | Expanding Educational Opportunities for Secondary and Post-Secondary Educators and Students in the Technology and Applications of Unmanned Aircraft Systems | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/08/2022 | Ken Yanow | kyanow@swccd.edu | CA | Southwestern College | Standard Grant | Keith Sverdrup | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $649,956.00 | Wing Cheung, Matthew Truitt | 900 OTAY LAKES RD | CHULA VISTA | CA | 919.107.223 | 6.194.826.344 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Labor market studies of the Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) or “Drones” industry indicate that UAS is now a significant driver of job and economic growth in many regions across the nation. The UAS industry is well established in the San Diego region thanks to major employers in the industry as well as numerous other small to medium sized businesses. The outlook in the region is growing as the use of UAS across a variety of disciplines is increasing. Yet despite the high demand in the market, the skills gap is rising leaving drone service providers and related organizations scrambling to fill drone-related positions. This project will address the needs of an ever-expanding industry by providing both secondary and post-secondary educators and students with a variety of educational opportunities, such as: 1) Up-to-date and relevant work-based curriculum; 2) Articulation agreements between partnering secondary and post-secondary institutions; 3) Professional development workshops in UAS applications and operations; and 4) Summer high school academies specifically designed to inform and excite students (many of whom are from traditionally underserved and underrepresented communities) about UAS applications, educational opportunities, and career pathways. A unique element of the summer academies is the inclusion of students from the Pacific Islands, providing an opportunity for students from San Diego County and the Pacific Islands to become culturally connected, learn from one another, work together with different global perspectives to solve problems, and potentially make life-long connections with someone from a different part of the world. The project team includes college faculty, secondary school partners, educational consultants, and industry professionals. This project will provide relevant curriculum and educational opportunities for both secondary and post-secondary students, better preparing them to become skilled and thoughtful members of the UAS workforce. The mission of this project is to strengthen the educational opportunities and career pathways in drone technology and applications for secondary and post-secondary students so that they can succeed as employees or entrepreneurs in the ever-expanding UAS field. To meet the mission, three goals will be implemented, each with a set of objectives, activities, and deliverables: 1) Curriculum: In consultation with industry and education partners, the project team will: a) Create industry-aligned work-based learning projects; b) Develop and offer an advanced course in drone photography and videography; c) Create a set of engineering learning modules (in manufacturing, maintenance, and customization) to be offered in existing introductory engineering courses which will then be added to the list of program electives. 2) Professional Development: UAS are being used across a variety of disciplines, therefore it is important that secondary and post-secondary educators in those disciplines have hands-on, professional development opportunities in UAS applications so that they can share this information with their students. As part of the 2-day workshops, participants will create curriculum that will be vetted and placed on the National Center for Autonomous Technologies (NCAT) resource repository. 3) Secondary Education: In order to link high school learning experiences to college and careers, the project will do the following activities: a) Partner high school UAS curriculum will be cross-walked and modified where needed in order to articulate it to the college curriculum. The articulated course will create an academic pipeline for students, as the course will go toward the completion of the Southwestern College Drone Technology and Applications Certificate. b) The project will host hybrid summer drone academies for students in San Diego County and the Pacific Islands. At the academies, students will receive real-time instruction on flight training, data collection/processing, autonomous flight coding, and collaborative problem solving. The project evaluation will include formative feedback throughout the 3-year project along with annual evaluation reports that will assess progress towards achieving the goals and objectives. A summative evaluation at the end of the project will examine the effectiveness of strategies and provide an overall assessment of how well the project has met its goals. To maximize impact, the best practices and resulting content of the project will be documented and disseminated in publications, at various conferences, and on NCAT. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2055708 | Industry Aligned Rural Engineering Program | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/30/2021 | James Fisher | jim.fisher@imperial.edu | CA | Imperial Valley College | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 07/01/2021 | 06/30/2024 | $300,000.00 | Oscar Vazquez-Mena | 380 E ATEN RD | IMPERIAL | CA | 922.519.653 | 7.603.556.241 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Diversifying the economic and industrial base of rural communities is challenging. For example, rural communities can struggle to produce a workforce aligned with local industry needs. This struggle is especially true for isolated communities in areas with challenging environmental conditions like those found in Imperial County, CA, where the temperature can exceed 110 degrees for an extended period of time in the summer. This area has the second highest poverty rate and the highest ratio of migrant agricultural workers in the state. Although the agricultural sector dominates the workforce, a small group of committed industrial partners has a keen interest in developing a home-grown, local pipeline of engineering students. These industrial leaders have failed to attract qualified candidates to the inhospitable region, leaving higher paying jobs unfilled. The industries represent the energy, water, and mining industries whose employees have overlapping skill sets. This award will enable Imperial Valley College, a rural Hispanic Serving Institution, to develop a one-year Engineering Technology Certificate that will produce the skilled technical workers needed by these industries. By preparing workers for high paying, stable jobs in the local economy, this project the potential to help mitigate the disproportionate impacts of COVID-19 on rural and Hispanic communities. The certificate program will provide Imperial Valley College students with the classes needed to achieve their educational goals and meet the needs of the local industries. The project builds on three things: an existing partnership between Imperial Valley College and the University of California San Diego, a baseline survey of Imperial Valley College students that indicated a strong interest in an engineering program, and the commitment of local industry partners. To develop the new certificate program, Imperial Valley College will create a new makerspace, adopt curriculum from UCSD, and place students who complete the certificate into internships with local industries. The new makerspace will help educate students and their families about high wage technician job opportunities in industry. The evaluation of this project will inform industry and education stakeholders about how to effectively build and strengthen a relationship between a community college and a four-year institution. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1931215 | Engaging Educators, Strengthening Practice: Creating & Sustaining Successful Industry-Education Partnerships | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/01/2019 | Mary Slowinski | m.slowinski@bellevuecollege.edu | WA | Bellevue College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 12/01/2019 | 11/30/2024 | $1,970,027.00 | Rachael Bower, Edward Almasy | 3000 LANDERHOLM CIR SE | BELLEVUE | WA | 980.076.484 | 4.255.642.042 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program strives to meet the nation's demand for skilled technicians by developing and improving technology education in community and technical colleges. As technological workforce needs multiply and skilled workers become increasingly difficult to find, this effort becomes ever more critical to the health of our national economy. The employer needs for right-skilled graduates is well-documented. For example, in its most recent survey, the Manpower Group found that nearly half of employers are having difficulty filling US jobs. In addition, they report that, for the 6th consecutive year, skilled trades positions are the hardest positions to fill. When asked why they were unable to fill roles, almost half of employers point to a lack of applicants or a lack of applicants with the necessary hard or soft skills. Mitigating such disparities between workforce needs and worker skills are important goals of community and technical colleges. Strong industry partnerships are fundamental to this work. When done well, these relationships stimulate exchange and dialogue between institutions and employers that, in turn, ensure program currency, alignment with workforce needs, awareness of industry trends, and the production of graduates who are right-skilled and work-ready. Strengthening these beneficial collaborations is not only critical for the grantees of the National Science Foundation's ATE program, but for all colleges and programs that wish to advance technological education and expand opportunities and pathways for students and the communities in which they serve. The Engaging Educators, Strengthening Practice project team has investigated education-industry partnerships across the ATE community and has found that 78% of PIs have received no training or support for forming or maintaining industry partnerships. In addition, none mentioned instruction or guided development of an industry partnership action plan or support for the execution of such a plan. This project will develop curricula that supports educators in establishing and sustaining industry partnerships. The curriculum will be delivered during in-person workshops and webinars. Workshop participants will construct an industry partnership action plan based on research and best practices, as well as aligned with their specific organizational goals. The project will: 1) Develop curricula that supports educators in establishing and sustaining industry partnerships; 2) Facilitate the use of a rubric for partnership assessment/evaluation; 3) Provide professional development workshops and webinars to guide the use of the materials and to build participant community; 4) Establish online learning exchanges for post-workshop participant knowledge transfer, support, and collaboration; 5) Adapt workshop materials for online reference and use by participants and others; and 6) Disseminate the tools, findings, and outcomes of these efforts via the project website, conference presentations, published reports, and webinars. The project website and resources will be designed to ensure that they are accessible by all users, including those with disabilities. All appropriate resources will be archived with ATE Central to ensure sustainability. This project is funded by the NSF Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2400825 | Electric Vehicle Education for New Jersey (EVE-NJ) | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/15/2024 | Ivan Anderson | ianderson@brookdalecc.edu | NJ | Brookdale Community College | Standard Grant | Olga Pierrakos | 07/01/2024 | 06/30/2027 | $561,318.00 | James Crowder | 765 NEWMAN SPRINGS RD | LINCROFT | NJ | 77.381.599 | 2.018.421.900 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | New Jersey has set a goal to use 100 percent clean energy by 2050. The use of electric vehicles (EVs) is a major initiative to meet this clean energy goal. The challenge is a dearth of available EV automotive technology training in New Jersey and the surrounding region. Brookdale Community College, located in Monmouth County, New Jersey, will prepare a workforce trained in the service and repair of EVs by infusing EV learning into existing automotive technology programs and courses. Brookdale Community College will create a “stackable” credential for incumbent automotive technology professionals. The new curriculum and educational materials will be disseminated to related programs across the country to broaden the impact. This project will aim to recruit women who are underrepresented in automotive technology programs and careers. To support the retention of all students, Brookdale Community College and the Automotive Technology Program will offer a series of events, workshops, and conferences led by a female automotive technology coordinator, who will serve as a leader and role model for the students. In providing open access opportunities for training in high-skill, wage, and demand EV careers, this project provides a prime opportunity to better prepare and to diversify the automotive technology workforce. Brookdale Community College will also work with Amazing Women in Automotive (AWA) to offer mentoring opportunities, establish a student club to mentor women within the automotive field, and host networking/recruitment dinners at automotive trade shows. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1700496 | Geospatial Technology Center of Excellence: Growing the Workforce | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/25/2023 | Vincent DiNoto | Vince.DiNoto@kctcs.edu | KY | Kentucky Community & Technical College System | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 07/01/2017 | 06/30/2024 | $4,535,517.00 | Ken Yanow, Richard Schultz, Ann Johnson, Nicole Ernst | 300 N MAIN ST | VERSAILLES | KY | 403.831.245 | 8.592.563.397 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The National Geospatial Technology Center of Excellence (GeoTech Center) is a collaborative effort of two-year colleges, universities, and industry to accomplish the vision of increasing the number and diversity of learners and workers who possess industry-defined geospatial technology (GST) skills and competencies. The need for a GST workforce that possesses current industry-defined skills and competencies is expanding at a rapid rate. Today, GST is becoming an essential tool in fields including (but not limited to) emergency response, sustainability, agro-science, energy, and a variety of STEM disciplines. These occupations require a skillset in the analysis of spatial data and geo-visualization. One impact of this project will be the national expansion and diversification of a GST workforce that possesses relevant and current industry-defined GST skills and competencies. GeoTech Center research has identified a lack of educational materials to meet the needs of the broad geospatial community of users. Curricula that are standardized and contextual, and that can be used in traditional college learning environments, as well as by individuals for self-improvement, is desperately needed. The GeoTech Center will design and develop industry-aligned educational materials that can be used in a modularized format and portable to different learning environments. The GeoTech Center has four integrated Goals: 1) Research emerging trends and uses of GST; 2) Develop industry-aligned curriculum for new and incumbent users of GST; 3) Investigate best practices to increase (and retain) the number of underserved and underrepresented populations (including veterans, women, minority groups, and persons with disabilities) into GST and STEM fields; and 4) Develop and implement professional development opportunities and resources for secondary and post-secondary faculty. In order to successfully accomplish its Goals, the Center will build on strong, documented relationships with professional GST organizations and provide new and current workers access to educational resources to assist them in filling any gaps in their GST skillset (and for them to receive recognition of those skills through micro-credentials and professional certifications). The Center will expand its Community of Practice and address specific educational needs of targeted audiences, including underserved and underrepresented students, veterans, and faculty in STEM disciplines. The efforts of the Center to accomplish its Goals will provide the optimum framework and resources to increase the number and diversity of learners and workers who possess industry-defined GST skills and competencies. |
| 2201631 | CREATE Energy National Center | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/12/2023 | Kenneth Walz | kwalz@madisoncollege.edu | WI | Madison Area Technical College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2027 | $7,914,445.00 | Kathleen Alfano, Jennifer Clemons, Kevin Cooper, Andrew McMahan | 1701 WRIGHT ST | MADISON | WI | 537.042.599 | 6.082.466.676 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Most of the current energy infrastructure in the U.S. was built in the five decades from the 1920s to the late 1970s. The U.S. is now faced with the challenge of replacing this aging and soon to be obsolete infrastructure, while a tremendous opportunity exists globally to create new sustainable industries and economies through renewable energy, energy storage, energy efficiency and other advanced, smart, and clean energy technologies. More than 80% of all new electrical generation added in 2020 was from renewable energy sources, largely in the form of wind and solar power led in large part by three of the world’s largest economies: China, Germany, and the U.S. This project will address the rapidly changing energy landscape to develop and promote exemplary programs in support of the education of a skilled technical workforce for the American energy sector. The CREATE National Energy Center proposes to become the preeminent source of faculty professional development and instructional materials for energy educators, increase the visibility of energy careers and broaden participation of groups historically underrepresented in these careers, and build academic, industry, and international partnerships to advance energy technician education. The CREATE Center will empower two-year college faculty and academic programs to champion new energy technologies to ensure American competitiveness in this fast-changing sector. The Center will: provide models and leadership in support of two-year colleges working with four-year universities, secondary schools, business, industry, economic development agencies, and government to promote a skilled technical workforce for the energy sector; establish an effective dialogue and collaborations between existing and new ATE projects in energy technology and related fields across the nation; mentor faculty to broaden the impact of ATE in the energy sector; promote energy technician careers and visibility and the public image of advanced energy technology; address energy technician knowledge, skills, and competencies needed for the evolving, converging, and emerging technical workplace including re- and up-skilling of the incumbent workforce; and provide faculty professional development opportunities in advanced energy technology and areas of rapid growth. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2100418 | Adopting the STEM Guitar Curriculum to Prepare Students in American Samoa for Technician Education | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/21/2021 | Shirley De La Rosa | s.delarosa@amsamoa.edu | AS | American Samoa Community College | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 07/01/2021 | 06/30/2025 | $299,791.00 | Edna Noga | PAGO PAGO | PAGO PAGO | AS | 96.799 | 6.846.999.155 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | American Samoa, located 10,000 miles from the United States mainland, is the only US Territory in the South Pacific Ocean. American Samoa Community College is the only college on the island. With this award, the College will establish the Technician Education Readiness Pathway to meet the critical need for a skilled technical workforce. Nearly all students entering American Samoa Community College require remediation in mathematics and reading, which bars them from enrolling in the existing Technician Education programs. Currently, less than 5% of high school teachers are rated as ‘highly qualified’ in these subject areas. The Technician Education Readiness Pathway will adopt the STEM Guitar Building curriculum to enhance education in applied math, as well as technical reading and writing. This curriculum builds on the strong cultural connection that music plays in everyday life in American Samoa, thus providing additional motivation for students and teachers in the technician education pathway. The goals of the project are to (1) improve student knowledge in STEM concepts, (2) increase the number of students eligible to enroll in Technician Education programs, and (3) prepare students for industry recognized certification exams. The Technician Education Readiness Pathway will establish a partnership between the STEM faculty of American Samoa Community College and teachers from Nu’uli Vocational Technical High School. The partnership will provide professional development for 20 educators on the Guitar Building curriculum, which will include training in AutoCAD and a laser cutting system. The trained faculty and teachers will then work with at least 100 students over three years to integrate STEM learning with guitar building as they prepare to enroll in the Technician Education programs. Students that enter without the need for remedial coursework will be able to quickly earn a STEM certificate or degree, making them eligible for employment in the STEM workforce. American Samoa Community College will establish an advisory board that includes the American Samoa Power authority to gain industry feedback, and the Oceania Community Development Network to broadly disseminate the program’s successes. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2300932 | Drones to Avionics Pathway (DAP) Project | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/24/2023 | Johan Alvarez | jalvare6@broward.edu | FL | Broward College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 08/01/2023 | 07/31/2026 | $454,038.00 | James Rowe, Russell McCaffrey, Julie Mura | 111 E LAS OLAS BLVD | FORT LAUDERDALE | FL | 333.012.298 | 9.542.017.410 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The US Bureau of Labor Statistics data show that Florida has the second highest employment level in the Avionics industry of the 50 states and is in the highest growth category for the industry. FAA’s reports show Broward College’s service area in the highest growth category for Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) with new device registrations. This project will increase access for underrepresented populations to Avionics careers by engaging students in informal avionics encounters and creating a new track in the Avionics AS degree program focused on drone maintenance. The informal introduction to avionics begins the pathway of stackable credentials including regulatory licensure, stackable credentials, AS degrees, and BS degrees. The project will add to the body of knowledge in effective pedagogy in avionics education resulting in increased credential attainment. Utilizing experiential learning methods, students will demonstrate competencies leading to stackable credentials. The effort ultimately benefits students by increasing enrollment, retention, and credential acquisition in avionics pathways. The project activities, which are based on previous promising efforts at the College, will increase depth of learning and understanding of career skills in Avionics. These activities include: 1) Conducting an experiential learning after school program and a summer boot camp; 2) Developing curriculum and establishing a 9-credit drone maintenance track in the AS Avionics degree program; 3) Establishing a firm foundation through partnerships at the secondary, community college, university, community, and professional levels; 4) Implementing outreach efforts that tap underserved and non- traditional populations; and 5) Evaluating and disseminating project results, processes, and materials. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2350520 | Cybersecurity Workforce: Bridging the Gap in Appalachian Ohio (Cyber-Workforce) | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/11/2024 | Barbara Miller | bmiller@zanestate.edu | OH | Zane State College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 06/15/2024 | 05/31/2027 | $349,999.00 | Willard Bailey | 1555 NEWARK RD | ZANESVILLE | OH | 437.012.694 | 7.405.881.374 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 148Z, 8045, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | With the increasing threat of cyber-attacks and the need to protect sensitive data and information, companies rely on cybersecurity technicians to safeguard their operations and to ensure business continuity. The goal of this project is to increase the number of skilled cybersecurity technicians across Zane State's three-county Ohio service area while responding to economic challenges faced by disadvantaged communities in Appalachian Ohio. In collaboration with regional industry partners, high schools, four-year colleges and universities, and community organizations, Zane State will realign its existing cybersecurity curriculum with the NICE Cybersecurity Framework and create four certificate programs. Certificate tracks will be offered in stackable credentials to prepare participants for entry level jobs while offering more narrowly focused certificates designed for rapid workforce entry. The resulting program will offer four curriculum tracks: Cyber Security, Cyber Management, Cyber Analytics, and Cyber Networking. Cybersecurity content will include penetration testing, project management, IoT, open-source programming, compliance, incident response and disaster recovery, and digital forensics. Project activities include the development and implementation of a cybersecurity curriculum, outreach to high school students and teachers, and the establishment of robust cyber learning communities designed to support nontraditional students, traditional high school students and faculty, and two-year college students and faculty. The project's primary audiences are two-year IHE faculty and students, rural project participants, veterans, and high school students and teachers. Project evaluation will include formative and summative inquiries that will provide feedback to inform continuous improvement. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2349953 | Training the Next Generation of Internet of Things Technicians | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/11/2024 | Rodolfo Cruz | rcruz2@mdc.edu | FL | Miami Dade College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 09/01/2024 | 08/31/2027 | $298,828.00 | Alicia Ibarra | 245 NE 4TH ST BLDG 3000 | MIAMI | FL | 331.322.206 | 3.052.373.910 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The Internet of Things (IoT) has become one of the most important and rapidly expanding technologies of the 21st century. The data collected by IoT devices can improve efficiency, enhance decision-making processes, enable automation, and create new applications and services across numerous sectors. IoT technicians need to have skills that go beyond foundational computing knowledge. The goal of this project is to increase the number of skilled technicians entering the IoT workforce with a focus on recruiting and supporting students from underrepresented populations. The project will align Miami Dade's IoT certificate with workforce needs, increase enrollment in the program, and raise awareness of the need for IoT technicians in the local community. A larger, more varied IoT workforce will result in a more efficient digital landscape. This project will incorporate Smart Cities, Smart Grids, and Smart Homes technologies, critical subfields within the broader IoT landscape, as part of the IoT certificate updates. These technologies are prevalent in South Florida as the region undergoes a digital transformation. The revised IoT certificate will allow students to acquire a comprehensive understanding of IoT's underlying principles and applications, enabling them to embrace and contribute to these emerging fields. The project will utilize an external evaluation team to ensure the integrity of the evaluation process and to complete formative and summative evaluation reports to inform the grant team and assist with improvement. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2400860 | Advancing Next Generation Bio-Technician Preparedness in Northeast Florida | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/12/2024 | KASYAPA CHITTA | kasyapa.chitta@fscj.edu | FL | Florida State College at Jacksonville | Standard Grant | Kalyn Owens | 07/01/2024 | 06/30/2027 | $326,721.00 | Dianne Fair, Pius Kyesmu | 501 WEST STATE STREET | JACKSONVILLE | FL | 322.023.099 | 9.046.323.327 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 8038, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This ATE Track 2 project aims to serve national interest by improving curricula and educational materials in biotechnician education in the Northeast Florida region. Biotechnology is currently undergoing a global evolution as evidenced by new innovations, developments, and breakthroughs. The most notable areas propelling biotechnology innovation involve computing, artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, synthetic biology, mixed reality technologies, and others. One of the key challenges in this sector is developing a workforce that possesses the knowledge, skills, and competencies needed for these emerging areas. To prepare students with the skills they will need to enter the workforce successfully, this project plans to integrate instruction on these emerging technologies into an existing Biotechnology program. This multipronged program improvement effort has the potential to better prepare students and regional technicians to enter the rapidly advancing biotechnology field. The project goals are to: 1) update courses in the current Biotechnology Laboratory Technology Associate in Science degree program to include a modified externship course; 2) acquire advanced instruments for students to develop skills using research-grade instruments; and 3) implement hands-on, biotechnology mobile mini-labs that engage K-12 students and teachers in current and applied STEM curricula. A comprehensive evaluation effort seeks to provide data for ongoing project improvement as well as to contribute knowledge regarding training practices in new and emerging technical fields. Additionally, project findings aim to advance STEM education knowledge about how active and inquiry-equipment based learning within a biotechnology program improves students' readiness for the biotechnology workforce. Results and products of the project are expected to be disseminated to other two-year college technical programs interested in improving curriculum to meet regional or national needs for skilled biotechnicians. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000764 | Using High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry to Develop Advanced Laboratory Skills in Collaboration with Industry | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/10/2024 | Jason Gagliano | jgagliano@forsythtech.edu | NC | Forsyth Technical Community College | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 05/15/2020 | 05/31/2025 | $428,082.00 | Russ Read | 2100 SILAS CREEK PKWY | WINSTON SALEM | NC | 271.035.150 | 3.367.347.177 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Biotechnology is one of the fastest-growing industries in the country. To meet the growing biotechnology workforce needs, the National Center for Biotechnology Workforce at Forsyth Technical Community College has been supporting nationwide education and training of technicians in biotechnology, bioprocessing, and related programs at community colleges. Biotechnology industries increasingly need workers with hands-on training in high-resolution mass spectrometry. This project aims to expand the breadth and relevance of its support for biotechnology technician education by acquiring a high-resolution mass spectrometer. This state-of-the-art analytical tool can identify specific chemicals in a sample, even when the sample contains only a trillionth of a gram of that chemical. Such information is used in industries ranging from environmental testing, and food and beverage production, to drug discovery and manufacturing. The project proposes to use this spectrometer to train students and faculty in state-of-the art high-resolution mass spectrometry technology, thus aligning technician education with emerging workforce needs. The project has two goals. First, it plans to acquire a high-resolution mass spectrometer and collaborate with industry partners to use real-world bioscience projects to provide students with skills-based instruction in how to use this technology. Second, it plans to provide workshops that will help high school STEM educators increase their understanding of the bioscience industry, including the use of high-resolution mass spectrometry. These workshops are intended to provide teachers with the knowledge and skills they need to guide students into community college technician education programs that lead to bioscience careers. The College will partner with educators, employers, and entrepreneurs in and around Innovation Quarter in downtown Winston-Salem, NC, to develop instructional labs using high-resolution mass spectrometry on industry-related projects. Labs will include standard operating procedures on how to use the instrument to collect high-resolution mass spectrometry data, as well as how to interpret these data. This skills-based learning will serve faculty and students from the College and high school STEM programs, as well as those at other local universities. The workshops will also serve educators from across the nation who will be selected for their interest in and potential to develop advanced skills training that connects their local industry with the classroom. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2400810 | Practical Polymers for Students and Industry (PPSI) | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/12/2024 | Vii Rice | jjr21@pct.edu | PA | Pennsylvania College of Technology | Standard Grant | Kalyn Owens | 05/01/2024 | 04/30/2027 | $594,574.00 | Adam Barilla, Bradley Webb | 1 COLLEGE AVE | WILLIAMSPORT | PA | 177.015.778 | 5.703.263.761 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Plastics and polymer products are ubiquitous in many aspects of daily life, which creates a continuous demand for a skilled technical workforce in plastics manufacturing and related industries. Through the Track 2 ATE project, Pennsylvania College of Technology (Penn College), seeks to redesign its plastics/polymer technology program (PPT) to reach a broader population of potential and current technicians, including new graduates and incumbent workers. Through the project, this team aims to create new certificate, AAS, and AAS-to-BS program pathways that are predominantly asynchronous, online courses, paired with intensive summer and weekend hands-on labs. These pathways are likely to provide a low-barrier, rapid on-ramp opportunities that broaden access for new and incumbent workers to enter well-paying careers in polymer technology industries. Additionally, the project seeks to advance understanding about reaching populations that are currently underrepresented in plastics fields. Ultimately, this project has the potential for far-reaching applicability for other technical education institutions, with relevance for a wide range of employers in the plastics manufacturing sector. The project has four primary objectives: (1) redesign the first year of the AAS program to establish two hybrid, asynchronous for-credit certificate programs; (2) recruit adult learners into the redesigned PPT AAS and certificate programs through outreach to local technical employers; (3) introduce at least 300 high school students to PPT educational and career pathways through classroom activities and dual enrollment programs; and (4) provide a PPT Educator Externship to support high school educators to integrate polymer technology topics into high school STEM classes. The project team also plans to investigate how to efficiently implement an asynchronous multi-pathway training program that engages a wide range of learners, including current high school students completing an early college program, new graduates interested in entering the field as technicians, and incumbent workers who seek to increase their skills. Project evaluation efforts seek to advance understanding about whether students who live outside of the College’s nearby region can meaningfully complete a PPT certificate with substantially reduced on-campus time, and how to give incumbent workers training that adds value for both the student and employer. Project findings are proposed to be shared with a wide range of stakeholders, including other ATE program grantees, technical colleges, institutions of higher education, and industry partners. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2400736 | Advancing Career and Technical Skills: Through the science of material, nondestructive testing and welding education. | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/12/2024 | Catlin Davis | catlin.davis@pueblocc.edu | CO | Pueblo Community College | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 07/01/2024 | 06/30/2027 | $331,290.00 | 900 W ORMAN AVE | PUEBLO | CO | 810.041.430 | 7.195.493.340 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 8037, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Ongoing research has demonstrated that there is a notable shortage of skilled trade and technical workers in the United States, and in specialty areas such as welding. A needs assessment conducted in Southern Colorado by Pueblo Community College (PCC) revealed that 21% of skilled positions in advanced manufacturing are unfilled due to a regional skills gap. This project at PCC addresses the demand for skilled professionals, focusing on welding education, materials testing, and pertinent industry focused certifications. Over the three-year project period PCC aims to align curriculum with industry standards, creating competency-based pathways in both welding and welding inspection through aligned American Welding Society (AWS) and American Society of Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) qualifications. Faculty associated with the project will benefit from professional development opportunities focusing on welding and nondestructive Testing (NDT) education. This training will enable faculty and staff to prepare students for industry recognized credentials. The project targets a 5% increase in enrollment and student employment in industry-related careers. The initiative meets regional industry needs, and contributes to workforce diversity, broadening participation amongst underserved populations. This project aligns with PCC's mission to advance technical education while preparing students for high-demand careers in welding and nondestructive testing. The overall goal of the project is to prepare students with the necessary industry skills and credentialing to succeed in careers with a documented skills gap such as welding and welding inspection. This will be accomplished with the help of an advisory board of regional employers with demonstrated expertise in welding technology with an emphasis on NDT. The advisory committee will work with program faculty to ensure that relevant skills are being taught in the classroom, and that college credentials are appropriately valued by regional industry. Students will be taking courses in NDT with input from the ASNT curriculum, which will prepare them to enter the welding industry in quality control, quality assurance and inspection. It is estimated that more than 300 students a year will have the potential to be certified with relevant industry credentials through the PCC course offerings, benefitting the regional economy. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2350448 | Securing the Future: Inclusive Cybersecurity Education for All | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/12/2024 | Michael E Hardin | mike.hardin@kctcs.edu | KY | Kentucky Community & Technical College System | Standard Grant | Huihui Wang | 05/01/2024 | 04/30/2027 | $649,044.00 | Ethan Coats, Lauren Campbell | 300 N MAIN ST | VERSAILLES | KY | 403.831.245 | 8.592.563.397 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national interest by creating an inclusive cybersecurity technician education for all at Bluegrass Community and Technical College in order to secure the future cybersecurity workforce. The project intends to address Kentucky's shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals. The project team plans to investigate factors influencing high school and college students' career decisions, identify potential barriers to credential completion, and assess the impact of faculty and peer mentoring on student success. The project team intends to identify effective mentoring attributes in order to effectively recruit skilled technical employees. The project has the potential to increase enrollment in cybersecurity credentials by enhancing access to accurate information for high school students, teachers, and counselors. The project will support peer mentors, and summer workshops for high school teachers. A part-time retention and recruitment specialist plans to engage near-peer mentors to support minority and female students by hosting workshops of the cybersecurity career exploration across the college campus. The project team plans to recruit 240 diverse students (including female students and students from groups underrepresented in STEM) from local high schools into a hybrid campus program. This hybrid program includes various activities to expose students to cybersecurity skills, credentials and career pathways. The project will recruit and train 20 teachers or counselors over the life of the project. The project team will provide teachers or counselors with a basic understanding of cybersecurity so that they will be able to facilitate success for high school students enrolled in dual credit cybersecurity courses. The project findings will be disseminated to other community colleges across the state. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2400610 | Building Credentialed Media Technology Pathways for Priority Populations from High School through Community Colleges to Industry (MTP3) | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/10/2024 | Laura Nash | laura.nash@mhcc.edu | OR | Mount Hood Community College | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 09/01/2024 | 08/31/2027 | $649,999.00 | JD Kiggins | 26000 SE STARK ST | GRESHAM | OR | 970.303.300 | 5.036.676.422 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The media industry is undergoing rapid changes as new technologies such as extended reality and in-camera visual effects (XR/ICVFX) transform how media is created. These new technologies have created a demand for media technicians who are capable of using the hardware and software required for the shift in content creation. This project intends to develop industry recognized certificates, certificate training programs, and create paid internships with industry mentors, thus creating pathways for students to pursue high paying jobs with career advancement potential in the Portland, Oregon metro region. The goals of this project are to engage employers, labor unions, and state agencies in establishing new industry-recognized credentials that create novel on-ramps for learners from priority populations into high-demand industry roles as media technicians. The novel on-ramp model is intended to be adaptable to other markets to support the expansion and diversification of the media and entertainment industry technician workforce. This project features best practices in workforce development, particularly the work-based learning, contextualized approach to developmental education and language acquisition (e.g., VESL), the short-term, stackable nature of the certification program, and the industry involvement in development and validation of new credentials. These credentials target occupations in the media entertainment industry including special effects artists and animators, audio and video technicians, broadcast technicians, sound engineering technicians, lighting technicians, and film and video editors, among others. The project also examines how broad partnerships across industry, agencies, and education can support equity goals at the partner and industry scale and connects learners to technician education, career pathways, certifications, and internships that contribute to a pipeline of skilled and diverse workers. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2400571 | Infusing Climate Change Curriculum in a Technology Program | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/10/2024 | Paul Marchese | pmarchese@qcc.cuny.edu | NY | CUNY Queensborough Community College | Standard Grant | Keith Sverdrup | 09/01/2024 | 08/31/2027 | $649,008.00 | Paramita Sen | 222-05 56TH AVE | BAYSIDE | NY | 113.641.432 | 7.186.316.222 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national interests by addressing the impacts of climate change on industries, focusing on energy and transportation sectors. Its impact lies in addressing a national gap in technology education related to climate change. Recent government reports underscore the urgency, citing extreme weather events, rising sea levels, increased storms, and operational disruptions. Industry will need to adapt to these challenges, and this initiative seeks to play a pivotal role in preparing professionals with the essential technical expertise and skills necessary for effective adaptation and sustainable development in the face of a changing climate. Collaborating with industry leaders, the project will identify crucial student learning objectives tailored to these challenges. The resulting analysis will be used to develop ten modules that will seamlessly integrate into existing technology programs. Workshops will educate faculty and high school teachers on module integration, while subsequent collaboration with a select group will implement the modules in a classroom setting and assess student learning outcomes. The project's commitment to evidence-based education, coupled with an educational symposium, underscores its potential to influence climate change education for technicians. This initiative not only enhances student awareness of climate change but also empowers them with the technical skills crucial for industry adaptation, meeting the needs of industry in the face of evolving climate challenges. The project's primary goal will be to graduate students from mechanical and electrical technology programs equipped to address industry challenges related to climate change. Collaborating with industry partners, the project will employ a Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA) approach for a comprehensive analysis, pinpointing essential skills crucial for successful employment in climate change-affected industries. These insights will guide the development of ten modules aimed at educating mechanical and electrical engineering technology students on climate change, and effective preventive and mitigative technologies. Project team members will actively collaborate with industry and ATE centers to identify and integrate proven teaching practices. The modules will be introduced to technology teachers through workshops and undergo classroom testing, with assessments focusing on both understanding climate change and proficiency in associated prevention and mitigation technologies. Additionally, the project will host an educational symposium dedicated to climate change education for technicians. Findings and insights from workshops, classroom implementation, assessments, and the symposium will be disseminated to educators and industry professionals through dedicated workshops, conferences, and publications. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2100014 | Power of Us: Increasing Female Enrollment and Retention in Career and Technical Education Programs | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/02/2022 | Jacequeline Mitchell | mitchellj@durhamtech.edu | NC | Durham Technical Community College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 10/15/2021 | 09/30/2024 | $288,951.00 | maryah smith, Charlene West | 1637 E LAWSON ST | DURHAM | NC | 277.035.023 | 9.195.367.250 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The low participation of women in technical fields has been a matter of concern for many years. Workforce-diversity data, from several major technology companies, show a significant underrepresentation of women in technical jobs. Industry points to the narrow pipeline of women pursuing degrees in technical fields as the primary cause of this issue. This project aims to address this issue by implementing measures to increase female enrollment and retention in Durham Technical Community College’s most male-dominated career and technical education programs of study. The average percentage of females enrolled in the targeted areas is only 13.5%, meaning that females, who represent 53% of the overall student population, are vastly underrepresented in the pursuit of such degrees. The project will use both proven and novel strategies and activities, as well as equitable and inclusive practices that other institutions can use to increase female enrollment and retention in traditionally male-dominated programs of study. This project will leverage Durham Technical Community College's new makerspace to hold events and provide a place where students can gather to work, study, and socialize. Making the "Power of Us" brand visible in the makerspace will contribute to the College’s efforts to create a makerspace that is rooted in equity and inclusion, where all voices are welcome. This project will offer engaging, female-led, female-focused learning opportunities; provide support services that are tailored to the needs of female students; and otherwise, create an environment where female students can thrive in the targeted programs. Through its commitment to this project the College seeks to root the makerspace in the ideals of equity and inclusion, making it a welcoming space for all. This inclusive makerspace model will be one that other colleges and organizations, both inside and outside North Carolina, can utilize to create makerspaces that are welcoming to all. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2100575 | Training the Skilled Biomanufacturing Workforce Through Innovative Internships in Protein Biomanufacturing | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/22/2023 | Aron Kamajaya | kamajaa@laccd.edu | CA | Los Angeles Pierce College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 09/01/2021 | 08/31/2024 | $520,304.00 | Eric B. Nash, David Micklos | 6201 WINNETKA AVE | WOODLAND HILLS | CA | 913.710.001 | 8.187.196.489 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Due to rapid growth in the biotechnology industry, the demand for skilled biotechnicians in the Los Angeles region continues to increase. Out of the ~3,200 projected annual openings in biotechnology-related jobs, more than 2,000 require an associate degree or less. The most recent statewide data indicate a massive gap in availability of these trained biotechnicians, with an annual average production in Los Angeles county of only ~50 individuals. The largest demand is for quality control and manufacturing technicians. This project will help fill this demand by providing comprehensive training and internships in biomanufacturing, a process that uses cells (or parts of cells) to produce useful products such as proteins. The biotechnology industry is one of the sectors that has been most resilient and least impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In contrast, people from the communities served by the college, including students who are Hispanic, have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. By training biomanufacturing technicians, this project will help put people back to work in more secure, well-paying jobs, and contribute to mitigating the financial impacts of COVID-19 on these individuals. This project aims to address major regional needs for biotechnology talent by establishing a protein biomanufacturing training program. By accomplishing this goal, the project will provide a pipeline for students from high school to two-year college, and then to employment or transfer to a four-year biomanufacturing program. To create the program, three new courses will be developed, implemented, and evaluated. Complementing the coursework, the project will establish a student-centered Contract Manufacturing Organization that will provide internship opportunities for students in protein biomanufacturing. The protein (Taq polymerase) will be produced by student interns working in college laboratories, and provided at low cost to local high school and community college bioscience classrooms, as well as to national course-based undergraduate research experiences programs, including the DNA Learning Center’s DNA Barcoding experience and the Amgen Biotech Experience. By providing affordable enzymes to bioscience classrooms in less-resourced institutions, the project can help mitigate COVID-19 impacts on the institutions and support greater learning opportunities for the students they serve. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2055036 | Developing Classroom-based Undergraduate Research Experiences in Antibody Bioengineering | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/19/2024 | Sandra Porter | sandra@digitalworldbiology.com | WA | Digital World Biology | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 05/15/2021 | 04/30/2025 | $697,183.00 | Aron Kamajaya, Sheela Vemu, Margaret Bryans, Todd Smith | 2449 NW 60TH ST | SEATTLE | WA | 981.073.256 | 2.062.407.912 | EDU | 741200 | 096Z, 102Z, 1032, 8038, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Antibodies are proteins involved in vertebrate immune responses. They are also used for medical and other purposes. For example, nearly 300 employers across the United States develop antibody-based drugs or diagnostic tests, sell antibodies as bioreagents, or provide antibody-related laboratory services. Not surprisingly, antibodies are an important front-line tool for diagnosing and treating COVID-19 infections. Bioengineering antibodies is an active area of applied biotechnology research. Bioengineered antibodies have the potential to reduce the costs of antibody manufacturing and storage, as well as to improve antibody-based drug delivery. This project will enlist faculty, industry-representatives, and two-year college students from across the United States to participate in developing and implementing research projects in antibody bioengineering. The research projects and laboratory protocols that derive from this work will help two-year colleges incorporate high-impact and relevant technologies into new or existing courses, thus providing a mechanism to engage students while preparing them to work in fulfilling careers. In addition, the project will provide expert information about COVID-19 vaccine development and testing, thus benefitting students, instructors, and the public. The specific aims of the project include 1) developing laboratory modules to support course-based undergraduate research experiences related to antibody bioengineering, and 2) investigating the feasibility of using hackathons as a novel strategy for engaging participants in collaborative curriculum development. The project will develop learning modules that each address computational skills (e.g., data science, structural biology, bioinformatics), technical skills (e.g., mutagenesis, protein purification, assays, staining), and employability skills (e.g., poster presentations, communication, leadership). The modules will list related skill standards and learning outcomes, making it easy for instructors to incorporate the modules in their courses and for employers to evaluate portfolios of students participating in the research. The project team has assembled a national advisory board comprised of individuals with expertise in antibody technologies from biotechnology companies, research institutions, and core laboratories. Board members have agreed to provide guidance concerning project ideas and industry needs, as well as to evaluate modules. An annual hackathon will be held where the participants will organize in teams around one of the industry-suggested projects or other new project ideas. During the hackathon, the teams will work to refine the ideas, and to identify the modules and materials needed for each project. Project pitches at the end of the hackathon will be used to determine which projects will be selected for development and implementation. The project team and faculty collaborators will continue to develop the selected modules, implement the projects with students, and share findings. The ubiquitous presence of antibodies in industry and research labs ensures that students who learn antibody-related workforce-skills will be employable in nearly any locale. The project can, thus, contribute to mitigation of COVID-19 impacts on individuals who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2400881 | Career Connected Cybersecurity Education | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/11/2024 | Meredith Quinn | mquinn@franklincummings.edu | MA | BENJAMIN FRANKLIN CUMMINGS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 06/15/2024 | 05/31/2027 | $348,523.00 | Fathima James | 41 BERKELEY ST | BOSTON | MA | 21.166.307 | 6.175.881.368 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 8045, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | A series of major digital security breaches over the past year has served as a wake-up call to Corporate America about the need to invest in cybersecurity. The need for cybersecurity professionals has been growing rapidly, faster than companies can hire, and that demand is expected to continue. The goal of this project is to increase the number of students who are qualified to work in the cybersecurity field. This project will provide crucial start-up support for a new cybersecurity concentration, which will enroll its first student cohort in the fall of 2024. The project will provide students in the program with access to a state-of-the-art cyber range, reduce cost barriers to obtaining industry-recognized credentials before graduation, provide industry mentorship and internships to students, and deepen and develop the college’s relationships with cybersecurity employers for ongoing curriculum review and student employment opportunities. The project’s focus on increasing the number of workers in the high-demand cybersecurity field who come from low-income and underrepresented minority backgrounds will benefit employers by producing well-trained cybersecurity workers. The project will lead to economic advancement for all students enrolled in the program by training them for positions in the cybersecurity field and connecting them with the resources needed to gain employment in the field. Project evaluation will include formative and summative inquiries that will provide feedback to inform continuous improvement. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2400855 | Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Pathway for Aviation Industries | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/11/2024 | Matthew Crowley | matthew.crowley@tri-c.edu | OH | Cuyahoga Community College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 04/15/2024 | 03/31/2027 | $330,612.00 | William Wichert | 700 CARNEGIE AVE | CLEVELAND | OH | 441.152.833 | 2.169.874.884 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 8045, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Airports and aviation-related industries are vulnerable to cybersecurity attacks, posing risks to the safety and security of the nation. To protect this critical piece of the national infrastructure, a well-trained workforce is essential. However, an estimated 3.5 million cybersecurity positions are unfilled in the United States. To help bridge the workforce gap and secure this critical piece of the national infrastructure, this project will develop, pilot, and validate a technician-level cybersecurity certification, tailored to airports and aviation-related industries. The resulting certificate will provide job seekers and current aviation technicians with the ability to advance their cybersecurity skills and will help to address the need for a well-trained aviation focused cybersecurity workforce. This workforce is essential to ensure that the nation’s airports and other critical aviation-related assets are protected from cyberattacks. The certificate program will build upon existing cybersecurity coursework with aviation-specific content. The project team will develop aviation-specific cybersecurity modules and courses, establish a community of practice, provide experiential learning, and foster a diverse participant base. Together these components will foster a broad and diverse workforce capable of safeguarding aviation assets. Partnerships with Aerozone Alliance, Ohio Aerospace Institute, and regional airports, will help to ensure that program content addresses industry needs and produces students capable of filling the need for aviation focused cybersecurity professionals. Project evaluation will include formative and summative inquiries that will provide feedback to inform continuous improvement. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2400905 | Equitable Pathways to Artificial Intelligence | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/10/2024 | Ching-Song Wei | cswei1231@gmail.com | NY | CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 06/15/2024 | 05/31/2027 | $645,312.00 | Hao Tang, Yan Chen, Mohammad Azhar | 199 CHAMBERS ST | NEW YORK | NY | 100.071.044 | 2.122.208.010 | EDU | 741200 | 093Z, 1032, 147Z, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed the way data is analyzed to produce meaningful information and has created an unprecedented demand for trained AI technicians. The goal of this project is to develop educational and career pathways in AI through the creation of an online AI certificate program. The certificate program will provide stackable credentials and credit for prior learning, be guided by an industry advisory board, and implement national recommendations for AI education. Students will be taught using real-world projects and project-based learning. The certificate program will serve high school students, incumbent workers, and second-degree seekers and will feature enrichment activities such as industry workshops, internships, and career panels. The resulting certificate program will be the first AI certificate in the CUNY system that will prepare students to pursue careers in industry as entry-level AI technicians. Beyond its immediate objectives, the program will seek to cultivate a talent pipeline, addressing the shortage of AI technicians, diversifying the talent pool, and establishing a national model for preparing diverse students for successful AI careers. The instructional materials developed will become part of the college’s permanent course offerings. The project team will use both quantitative and qualitative measures to assess the project’s effectiveness and will use these measures to adjust the program as needed. This project will serve as a model for other academic institutions interested in developing a comprehensive program aimed to help address the shortage of well-qualified and skilled AI technicians. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000714 | Center for Renewable Energy Advanced Technological Education Resource Center | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 11/11/2020 | Kenneth Walz | kwalz@madisoncollege.edu | WI | Madison Area Technical College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 07/01/2020 | 06/30/2024 | $1,246,391.00 | Kathleen Alfano, Andrew McMahan, Joel Shoemaker | 1701 WRIGHT ST | MADISON | WI | 537.042.599 | 6.082.466.676 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Over the past decade, renewable energy has grown at a much faster pace than many other industry sectors. This growth results from recent technological advances, government policy and regulatory reforms, and tremendous reductions in the cost of solar and wind equipment. As a result, the electricity sector is now engaged in a dramatic shift from energy obtained from fossil fuels to energy obtained from renewable resources. STEM careers in renewable energy provide technicians with well-paying jobs that can support families, that cannot be easily exported, and that benefit the local community. The Resource Center for Renewable Energy Advanced Technological Education (CREATE) aims to support preparation of a new generation of renewable energy educators and skilled technical professionals. The expected outcomes include greater use of renewable energy, an improved power infrastructure, greater resilience of US energy systems, and a larger role for the United States as a global industry leader in renewable energy technology. CREATE will support two-year institutions to develop, promote, grow, and advance robust academic programs to provide the renewable energy industry with a skilled technical workforce. This goal will be accomplished through six key objectives: 1) provide support, mentoring, and professional development for faculty and prospective NSF principal investigators in renewable energy technology; 2) coordinate and support additional renewable energy industry, business, and academic partnerships; 3) educate the public about renewable energy and renewable energy technician careers; 4) develop, screen, validate, update, and distribute renewable energy teaching materials, curricula, and pedagogical practices; 5) connect and support existing and new ATE project Principal Investigators in renewable energy and related fields; and 6) develop a plan for achieving sustainability and institutionalization of key center functions. Additional plans include serving high school educators to create bridges to higher education. The Center will also reach out to faculty at Hispanic Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Historically Black Colleges to encourage them to apply to the ATE program. Increasing the number of women in the renewable energy fields will continue to be a focus of CREATE. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000539 | Enhancing Welding Technician Education through the Transition of the National Center for Welding Education to a Resource Center | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/18/2023 | Monica Pfarr | mpfarr@aws.org | OH | Lorain County Community College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 07/01/2020 | 06/30/2025 | $1,799,256.00 | WRichard Polanin | 1005 N ABBE RD | ELYRIA | OH | 440.351.613 | 4.403.655.222 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 5761, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Welding and materials joining are basic requirements for most types of manufacturing. Welders and welding technicians are employed in diverse fields, including energy, mining, construction, agricultural equipment manufacturing, and ship and automotive manufacturing. The complexity of the welding field continues to advance and change. For example, to do their work, today's welding professionals need knowledge in chemistry, metallurgy, materials science, physics, mathematics, codes and standards, and inspection techniques. A report from the Economic Modeling Specialists predicts a clear need for skilled welders, partly because of retirements in the existing workforce. The Welding Education and Training (Weld-Ed) Resource Center will address the changing welding industry and the need to disseminate current industry data to welding instructors and industry professionals. It will also support welding programs with competency-based curricular materials, professional development activities for teachers and faculty, and the development of an accreditation program for two-year institution welding programs. To complement and enhance its portfolio of services to improve welding technician education, the Weld-Ed Resource Center aims to achieve the following goals: continue to offer professional development workshops at ten regional partner sites; develop new instructional modules for instructors and an online Welding Simulation activity for high school students; develop a Resource Guide to Outreach Events that will provide guidelines and examples to assist partners in creating additional events; develop STEM lessons for faculty to deliver to students in grades 7 through 9; develop a welding technology application for smart devices; and encourage partners to develop activities that will increase the enrollment of underrepresented populations in all levels of welding technology and welding engineering programs. Examples of these activities include a collaboration with the Society of Women Engineers, providing technical assistance to welding instructors in the Job Corps program, and development of a new series of Students in Welding videos featuring diverse students preparing for welding careers. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2350310 | Pipeline for Cybersecurity Careers Aligned to National Standards | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/11/2024 | Alyssa Phillips | alyssa.phillips@sjcd.edu | TX | San Jacinto College District | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 06/15/2024 | 05/31/2027 | $331,551.00 | Eric Servin, John Carpenter | 4624 FAIRMONT PKWY STE 106 | PASADENA | TX | 775.043.323 | 2.819.986.146 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 8045, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The national need for skilled cybersecurity professionals is well-documented. Although many two-year colleges have developed programs to train cybersecurity technicians, most employers will not hire candidates who lack job experience. The goal of this project is to establish a Security Operations Center (SOC) for student use, to incorporate SOC exercises into the cybersecurity curriculum, and to align the resulting curriculum to national standards. The creation of an SOC coupled with a state-of-the-art cybersecurity curriculum will result in a reproducible academic pipeline that can produce qualified cybersecurity technicians who are prepared to enter the cybersecurity workforce upon graduation. A larger, more varied cybersecurity workforce will result in a safer global digital landscape. This project will develop a model for training cybersecurity students in response to employer feedback. By building a curriculum steeped in hands on experience in an SOC this project will advance our understanding of how to prepare highly employable cybersecurity graduates in the Gulf Coast region. The SOC will provide live feeds from the college’s firewall, intrusion detection system, endpoint detection software, and threat intelligence platforms for students to monitor. This project will be designed to train students, and to document the training process to provide a roadmap for other institutions to use. The evaluation plan will make use of both formative and summative components to assess the fidelity and effectiveness of the program. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2055412 | Enhancing Career Pathways to Green Jobs in High-performance Building Technology | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 12/12/2022 | Charles Setterfield | charles.setterfield@sinclair.edu | OH | Sinclair Community College | Standard Grant | Nasser Alaraje | 07/01/2021 | 06/30/2024 | $559,624.00 | Eric Dunn, Robert Gilbert, Dalya Ismael | 444 W 3RD ST # 12 | DAYTON | OH | 454.021.453 | 9.375.124.573 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Buildings account for a major portion of the total U.S. energy consumption. Making buildings more energy efficient is a goal of the high-performance building technology industry. Achieving this goal requires hiring more building performance technicians, but the demand for these technicians outstrips the supply. Building performance technical work includes all aspects of facility operations and maintenance, including whole-system analysis and energy management. Thus, success in the building technology workforce requires the knowledge and skills needed to install, implement, and maintain complex building systems. This project intends to increase the pipeline of highly skilled building performance technicians by creating a new stackable certificate program, offering dual enrollment courses for high school students, providing training for high school teachers, and conducting outreach activities. By expanding career pathways into the building performance workforce, the project aims to broaden participation of women and other groups that are underrepresented in the building technology workforce and that have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This project will address a significant and growing demand for entry-level high performance building technicians in Southwest Ohio. The overall goal of the project is to expand the pipeline of skilled technicians who have the skills to reduce energy consumption in buildings. To this end, the project will develop a stackable short-term certificate with embedded industry-recognized credentials. Students who earn this credential will be prepared to take industry certification exams and enter the building performance workforce. Specific aims of the project include to: (1) create a new postsecondary certificate program that can be completed by high school students; (2) train high school teachers to deliver postsecondary course content; (3) pilot an outreach program to raise awareness of technical career opportunities among youth, particularly from communities not equitably represented in the building technician workforce; (4) provide a structured approach to guide high school students and unemployed/ underemployed adults onto building performance career pathways; and (5) improve student learning by upgrading labs with the latest building technologies. Using student surveys, student interviews, and institutional data, the project will assess the impact of the certificate program on student learning and the impact of outreach activities on recruiting students from communities that are underrepresented in the technical workforce. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2350280 | Expanding Cybersecurity Education at a Rural Community College | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/11/2024 | Christina Culver | culverc@mtc.edu | OH | Marion Technical College | Standard Grant | Huihui Wang | 08/15/2024 | 07/31/2027 | $533,404.00 | Joel Ku, Amy Stahl, Joseph Woughter | 1467 MOUNT VERNON AVE | MARION | OH | 433.025.694 | 7.407.254.078 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 148Z, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national interest by developing a cohesive strategy to raise awareness of careers in cybersecurity, increase the diversity of the workforce, and provide hands-on learning experiences. Marion Technical College (MTC), in collaboration with industry and education partners, intends to address the demand for skilled technicians and strengthen the cybersecurity workforce in rural Ohio. The proposed project has the potential to bridge the skills gap and establish a skilled cybersecurity workforce to meet local, regional, and nationwide demands. The project team plans to create three new cybersecurity courses with embedded certifications, a capstone course, new stackable certificate options, and a professional development boot camp. The project proposes an outreach strategy for underrepresented students in cybersecurity including rural students, economically disadvantaged students, and women. The goal of the project is to promote awareness of cybersecurity pathways to increase the supply of skilled technicians and strengthen the cybersecurity workforce. The project will achieve this goal through four objectives: 1) Expand and enhance existing cybersecurity curriculum by developing three new technical courses and one capstone course; 2) Provide professional development opportunities for 60 high school instructors, local government, and public utility employees; 3) Enhance short-term certificates by integrating stackable credentials and upskilling 30 incumbent workers; 4) Increase program enrollment of rural students, women, and economically disadvantaged students pursuing credentials in cybersecurity by 25%. The formal evaluation will determine the effectiveness of the program and capture the project's contributions to the generation of knowledge on preparing qualified cybersecurity technicians. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2227301 | Mentor-Connect Forward: Leadership Development and Outreach for ATE | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 08/23/2022 | Elaine Craft | elcraftELC-LLC@outlook.com | SC | Florence-Darlington Technical College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 09/01/2022 | 08/31/2027 | $4,796,313.00 | Emery DeWitt, Pamela Silvers, Richard Roberts | 2715 W LUCAS ST | FLORENCE | SC | 295.011.242 | 8.436.618.000 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project will support community and technical colleges and their faculty to submit proposals to, and maximize their benefit from, funding through the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Program. ATE grants increase faculty ability and institutional capacity to address the need for a skilled technical workforce. The persistent need for highly skilled technicians is recognized and well-documented, but educational programs have been upended by disrupters like COVID. Virtual instruction has become essential across all disciplines, and overall enrollments have declined, as have college budgets. Meanwhile, the critical and growing need for technicians in advanced technology industries remains. Although the ATE Program is uniquely positioned to help colleges address technician education challenges, colleges must develop and submit grant proposals to access this funding. For the ATE Program to impact two-year institutions of higher education (2-yr IHEs) and educate the skilled technical workers needed by industry, barriers to becoming an ATE grantee must be mitigated. Prior awards have made strides toward reducing barriers, engaging more two-year college technician educators, developing STEM faculty leaders, expanding mentoring capacity, and increasing impacts of the ATE Program. Even so, there are still many two-year colleges that have not yet benefited from the ATE Program. Mentor-Connect Forward: Leadership Development and Outreach for ATE (M-C Forward) will: 1) advance technician education in new and proven ways by expanding engagement of geographically and demographically diverse 2-yr IHEs and STEM faculty with the ATE Program; 2) stimulate use of ATE-developed resources; 3) encourage and support the submission of proposals by new and previous grantee institutions; 4) develop leaders and mentors among those who receive ATE funding; and 5) support and guide new principal investigators (PIs) to help them become successful grantees. The project builds on successes and lessons learned from prior projects and leverages the work of other funded mentoring projects. Peer mentoring and technical assistance will leverage problem-based learning to engage college teams in sustainable, faculty-lead improvement of technician education courses and programs. ATE Program information and grant proposal instructions and development strategies will be provided via workshops, webinars, online resources, and a help desk. A Mentor Fellows internship program will build mentoring capacity in the ATE Program. An existing Resource Repository will be enhanced by a new intake, review, and user support system, and will benefit from contributions from other ATE-funded mentoring initiatives. New instructional resources and support to guide first-time PIs, PI 101, will promote leadership development, reduce the learning curve, support improved project outcomes, and encourage development of subsequent proposals. Mentor-Connect will be responsive to, and continuously improved by, rigorous evaluation of all project activities. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000902 | Preparing High School and Community College Students for the Cybersecurity Workforce | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/14/2021 | Michael Russell | russell.mike@ptcollege.edu | PA | Pittsburgh Technical Institute | Standard Grant | R. Corby Hovis | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2025 | $359,995.00 | Michael Hodder, John Scarpino, Wilfred Mutale | 1111 MCKEE RD | OAKDALE | PA | 150.713.211 | 4.128.095.263 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The growing number and sophistication of cybersecurity threats have created a need for many more workers with the knowledge and skills to protect digital infrastructure. To ensure the security of computers and information systems, all sectors need well-prepared technicians who can prevent, detect, and investigate cybersecurity breaches. Toward meeting this need, the project will launch a project designed to align K-12 curricula with industry needs and to foster proficiency in cybersecurity for students in the Pittsburgh area. Through this project, the College aims to: (1) increase the number of students, especially students from underrepresented groups, in its cybersecurity-focused associate degree program in information technology; (2) improve instruction to better prepare students for the local cybersecurity workforce; and (3) introduce educational activities into secondary schools to prepare students for further education in cybersecurity. The investigators will develop an innovative model for partnerships with high schools by collaborating with the Beaver County Career and Technology Center, which works with more than 17 high schools in the Pittsburgh area to prepare students in technical areas, including cybersecurity. To broaden participation in cybersecurity, the project team will target middle school and Career Tech Center students from underserved communities for participation in summer camps, cybersecurity competitions, conferences, and mentoring. To expand and strengthen cybersecurity instruction, the project team will engage teachers in applied active-learning-and-teaching methods using virtual lab environments and will offer workshops on curriculum development and topics in cybersecurity. To align the college's cybersecurity curriculum with needs of business and industry, the project team will enhance the advisory board's role in shaping the curriculum, providing presentations about the field, mentoring students, and designing internships and other pathways to jobs. The project will add instruction that helps students research the requirements for specific cybersecurity jobs and connect those requirements with the knowledge and skills they are developing in their coursework. The project evaluation will examine the effectiveness of virtual environments in training job-ready cybersecurity students, the effectiveness of industry-led approaches for encouraging high school students to apply to two-year cybersecurity programs, and the effectiveness of practices to engage business/industry partners in designing and developing curricula and recruiting students from underrepresented groups. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program, which focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1840856 | Mentor-Connect: Leadership Development and Outreach for ATE-3 | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 08/20/2018 | Elaine Craft | elcraftELC-LLC@outlook.com | SC | Florence-Darlington Technical College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 09/01/2018 | 08/31/2024 | $2,783,530.00 | Ellen Hause, Emery DeWitt, Dennis Faber, Richard Roberts | 2715 W LUCAS ST | FLORENCE | SC | 295.011.242 | 8.436.618.000 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | A report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, "Building America's Skilled Technical Workforce" begins with "Skilled technical occupations - defined as occupations that require a high level of knowledge in a technical domain but do not require a bachelor's degree for entry - are a key component of the U.S. economy. The United States needs a workforce with the right mix of skills to remain competitive while fostering greater innovations and boosting shared prosperity." The Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program focuses on the education of the skilled technical workforce and supports two-year institutions of higher education (IHEs) in leadership roles to support this workforce sector. However, many two-year IHEs have not taken advantage of the ATE program. The Mentor-Connect-3 (M-C-3) project disseminates strategies and results that are useful to prospective grantees; provides unique resources to guide and, effectively engages those faculty and institutions underrepresented geographically and demographically in the ATE Program to develop future talent for STEM/technician education. Mentor-Connect-3 (M-C-3) expands the successful model that was informed by an award-winning IBM global mentoring program. Mentoring, technical support and resources engage new two-year IHEs as ATE grantees for the improvement of technician education. To stimulate longer-term engagement with ATE, mentoring is provided for new grantees seeking a second, larger grant, and second-chance mentoring encourages and supports vulnerable community college faculty for whom a first or second proposal has been declined by NSF. The problem-based construct of Mentor-Connect technical assistance embeds leadership development. Peer mentoring will facilitate knowledge transfer and help prepare the next generation of community college faculty leaders in advanced technological education fields critical to economic development and national security. Proactive and targeted outreach draws diverse faculty and two-year IHEs into Mentor-Connect and the ATE Program. Florence-Darlington Technical College, in partnership with the American Association of Community Colleges(AACC), will implement M-C-3 with the following deliverables: (1) A regenerative mentoring system that broadens the impacts of the ATE Program through knowledge transfer and leadership development; (2) An increase in engagement with and submission of competitive first and second proposals from underserved colleges and underrepresented populations in the NSF/ATE Program; (3) Technical assistance and online resources for use by mentors, all prospective and current PIs, and NSF Program Officers; (4) A cadre of new, diverse ATE Principal Investigators with leadership skills; (5) Well prepared, successful ATE PIs who serve as Mentor-Connect mentors; and, (6) Publication of long and short-term impacts on the ATE Program, faculty, and 2-yr. colleges. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2100268 | Developing the Skilled Technical Workforce for Regenerative Medicine Biomanufacturing in the Piedmont Triad Region of North Carolina | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/21/2021 | Gary Green | gmgreen@wakehealth.edu | NC | Wake Forest University School of Medicine | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 06/01/2021 | 05/31/2025 | $441,028.00 | Russ Read, Cheryl Burrell | MEDICAL CENTER BLVD | WINSTON SALEM | NC | 271.570.001 | 3.367.162.382 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | A 2019 National Science Board report stressed the critical need for an exceptional skilled technical workforce to ensure the success of the nation's science- and engineering-driven industries. This project will serve the national interest by preparing skilled technical workers in regenerative medicine, an emerging field that aims to repair, regrow, or replace damaged cells, organs, and tissues. Regenerative medicine is a cross-disciplinary field of biotechnology and bioengineering that includes convergent technologies such as nanotechnology, artificial intelligence and machine learning, mechanical engineering technologies, data science, and cyberbiosecurity. Regenerative medicine is rapidly evolving from basic research and development stages, through clinical translation and into biomanufacturing. A significant gap in availability of skilled technicians in regenerative medicine biomanufacturing has been defined by identifying the required skills and the extent of the skills gap. To help fill this need, Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine is partnering with Forsyth Technical Community College, Simon G. Atkins High School, regional Historically Black Colleges and Universities, employers, and professional and trades organizations. This partnership intends to bring the new science and technology of regenerative medicine into the community college sector to ensure the nation prepares the needed regenerative medicine technicians. The project intends to meet this goal by developing a regional model for education of skilled technicians in regenerative medicine biomanufacturing. Specifically, it will develop and deliver faculty professional development in regenerative medicine, from the high school level through community college and university levels (through articulated programs). It will also disseminate research-based knowledge, skills, and abilities for the regenerative medicine field to community colleges and their partners. Finally, the project will develop multiple career entry options and pathways for community college-prepared technicians and incumbent employees, with a focus on serving people from communities that are underrepresented in STEM. The project builds upon recent NSF-sponsored Advanced Technology Education efforts, which have provided the scientific, technical, and educational foundation for this project. The project team plans to work with diverse teams of experts enabling development and production of replacement cells and organs and the expansion of cells for therapy. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2348815 | Agricultural Robotics and Automation Technologies | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/10/2024 | Keith Olander | keith.olander@clcmn.edu | MN | Central Lakes College | Standard Grant | Keith Sverdrup | 07/01/2024 | 06/30/2027 | $648,668.00 | Carl Aakre, Bradley Wanous, ADawn Nelson | 501 W COLLEGE DR | BRAINERD | MN | 564.013.904 | 2.188.558.119 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national interest by developing a new, industry and college-driven robotics and automation technician curriculum for secondary and two-year college students. The project will also include professional development for teachers which will be developed and aligned with the curriculum. The project will meet a documented industry need for increased numbers of qualified technicians nationwide with robotic competencies to work in both urban and isolated, rural areas. The significance and importance of this project will be reflected in the impact of the project to (1) meet current, pressing workforce needs in agriculture technologies and (2) enable students to potentially gain college credit or concurrent or articulated enrollment with 2- and 4-year institutions. The project will meet the mission of NSF and the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program to advance, define, and disseminate the knowledge and skills that expand the progress of science knowledge and applications. The scope of this project is to prepare students for existing and emerging agricultural technology fields. With input from industry, secondary teachers, and post-secondary faculty, the goals of the project are: (1) to develop, implement, evaluate, and disseminate three agricultural modules with student assessment that will increase the number of students who are skilled robotics and automation technicians and ready for the workforce or post-secondary education; (2) to develop a model of professional development for teachers to implement the modules; and (3) to provide direction and support to bridge the divides between secondary and post-secondary agricultural science education and the workforce which includes developing micro-credentials for the modules. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2400347 | Waubonsee Water Ways: Building Pathways to Careers in the Water Sector | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/10/2024 | Sheela Vemu | svemu@waubonsee.edu | IL | Waubonsee Community College | Standard Grant | Keith Sverdrup | 07/01/2024 | 06/30/2027 | $350,000.00 | NANCY CHRISTENSEN | RTE 47 AT WAUBONSEE DR | SUGAR GROVE | IL | 60.554 | 6.304.666.803 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national interest by addressing the current and emergent water and wastewater workforce needs nationally and in northern Illinois. A wave of retirements in the water sector is imminent. Existing and emerging positions will require new and updated fundamental skill sets as identified by the project’s foundational Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT). The project will prepare students with the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for success as water and wastewater technicians. It will incorporate innovative experiential learning, extensive student support, and industry-based skills assessment to assist students in preparing for water and wastewater technician careers. The goals of the project include the development and delivery of a certificate program for two cohorts, comprehensive recruitment, robust retention activities, and program assessment. Significant activities include a focus on recruiting and enrolling underrepresented students within the region. Recruitment activities include cooperation with local workforce development agencies to target adult populations, college recruitment events at local high schools, campus visits, and prospective student visits to local water and wastewater treatment facilities. To support retention, the project will have cohort-specific academic advisors and tutors with required student-tutor interactions. Outside evaluators will conduct regular assessments of the program. Using these methodologies, the community, the targeted student populations, and the water sector of Northern Illinois will be better poised to meet future water and wastewater demands. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000881 | A Research Collaborative to Build Employability Skills for STEM Technology Fields | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/10/2024 | Louise Yarnall | louise.yarnall@sri.com | CA | SRI International | Standard Grant | Connie Della-Piana | 08/01/2020 | 07/31/2024 | $868,466.00 | Kyra Caspary, Maniphone Dickerson, Alexandra Duran, Rebecca Griffiths | 333 RAVENSWOOD AVE | MENLO PARK | CA | 940.253.493 | 7.032.478.529 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Changes in the technician workplace are increasing the demand for employees who have skills in adaptability, collaboration, communication, workplace diversity, lifelong learning, and understanding the business mission. This project plans to address this need by developing and testing a professional development model that fosters students’ employability skills. The focus will be on students who are enrolled in a new Advanced Manufacturing Technology program/career pathway that will prepare them for careers as advanced manufacturing technicians. The research team will adapt the researcher-practitioner-partnership to support the development of these students’ employability skills. The project is estimated to directly serve at least fifty students pursuing associate degrees in the new program, six program faculty, and 25 additional faculty in both postsecondary and secondary technician programs. The project's research activities will investigate: (1) the effectiveness of this approach to developing employability skills; (2) the feasibility of rapid development and testing of new curricula; and, (3) the effectiveness of short-term employability skills development experiences compared to multiple development experiences over time. The researcher-practitioner-partnership method was developed to improve the flow and implementation of research findings into practice at the K-12 level. This method will be adapted for use in post-secondary technician education. Using a set of research methods and assessments, this effort will study simultaneously the teaching and learning of employability skills while engaging technician educators as co-designers, developers, and knowledge builders. In alignment with the researcher-practitioner-partnership method, the process to validate assessments will identify and define employability skills constructs and identify instructional strategies to ensure alignment of assessments to practice. The research team will use grounded theory and the “plan-do-study-act” approach modified for use in the researcher-practitioner-partnership context to adapt, test, and refine employability skills tools, resources, and methods. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2301207 | Enhancing DNA Subway 2.0 as a Shared Resource for Bioscience Workforce Development | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/10/2024 | David Micklos | micklos@cshl.edu | NY | Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 07/01/2023 | 06/30/2026 | $703,269.00 | Jason Williams | 1 BUNGTOWN RD | COLD SPG HBR | NY | 117.242.202 | 5.163.678.307 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 113Z, 8038, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Data science is one of the ten fastest growing careers in the US, and the outlook is also bright for bioinformatics technicians. However, there is a significant gap in the bioinformatics skills of students entering emerging, multidisciplinary, bioscience industries. With initial funding from the NSF CyVerse cyber-infrastructure for biology research, DNA Subway was developed in 2010 as a learner-centered set of online tools to introduce students to bioinformatics and big data analysis. This project will update DNA Subway 2.0 as a more flexible, accessible, and capable resource to prepare students for the modern bioscience workforce. By adopting a “mobile-first” approach, it is expected that this will be the only set of high-level bioinformatics tools to run smoothly on a smartphone. Integrating new tools for Nanopore sequencing and data science will provide a coordinated package for anywhere/anytime DNA sequence analysis—putting community college students at the cutting edge of the bioscience big data revolution. The project will be led by the DNA Learning Center at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, which is the designated Genomics Hub of the InnovATEBIO National Biotechnology Education Center. An advisory board of bioinformatics industry experts and faculty from diverse two-year institutions will ensure that DNA Subway 2.0 is workforce ready. The redeveloped resource will rely on NSF’s Jetstream2 cloud computing infrastructure, with systems expertise provided by the Texas Advanced Computing Center and NSF’s Science Gateways Community Institute. A mentor network will disseminate DNA Subway 2.0 at professional meetings and summer workshops—at least half of which will be conducted at minority-serving institutions. Making DNA Subway 2.0 responsive to bioscience workforce needs will bring the benefits of participating in authentic scientific research, increased retention in science and on-time graduation to a broad audience of community college students. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202115 | Collaborative Research: Revolutionizing Electric Vehicle Education | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/26/2022 | Trent Hulehan | trent.hulehan@gvltec.edu | SC | Greenville Technical College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 05/15/2022 | 04/30/2025 | $436,009.00 | Keith Walker, Abul Hasan, Kelvin Byrd, raymond james | 506 S PLEASANTBURG DR | GREENVILLE | SC | 296.072.416 | 8.642.508.175 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The United States is facing an unprecedented need for a new generation of technological talent to respond to international competition for an automotive workforce with diverse, up-to-date skill sets driven by electric vehicles (EV), autonomous vehicles (AV), and the cybersecurity associated with software-driven vehicles. The internal combustion engine is being phased out and replaced by electricity, setting the stage for an increased demand for autonomous and EV technologies. This changing technological climate and the resultant concurrent global competition necessitate transformation at every level of automotive development – from EV designers to EV technicians. The demand for skilled EV manufacturing and service industry technicians is substantial and is predicted to increase at a rate where demand outpaces quantity. Workers aging out of the workforce, the lack of advanced STEM skills for those currently in the workforce, and increased economic expansion are contributing factors to this deficit. Collaboration among educators and employers must occur to advance the understanding of workforce challenges and opportunities. To meet the need, a faculty-driven consortium of two-year Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs), other ATE projects and centers, and industry will collaborate to address the next generation cross-disciplinary workforce needs of the Electric Vehicle (EV) manufacturing and service industry through an innovative hybrid virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) education approach. The consortium project partners include: Volvo, Daimler, BMW, Proterra, Bosch, Duke Energy, Michelin, the Upstate SC Alliance, the South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership, the South Carolina Technical College System, the National Center for Autonomous Technologies, the National Cybersecurity Training and Education Center, the Regional Center for Nuclear Education, and the Northwest Engineering and Vehicle Technology Exchange. The project goals will address current and future EV manufacturing and service industry needs for both two-year college students and incumbent workers. Goal 1: Identify current and future education and workforce needs required by the migration of the transportation industry from traditional fuels to battery-powered electric vehicles. Goal 2: Create, deploy, and assess an innovative, creative, and informed cross- disciplinary EV manufacturing and service industry technician education hybrid curricula incorporating classroom, virtual, and experiential learning. Strategies will be implemented to support participation and persistence in EV manufacturing and service technician education for students including those who are rural, veterans, and those historically underserved in STEM career pathways. Goal 3: Develop and/or strengthen partnerships with consortium members, ATE projects and centers, and industry to leverage and share expertise and best practices for maximum impact and sustainability within and across fields and institutions. Goal 4: Provide professional development addressing the new EV curricula to ensure widespread use, dissemination, and faculty leadership development. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202154 | Technician Training for Advanced Manufacturing and Materials | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/13/2022 | Gaffar Gailani | ggailani@citytech.cuny.edu | NY | CUNY New York City College of Technology | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $569,635.00 | sidi berri, Akm Rahman, Angran Xiao, Denise Sutton | 300 JAY ST | BROOKLYN | NY | 112.011.909 | 7.182.605.560 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Recent advances in advanced manufacturing technologies have led to new capabilities in manufacturing. Technicians who have a better understanding of these new technologies and the advanced engineering materials used in these processes will be able to implement them in manufacturing facilities. Traditional technical education for manufacturing technicians needs to keep pace with these technology trends in industry. To address this need, this project will introduce new content for existing design, manufacturing, and materials science courses including virtual and hands-on experiential learning exercises as well as tutorials on specific topics. A Business and Industry Leadership Team will provide feedback on course content so that the courses are aligned with the needs of industry. A summer training program will provide an opportunity for students to learn professional skills that will help them be successful in the technician workforce. To complement the training program, students will have the option to participate in an entrepreneurial student competition in which student teams address an industry problem or develop a new product. The goal of this project is to address industry’s workforce needs for skilled technicians who have training in advanced manufacturing technologies including computer-aided design, additive manufacturing, and engineering materials. This project will use the Business and Industry Leadership Team model to collaborate with industry to develop course content that addresses the knowledge, skills, and abilities that manufacturers need to implement and maintain these technologies. In addition to classroom instruction, students will have experiential learning opportunities using a combination of virtual and hands-on activities. Virtual training software will help students earn certificates corresponding to a specific set of skills. A new summer training program will provide training on professional skills including communication, teamwork, and time management skills. This program will also help students develop better problem-solving skills and learn how to conduct experiments and analyze data to obtain meaningful results. The project team will assess the impact of project activities on student learning and retention using student surveys, assessments of student work, and student interviews. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2055259 | Training for Mechatronics Engineering Technicians in Colorado | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/21/2021 | Chris Gorrie | chris.gorrie@arapahoe.edu | CO | Arapahoe Community College | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 07/15/2021 | 05/31/2025 | $299,998.00 | Robert Turek, HENRY WEIGEL | 5900 S SANTA FE DR | LITTLETON | CO | 801.201.801 | 3.037.975.701 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Many manufacturing sectors are incorporating new technologies to enhance their competitiveness and efficiency. As a result, significant skills gaps have emerged within advanced manufacturing industries. These industries need multi-functional engineering technicians who have both manufacturing and engineering skillsets. Such skills are embedded in mechatronics, an engineering discipline that integrates mechanical, electrical, and programmable engineering technologies. Mirroring national trends, the Denver metropolitan area has seen a significant increase in the number of advanced manufacturing employers. This project aims to help meet this regional workforce need for qualified mechatronics technicians. To do so, the project will update its current Associate of Applied Science in Mechatronics Engineering Technology to be more responsive to industry needs. It will also launch new efforts to increase recruitment and success of students in this degree program. The project aims to improve the Mechatronics degree program and expand the number of students earning the degree and entering the regional workforce. To do so, the project team will collaborate with its Business and Industry Leadership Team to guide experiential learning and align the curriculum more closely with industry needs. It will expand access to the program by developing concurrent enrollment opportunities for high school students and recruiting from partnering workforce centers. A new position called “Navigator” will lead recruitment efforts, as well as provide mechatronics students with advising, support, and career connections. The project team will use materials from the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity to guide their recruitment and retention strategies. Recognizing the need for faculty to be leaders in this effort, the project will support faculty members to earn industry-recognized certifications in mechatronics and related fields. Results from the project’s evaluation will inform stakeholders in engineering, manufacturing, education, and the public. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2350254 | Cross-Pollination Skillsets: Growing Mechatronics and Agricultural Collaborations for Producing Skilled Agricultural Technicians | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/08/2024 | David Berry | dberry@virginiawestern.edu | VA | Virginia Western Community College | Standard Grant | Keith Sverdrup | 06/01/2024 | 05/31/2027 | $343,209.00 | Mallory White | 3093 COLONIAL AVE SW | ROANOKE | VA | 240.154.705 | 5.408.577.311 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national interest by advancing workforce readiness of agricultural technicians. Agriculture is a top economic driver in Virginia. Both the state government and private industry are currently investing in industries focused on hydroponics, precision-agriculture, and controlled-environmental agriculture. This project directly aligns with these initiatives and will develop an agriculture-technology (Ag-Tech) curriculum that teaches skillsets needed by today’s technicians. The project will meet the NSF Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program mission by highlighting successful members of the STEM workforce from traditionally underserved groups in STEM and merging two traditionally divided areas of study into one career studies certificate. Specifically, this effort seeks to blend the mechatronics discipline with agriculture disciplines. As no Ag-Tech program currently exists within the Virginia Community College system, the project will serve as a model for those seeking to develop one. The project will play an important role in workforce development by maintaining BILT (Business & Industry Leadership Team) partnerships and using industry feedback to grow the novel Ag-Tech program. The project will advance the understanding of modern mechatronics skills, agricultural knowledge, and leadership skills to grow a regional workforce needed to meet the growing field of precision-agriculture. The goal of this project is to develop a novel Ag-Tech career studies certificate (CSC) that can be completed at the community college in just four semesters. The scope of the project will involve current faculty and staff, industry leaders, high school instructors, and current and future Virginia Western Community College students. The project will advance understanding of mechatronics and agricultural skills needed in an Ag-Tech career through field trips to partnering industries and development of new courses through feedback from current BILT leaders. New courses will include vertical growing, autonomous vehicles, and agricultural leadership. This project will add to the field intellectually through development of a novel Ag-Tech CSC that currently does not exist in the VCCS. With the goal of producing 45 graduates, the project will benefit the local economy of Roanoke by generating $3.3 million in direct, indirect, and induced economic impact over 3 years. Evaluation of the project will be performed twice a year through student, faculty, and industry feedback. Annual evaluation activities will analyze number of participants, retention, and satisfaction with the project to determine future direction if feedback indicates changes are needed. The progress and results of the project will be disseminated through ATE Central, internally in the college, with participants at HI-TEC (High Impact Technology Exchange Conference), and potentially in peer-reviewed journals such as Journal of Engineering Technology (JET). This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202204 | Expanding Geographic Information Science Technology Education | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/21/2022 | Christina Friedle | christina.friedle@pcc.edu | OR | Portland Community College | Standard Grant | Kalyn Owens | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $650,000.00 | Lorena A C Nascimento | 12000 SW 49TH AVE | PORTLAND | OR | 972.197.132 | 9.717.228.392 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The use of Geographic Information Science Technology (GIST) is expanding in many fields and occupations in the Pacific Northwest and across the country as more sophisticated commercial uses are developed and implemented. This interdisciplinary field, which encompasses geography, computer science, and mathematics in spatial problem solving, is used in governmental agencies and private companies to solve many U.S. and global societal challenges. As employees within these companies retire or as these industries expand, employees with the most current knowledge of technologies and practices are needed. This project will support the growing need for well-educated surveying/mapping technicians in the region. Since STEM fields have not historically attracted many women, students of color, and low-income students, this project will focus on evidence-based interventions that support student recruitment, retention, and program completion for people from groups underrepresented in STEM. To recruit more diverse students the project will partner with culturally relevant community-based organizations (CBOs) and women STEM educators to identify high school and community college students interested in geospatial technology. Project-based learning using geospatial technology and paid internships will engage students in work-based skill development. This project will provide innovative opportunities for students, who never considered working in this STEM field, to enter an exciting new career. The overall goal of this project is to improve student recruitment, retention, and program completion in the Geospatial program, and position the program for future growth with regional GIST partners. The strategies that provide the foundation for this work include: 1) expanding partnerships with community-based organizations, 2) increasing recruitment efforts of specific student populations on campus and in the community, 3) conducting summer institutes for high school teachers and community college faculty in geospatial technologies, 4) creating a "Women in Geospatial Careers" workshop series, 5) redesigning a capstone course to incorporate more advanced technical skills, 6) expanding partnerships with regional industries, 7) collaborating with a regional geospatial association to provide mentors for the GIST students, and 8) equipping classrooms and labs with appropriate equipment and software to address the competencies needed for this emerging technical workforce. Results of the project will be made available to other community colleges and GIST partners to demonstrate the value of the recruitment and retention strategies and how they can be incorporated into existing pedagogical approaches. This project has potential to advance knowledge in the evolving GIST fields by implementing recruitment and retention strategies that have the greatest impact on individuals from groups underrepresented in geospatial programs. This project is funded by NSF’s Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2055781 | Increasing the Cloud System Administration Services Workforce through Skills-Based Education and Training | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/21/2021 | Karen Ahern | karen.ahern@csn.edu | NV | College of Southern Nevada | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 07/01/2021 | 06/30/2025 | $284,165.00 | Margaret Taylor, Lawrence Rodis | 3200 EAST CHEYENNE AVENUE | LAS VEGAS | NV | 890.304.228 | 7.026.515.940 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The Information Technology (IT) workforce is chronically understaffed and predictions show that the shortage of IT workers will reach alarming levels in a few years. The traditional role of a systems administrator was to manage servers, computers, and applications residing inside an organization. Cloud vendors offer new technology capabilities that enable organizations to rapidly and cost effectively move IT services to the cloud. As the IT infrastructure in this country grows more dependent on, cloud technologies, there is an urgent need for systems administrators who are skilled in these technologies. The College of Southern Nevada aims to address the shortage of skilled systems administrators by developing a program that will train students to manage multi-vendor cloud systems. The project team will collaborate with local IT professionals to ensure that the new program will meet regional workforce needs. Recruitment efforts for the program will emphasize inclusion of women and hospitality workers in the region who are facing increased unemployment and underemployment. This project can provide a pathway to stable and lucrative careers for those who are unexpectedly unemployed or underemployed, including those whose employment was highly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The College with their Business and Industry Leadership Team to develop courses, skills certificates, and certificates of achievement to address the shortage of qualified cloud computing support technicians. The resulting program will feature a multi-vendor cloud computing administration program that will provide local industry with skilled technicians who are ready to work and capable of supporting both on-premises and cloud-based systems. The new program will focus upon providing training for both vendor agnostic and vendor-specific solutions. As a result, students will be prepared to support the transition of industries from traditional IT infrastructure to multiple cloud vendors. The program’s curricular approach will integrate experiential and project-based learning to provide students with real-world learning, supporting a seamless transition from the classroom to the workforce. Free summer cloud training seminars will be offered to the community through collaboration with the local school district, local workforce development, and IT industry groups. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2032835 | Mentor Up: Supporting Preparation of Competitive Proposals to Improve Education of the Skilled Technical Workforce | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 10/14/2020 | Karen Wosczyna Birch | karenlee@snet.net | CT | Education Connection | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 09/01/2020 | 08/31/2025 | $800,000.00 | Kathleen Alfano, Elizabeth Teles | 355 GOSHEN RD | LITCHFIELD | CT | 67.592.404 | 8.605.670.863 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the United States has 1,252 two-year institutions of higher education. However, each year only about 200 of these institutions submit proposals to the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program, which support education of the skilled technical workforce. As a result, a large pool of potential institutions and faculty who could benefit from the ATE program are not submitting proposals. This project will support a mentoring program to guide prospective principal investigators in crafting and submitting a proposal to the ATE program. This project aligns with the ATE program objective to provide leadership opportunities for faculty at two-year institutions. It will also support the national priority of educating the skilled technical workforce for the industries that keep the United States globally competitive. The project will leverage the promising practices from other NSF awards that focus on mentoring and leadership development activities. Each year of the award, the project team will recruit teams from 16 community and technical colleges, with the team members including two technician-education faculty from the institution, together with a grant writer, administrator, or other key contributor from the institution. Specific activities will include virtual mentoring and webinars as well as an in-person 2.5-day workshop where two-year faculty who are teaching technician education will learn the strategies and NSF requirements for writing and submitting competitive proposals. Faculty from all disciplines applicable to advanced technological education will be considered for participation. The intention is that each two-year college team will submit at least one ATE proposal. The project will also provide professional development for mentors-in-training, including newly awarded ATE Principal Investigators who will become the next generation of ATE leaders. This project will help participants address many of challenges faced by community college faculty in preparing and submitting NSF grant proposals, often due to a lack institutional experience and resources to support efforts to secure NSF awards. At the workshop and after, participants will be able to engage with their institution’s administration or other key personnel, thereby increasing the number of community colleges with knowledge of the NSF and its ATE program. In this way, project participants will bring knowledge and skills to their campuses that can help to catalyze and implement institutional change. The project will target a diverse group of urban, suburban, and rural institutions and provide opportunities for participation of faculty and students who are typically underrepresented in technician programs, such as minority populations and women. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000774 | Developing a Highly Capable Biomanufacturing Technical Workforce in South Texas | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/11/2020 | John Hatherill | jhatherill@delmar.edu | TX | Del Mar College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 06/01/2020 | 05/31/2025 | $394,859.00 | Daiyuan Zhang, Jack Southard | 101 BALDWIN BLVD | CORPUS CHRISTI | TX | 784.043.805 | 3.616.982.342 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The growth of Texas companies that manufacture biological products on a contract basis has created a local and regional workforce need. This project proposes to serve this growing biopharmaceutical manufacturing industry by developing an advanced biomanufacturing certificate and educating a skilled and diverse biomanufacturing technical workforce. The new certificate will be designed to incorporate interactive and inquiry-based laboratory learning and to provide students with real world experience with biotechnical/biomanufacturing equipment. The project will also implement new strategies for recruitment and retention and provide educators with professional development relevant to the new certificate. The certificate is expected to serve two-year college students and high school students, as well as impact university faculty and industry partners. The project aims to provide equitable access to successful biomanufacturing careers for under-represented groups, including students who are women, Hispanic, and/or first-generation college students. This project involves a collaboration between Del Mar College and Texas A & M University. The technical merit of the project includes building upon and incorporating hands-on, instructor-led training modules covering bioprocess operations, upstream and downstream manufacturing of biologics, vaccines, quality control systems, and regulatory compliance. The goals of the project include: (1) Improving student learning with applied industry training and laboratory rotations; (2) Institutionalizing a rigorous and improved biomanufacturing curriculum for long-term impact at Del Mar College and as a model for other institutions; and (3) Adding depth to the new Del Mar College biotechnology programs through strong collaborations with Texas A&M University. The project includes assessment and evaluation of the efficacy of project activities, thus adding to understanding of the factors necessary for student career success in STEM. The project will be disseminated through online media and presentations at national meetings. The project aims to benefit society by providing students with new educational and career pathways, particularly for students who are from groups that are not yet equitably represented in biomanufacturing. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1954806 | Modernization of a Technical Welding Program to Better Serve Non-Traditional Students | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/17/2020 | Mark Voisinet | mvoisine@niagaracc.suny.edu | NY | Niagara County Community College | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 06/01/2020 | 05/31/2024 | $300,000.00 | Joseph Schmidt, Lydia Ulatowski | 3111 SAUNDERS SETTLEMENT RD STE | SANBORN | NY | 141.329.460 | 7.167.313.271 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project will contribute to the national need for a highly skilled STEM technical workforce. It aims to do so by producing highly qualified welding technicians to satisfy workforce needs in the Advanced Manufacturing Industry in Western New York. The project focuses on the unmet need for welders and metallurgy specialists in the region, a need that is expected to increase more than 7% by 2024. This project will address this workforce need by improving an existing Associates in Applied Science in Welding Technology degree program. Improvements include relocating the welding program from an off campus vocational training center to a modernized, on-campus facility where it will be more accessible to students. The program will combine for-credit programing with non-credit certifications to produce highly trained welding technicians who are prepared for long-term careers in welding technology. These improvements are projected to double the number of students who successfully complete the program. The project will develop a state-of-the-art welding and metal fabrication instructional lab on campus. Through the addition of this lab, as well as modification of program hours to better fit the daytime college schedule, the program intends to double its capacity and enrollment with the expectation to serve 50 students each semester. The program will host additional classes in the evenings, on weekends, and over seasonal breaks. The project will develop partnerships with area welding companies to collaboratively design course offerings and a customized curriculum with input from an Industry Advisory Council. These efforts are designed to result in a robust program that facilitates hands-on learning experiences centered on aligning student ability with employment opportunities in the field. The project will inaugurate an annual Industry Welding Day where students will showcase their work and have an opportunity to participate in open interviews with prospective employers. This unified approach is expected to increase enrollment, retention, and graduation rates within the Welding Technology Program, and thus increase the number of highly skilled technicians eligible for placement in welding careers. To better prepare students for successful careers in welding, faculty teaching in the welding technology program will earn Certified Welding Educator and Certified Welding Inspector credentials. These certifications will better prepare the faculty to educate students and evaluate their work. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2055074 | Increasing the Inclusion of Women in the Information Technology and Cybersecurity Skilled Technical Workforce | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/07/2021 | Nelly Delessy | ndelessy@mdc.edu | FL | Miami Dade College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 05/01/2021 | 04/30/2025 | $592,566.00 | Monica Minchala | 245 NE 4TH ST BLDG 3000 | MIAMI | FL | 331.322.206 | 3.052.373.910 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | As the digital revolution continues to change the way people live and work, the need for a highly skilled computing workforce also continues to grow. Diversity contributes to increased productivity in highly skilled occupations, but women are not yet equitably represented in many computing fields. Nationally, only 26% of professional computing occupations in the 2019 workforce were held by women. Black women represented only 3% and Hispanic women represented only 2% of this workforce. More specifically, women remain underrepresented in the high-demand information technology/ cybersecurity fields, for which job openings and wages are rising rapidly. To ensure the vitality of the information technology and cybersecurity enterprise, the nation must increase the number of women in these fields. This project aims to expand opportunities for women in information technology/ cybersecurity by using strategic outreach, supported by experts, to recruit women, and by supporting these women through completion of their education and training. By increasing women's access to computing jobs, this project can help to mitigate the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on career entry and progression of women in STEM fields. The overarching vision for this project is to increase the educational attainment of women in high-technology fields that are driving the nation’s economy, with emphasis on Information Technology and Cybersecurity. To accomplish this vision, the project team will implement best practices for supporting women students, including a comprehensive set of activities that include development of the Community Alliance for Women in Technology, faculty professional development, optimized outreach strategies, a summer Tech Immersion JumpStart, a virtual group mentoring program, proactive academic advising, promotion/support for the attainment of industry certifications, and specialized programming to enhance the student experience. This programming includes events focused on career development, a Women in Technology Student Organization, and a high-tech internship program. Expected project outcomes include: (1) broadening understanding of the impact that professional development has on college faculty and how the delivery of new pedagogies geared to support women in technology affects success and progression of technology coursework; (2) developing best practices for non-academic supports (such as pre-college summer immersion programs and mentoring) that are effective for recruiting and retaining students in technology fields, particularly Black and Hispanic women who are first generation college students; (3) gaining insights into the effects of applied learning experiences (such as internships and soft-skills preparation) on the number of female graduates entering technology fields; and (4) advancing understanding of long-term measures needed to cultivate meaningful and lasting change that can scale to other fields that would benefit from greater diversity and inclusion. This project's emphasis on career preparation with mentoring support may be replicable and sustainable at other institutions interested in increasing the number of women and first-generation students in the skilled technical workforce. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1901673 | Expanding the Bio-Bench - Targeted Genome Editing | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/04/2024 | Elizabeth Boedeker | eboedeker@stlcc.edu | MO | St Louis Community College Administrative Center | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 06/01/2019 | 05/31/2025 | $373,371.00 | Elizabeth Boedeker, Gregory Langland, Beth Elam Michaud | 3221 MCKELVEY RD STE 250 | BRIDGETON | MO | 630.442.534 | 3.145.395.328 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The St. Louis region is home to many agricultural technology industries based on plant science research. These include both large companies such as Bayer Crop Sciences (formerly Monsanto) and the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, and small start-up companies. As basic research in genetics leads to the development of new technologies across these companies, current and future employees must learn new skills. Through this project, to address growing industry education and training needs, St. Louis Community College (STLCC) will develop new courses in targeted genome editing to enhance its Biotechnology AAS and Certificate programs. The project will combine academic and industry interests to develop a set of courses that will meet the high standards needed in a demanding but fulfilling field. STLCC will collaborate with industry partners in the development, testing, and refinement of curriculum pertaining to targeted genome editing. As a result STLCC's 2-year biotechnician graduates will be able to gain cutting edge training and education, internship, and employment opportunities. These programmatic improvements will support the region's need for qualified technicians and extend graduates' employment opportunities to national and international enterprises. Building on the success of a previous ATE award, this project will develop a highly technical curriculum, driven by industry needs, to address the demand for mid-level technicians with genome editing bench skills, including critical downstream assessment capabilities to evaluate the success or failure of the intended genomic change. The development of these courses will benefit new students entering the Biotechnology program at STLCC and will also be available to incumbent workers in need of these additional skills to advance in their current positions. Students and incumbent workers will also gain valuable specialized training on the equipment obtained through this award. With the support of leaders at all levels of the region's bioscience industry this academic-business partnership will ensure the project's skills curriculum, and its implementation, will meet the needs of researchers and provide highly skilled, technically proficient graduates. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202033 | Biofab Explorer: Designing A Dual Enrollment Pathway to Careers in Biofabrication | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/30/2022 | Sam Catherine Johnston | sjohnston@cast.org | MA | CAST, Inc. | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 05/01/2022 | 04/30/2025 | $646,526.00 | Daniel Larochelle, Amanda Bastoni | 50 SALEM ST BLDG B | LYNNFIELD | MA | 19.402.600 | 7.812.452.212 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The project will develop biofabrication career guidance curriculum and materials, situate these within Career and Technical Education (CTE) classrooms that offer dual enrolment (i.e., college credit during high school), and provide professional development to educators on how to create inclusive and industry-aligned career guidance. Biofabrication refers to the production of human tissues from organic and synthetic sources. The project meets regional industry needs for STEM technicians by targeting the early stages of the biomanufacturing talent pipeline—high school CTE students, for whom internships can be scarce and who lack awareness of STEM technician roles in biomanufacturing. The project will provide career awareness for students and educators of the biofabrication industry, and support skill and knowledge development for a diverse group of students so they can build industry relevant skills, and increase access to STEM technician education in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and North Carolina — all hubs for biomanufacturing. The project provides a model for aligning emerging areas of advanced manufacturing with education and career guidance and addresses critical gaps in career guidance by creating inclusive opportunities for a broad range of students to build self-efficacy beliefs, understand biomanufacturing, and demonstrate industry relevant skills and knowledge. The project brings together CAST, Manchester Community College, Great Bay Community College, Johnston Community College, secondary CTE centers—including guidance counselors, administrators, educators, and the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI)/BioFab USA to accomplish three goals. First, the project will identify and validate Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) for STEM technician roles in biofabrication and create career guidance curriculum including a career guidance website, work-based learning simulations, and activities teachers can use to help students explore careers and develop and demonstrate industry skills. Working together, ARMI experts, the Business and Industry Leadership Team, and secondary and post-secondary educator will use Universal Design for Learning (UDL), an approach to designing learning environments and education technologies with all student needs in mind, for curriculum development. Second, Biofab Explorer and the eportfolio technologies developed by CAST will be piloted in two dual enrollment models, one in high school CTE settings taught by high school CTE teachers with community college faculty oversight (Manchester Community College and Great Bay Community College, NH) and one in a CTE secondary program taught by community college faculty and (Johnston Community College, NC). Third, professional development workshops for secondary and postsecondary educators will be delivered to 1) introduce the career guidance curriculum, Biofab Explorer, and the eportfolio, 2) identify ways these digital environments can increase knowledge of STEM technician opportunities, 3) provide hands-on skill building with Work Based Learning (WBL) simulations, and 4) model how UDL strategies can help recruit and support students underrepresented in STEM education and careers. A regional workshop will be offered to educators from across New Hampshire and Massachusetts and a second regional workshop will be offered to educators from across North Carolina. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2113261 | Building Career Interest in Computer Science through Advanced Real-World Technology Projects | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 12/15/2020 | mehrdad faezi | mfaezi@mcc.commnet.edu | CT | Education Connection | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 12/15/2020 | 06/30/2025 | $599,350.00 | 355 GOSHEN RD | LITCHFIELD | CT | 67.592.404 | 8.605.670.863 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | It is estimated that the Connecticut region has 7,000 unfilled computer jobs and 12,000 unfilled jobs in advanced manufacturing. Although African American and Latino workers now represent 29% of the general workforce population, they comprise only 15% of the computer science and 16% of the advanced manufacturing workforce. To increase access to these high-paying technical jobs, this project will design and implement a five-week program intended to increase the interest of inner-city high school students in computer science applications in advanced manufacturing. The program activities will take place at Connecticut’s Community Colleges, with significant input from regional computer science and advanced manufacturing industries. The overall goal of the project is to motivate high school students to pursue careers as STEM technicians, thus helping to address advanced technology workforce needs. The project will implement problem-based learning to teach students the process of solving real-world, industry-relevant challenges that include the building, programming, and flying of drones. In addition, it will help students learn professional skills such as teamwork and leadership, through participation in the challenges and through internships in related industries. Strategies to support student persistence will include mentoring, career profile videos, student success stories, and guest speakers from industry. The project will provide professional development workshops for high school and community college educators. These workshops will focus on how to use drones to introduce computer science and how to integrate professional skills into the curriculum. The participating teachers will develop curriculum modules that will be distributed nationally and contribute to the sustainability of the project. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2055506 | Collaborative Research: HSI ATE Hub 2: Professional Development for Culturally Responsive Technician Education | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/20/2021 | Juan Rodriguez | juan.rodriguezjr@sunywcc.edu | NY | Westchester Community College | Standard Grant | Connie Della-Piana | 07/01/2021 | 12/31/2024 | $238,123.00 | Sarah Belknap | 75 GRASSLANDS RD | VALHALLA | NY | 105.951.550 | 9.142.856.800 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to better serve and support a diverse population of students who are pursuing credentials in skilled technical fields. To do so, the project will guide faculty to adapt and implement Culturally Responsive Instruction in technician education courses. The project is designed to increase the retention of Hispanic students in STEM career pathways, particularly in advanced-technology fields. The project builds on the Hispanic Serving Community College KickStarter project, the Hispanic Serving Institutions HSI/ATE Hub project, and the Westchester Community College Photonics and Laser Project. The project team will develop, pilot test, and disseminate a faculty professional development model that can help to shift faculty understanding, practice, and mindset from emphasis on perceived student deficits to asset-based thinking and mutual respect. The professional development will be organized into three tiers. Tier 1 is designed to establish awareness and support first steps. Tier 2 will focus on the development, implementation, and testing of Culturally Responsive Instruction practices in technician education. Tier 3 will focus on creating a community of instructors and emerging leaders that engages in practice, theory building, and applied research into effective educational practices. The overall project goal is to develop faculty knowledge, skills, values, attitudes, and mindset so that more Hispanic students will complete advanced technology programs. In doing so, the project can increase the diversity of the technician workforce and help to mitigate disproportionate impacts of COVID-19 on Hispanic communities. This collaboration includes faculty and administrators in technician education programs, higher education researchers, experts in Culturally Responsive Instruction, and industry partners to further conceptualize, operationalize, and test the validity of Culturally Responsive Instruction in the skilled technical fields of applied engineering and applied computing and cyber-security. Additionally, the project will test the hypothesis that micro-credentials are valuable for incentivizing faculty participation in project activities and that micro-credentials will be recognized by educational and industry stakeholders as valuable evidence of expertise and experience. The mixed method evaluation is process -oriented to facilitate development of a model and outcomes-oriented to assess faculty and student outcomes that includes assessment of changes in knowledge/awareness, skills/behavior, and attitudes/mindset. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2201625 | Creating New Aerospace Technician Pathways Using Space Materials Design and Fabrication Skills Training | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 08/30/2023 | Douglas Brauer | douglas.brauer@fscj.edu | FL | Florida State College at Jacksonville | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 06/01/2022 | 05/31/2025 | $492,747.00 | Kevin Beamish, Thomas Dutrieux | 501 WEST STATE STREET | JACKSONVILLE | FL | 322.023.099 | 9.046.323.327 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Training and certifications in engineering technology provide pathways for students to enter the aerospace technician workforce. Currently there is a shortage of qualified technicians for the aerospace industry in Northeast Florida. To be successful in the aerospace workforce, students need to learn skills associated with the design and fabrication of products using lightweight materials. This includes an understanding of the technologies used to create these products such as additive manufacturing, fiber composites fabrication, polymer fabrication, and computer-numerical control in metal working. This project will create a new curriculum within an existing engineering technology degree program that focuses on these skills and techniques. As students complete courses in the program, they will have the opportunity to earn three industry certifications. Students will learn how to use these manufacturing technologies through hands-on training. To increase the number of students in the aerospace technician pipeline, dual enrollment courses will be offered for high school students. Project results and educational resources will be made available through the ATE Central Portal. The goal of this project is to increase the number of qualified aerospace technicians in Northeast Florida. The project will: (1) create a new Advanced Materials Design in Manufacturing track within the current engineering technology degree program, (2) prepare students to earn at least three industry-recognized credentials in space materials manufacturing, (3) develop a Space Materials Manufacturing Laboratory to help students learn manufacturing techniques, and (4) create a career pathway for secondary students. Using best practices from the Florida Advanced Technological Education Center as well as existing institutional programs, the project team will recruit students from underrepresented groups to broaden participation in the aerospace technical workforce. Professional development for community college instructors and secondary teachers will provide hands-on training on space materials and fabrication techniques. The project will assess student learning gains due to the new curriculum by comparing the results of pre- and post-tests. Student surveys will be used to assess the impact of project activities on students’ sense of belonging and self-efficacy. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2155187 | Improving Biopharmaceutical Technician Education with Cell and Gene Therapy Credentials | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/08/2022 | Collins Jones | collins.jones@montgomerycollege.edu | MD | Montgomery College | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $349,999.00 | Lori Kelman, Padmavathi Tangirala, James Sniezek | 9221 CORPORATE BLVD | ROCKVILLE | MD | 208.503.248 | 2.405.679.038 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Over the past four years more than 30 cell and gene therapy companies have started or become located in Montgomery County, Maryland, making it an emerging center for biopharmaceutical industries. Montgomery College will address the critical workforce needs of this growing industry by increasing the number of work-ready biotechnicians with a focus on cell and gene therapy. The biotechnology program at Montgomery College will add a new Certificate in Cell and Gene therapy with an expected annual enrollment of 20 students by 2025. They will combine this new certificate program with two new micro-credentials in Micropipetting and Aseptic Techniques for Mammalian Cell Culture. Skills from these courses and credentials will be vetted by industry professionals to ensure alignment with their expectations for entry-level biotechnology positions. Finally, the college plans to increase awareness and enrollment in the biotechnology program through increased outreach combined with a comprehensive marketing strategy, and focus group analysis. Montgomery College plans to improve educational outcomes for students in the biotechnology program by creating a new Principles of Cell and Gene Therapy Technology course that will be part of the new Cell and Gene Therapy certificate. The certificate will include three existing courses that feature a strong regulatory component that addresses the essential elements of FDA compliance for therapeutics. The college will consult with an industry advisory group to develop new micro credentials in Micropipetting and Aseptic Techniques for Mammalian Cell Culture. While these are considered standard techniques, Montgomery College plans to achieve industrial buy-in for these credentials which can augment degrees and certificates and improve employment opportunities for students. To improve enrollment in the program, the college will conduct focus groups to determine baseline data regarding student interest and knowledge of biotechnology careers. They will also develop a 10-hour biotechnology camp for Montgomery County students and educators to improve the program’s outreach. A program evaluator will monitor the progress of the project and will use formative and summative assessments to guide it. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000787 | Education for Technical Applications in Agriculture | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/24/2023 | Keith Olander | keith.olander@clcmn.edu | MN | Central Lakes College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 07/01/2020 | 06/30/2024 | $748,718.00 | Carl Aakre, Carr Smeby, Curtis Yoose | 501 W COLLEGE DR | BRAINERD | MN | 564.013.904 | 2.188.558.119 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to advance national interests in health, prosperity, and welfare by educating high school students in technologies used in modern farming equipment and operations. These technologies include geospatial technologies, robotics, electronics, sensors, and computer controls. The agricultural equipment industry has a significant shortage of qualified technicians trained to manufacture, use, and maintain modern equipment. To address this agricultural technician workforce gap, the project plans to develop a partnership among community college and secondary school faculty, and equipment manufacturers and dealers. This partnership will collaborate to develop and implement a secondary school curriculum and faculty professional development initiative for technical agricultural education. The resulting courses will be designed for dual enrollment credit at high schools and colleges. Secondary students who complete the credential and earn college credit will be prepared to move seamlessly into an agricultural technician training program at partnering colleges or directly into the agricultural technician workforce. The primary goal of the project is to build a secondary school agricultural technician program that focuses on skills and knowledge that are directly relevant and transferable to higher education and to agricultural technician careers. The partners, led by AgCentric at Central Lakes College and the Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE), include Northland Community and Technical College, Ridgewater College, and industry collaborators. These partners will leverage their resources and experience to ensure this project meets industry, student, and faculty needs in agricultural technician education. The project intends to have a national reach, through developing course content that links agricultural science with complex mechanical systems. The curriculum will be written, field-tested, and revised following the CASE model, which is based on evidence and current pedagogical approaches. The project evaluation will measure the progress of curriculum development and implementation, hypothesized student outcomes of increased college and workforce preparation, and impacts on the agricultural technician workforce. A culminating feature of this project will be the development of an industry-recognized credential that will help further the college, career, and workforce aspirations of secondary and post-secondary students. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202008 | Expanding Pathways and Support for Transportation Technology Education and Careers at an Urban Minority Serving Institution | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 11/03/2022 | Richard Saxton | rsaxton@ccp.edu | PA | Community College of Philadelphia | Standard Grant | Nasser Alaraje | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $546,538.00 | Pam Carter, Arielle Norment | 1700 SPRING GARDEN ST | PHILADELPHIA | PA | 191.303.936 | 2.157.518.010 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This Community College of Philadelphia ATE project will redesign outreach and recruitment strategies to attract, recruit and enroll more female students in the Transportation Technologies (T-Tech) programs. This will create a “Learn and Earn” approach to successfully close the gender gap for women in technology and train and place more technicians into sustainable employment. As a designated Minority Serving Institution and Predominantly Black Institution where the majority of students are low-income; this project focuses on supporting the completion of short-term training and work-based learning experiences where students can earn higher wages and advance within their chosen career path while still enrolled in school. This project has the potential to broaden the participation of underrepresented groups in STEM majors and STEM fields while encouraging more women to choose career paths that provide higher wages and growth potential. This project will advance knowledge and understanding within T-Tech education and technical STEM education through an integrated approach that synergistically addresses industry and student needs. Program design accesses both college and industry resources and expertise to provide a program for students that effectively supports them from enrollment through completion and transition to sustainable jobs in the workforce, meeting industry needs for entry-level and advanced technicians. This ATE project is designed to broaden the participation of women in the T-Tech program and support all enrolled students both academically and professionally as they complete the program. In partnership with the National Institute for Women in Trades, Technology & Science (IWITTS), the Community College of Philadelphia will engage more female students in T-Tech and create recruitment, retention, and job placement plans that can be replicated and scaled to improve overall student success in STEM. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2100047 | Developing a Flipped Classroom Approach to Enhance Access and Improve Learning in Electro-Mechanical Technology | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 12/01/2021 | Jim Pytel | jpytel@cgcc.edu | OR | Columbia Gorge Community College | Standard Grant | Nasser Alaraje | 01/01/2022 | 12/31/2024 | $457,270.00 | 400 E SCENIC DR | THE DALLES | OR | 970.583.456 | 5.415.066.033 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The nation has an expanding need for electro-mechanical technicians, who have expertise in both mechanical technology and electrical/electronic circuits. These technicians apply their knowledge and skills in many fields, from generation and transmission of power to advanced manufacturing. This proposal aims to improve the education of electro-mechanical technicians. To do so, it will develop online teaching and learning resources that support a flipped classroom experience. In flipped classrooms, students engage in more passive learning, such as listening to a lecture, before coming to class. Then, in the classroom, they are guided by the instructor to work on hands-on applications of what they learned. This project will develop teaching resources for electro-mechanical technology with input from industry and other two-year colleges. It is expected that implementing these resources in an online flipped classroom will be more effective at helping electro-mechanical technicians and instructors gain both technical knowledge and practical hands-on experience. Columbia Gorge Community College is a Hispanic-serving institution. Thus, by preparing students for well-paying, high-demand electro-mechanical technician jobs, this project can help to mitigate the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Hispanic communities the College serves. This project leverages the results of a successful previous NSF ATE award that developed free, high-quality online resources to support flipped classroom courses for electrical engineering, industrial maintenance, and renewable energy technicians. The project has three major aims: (1) develop high-quality online learning modules that support a flipped classroom approach for teaching electro-mechanical technologies, (2) cultivate the next generation of instructors and workforce-ready technicians for high-demand fields, and (3) advance the knowledge base about use of the flipped classroom approach to enhance technician education. The flipped classroom structure and materials can be easily updated and repurposed for other technical programs, thus increasing access to technical education and decreasing cost. U.S. economic and national security depends on the industries supported by knowledgeable, skilled technicians. This project intends to train new electro-mechanical technicians and serve practicing electro-mechanical technicians who want to stay current in their jobs. This project is funded by the NSF Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 1902574 | National Center for Autonomous Technologies | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/16/2023 | Jonathan Beck | jonathan.beck@northlandcollege.edu | MN | Northland Community & Technical College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 07/01/2019 | 06/30/2024 | $7,075,834.00 | Vincent DiNoto, Jill Zande, Benjamin Richason, Zackary Nicklin, Chris Hadfield | 1101 HIGHWAY 1 E | THIEF RIVER FALLS | MN | 567.012.528 | 2.186.838.643 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 5761, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This ATE National Center aims to serve the national need for developing and maintaining a skilled technical workforce in the field of autonomous technologies. Autonomous technologies have the potential to revolutionize the way people across the globe live, work, travel, and learn. They also have critical implications for the national economy, as well as national safety and security. The National Center for Autonomous Technologies will focus on three areas of autonomous technology: unmanned aircraft systems, connected automated vehicles, and unmanned underwater vehicles. These autonomous vehicles will have tremendous impact on the quality of human life across the nation, from rural to urban communities, as well on understanding of agriculture, the biosphere, and sustaining life in the oceans. Successful deployment of autonomous vehicles requires highly skilled, agile technicians who can support vehicle design, monitoring, control, use, and repair. The mission of the National Center for Autonomous Technologies will be to coordinate and lead efforts to educate the skilled technical workforce in autonomous technologies. The Center aims to achieve its mission through a concerted national effort that will develop and disseminate educational resources to meet current and future workforce demands and broadly engage stakeholders from industry, government, and related ATE projects and centers. The Center aims to improve student learning and technician education by conducting research and analysis to design quality curricula and content that meets the evolving demands of autonomous technologies in unmanned aircraft systems, connected automated vehicles, and unmanned underwater vehicles. The Center also aims to support recruitment and success of rural and underrepresented students in careers related to autonomous technologies, while developing replicable models that increase access to these careers for all students. This work will build upon existing collaborations with Tribal Serving Colleges and with high schools throughout the Northern Plains region. The Center's specific objectives include to: 1) design, develop, coordinate, and implement specialized and collaborative autonomous technology workshops for educators and industry; 2) expand engagement in STEM and autonomous technologies by increasing the quality and diversity of the STEM workforce; 3) employ service learning activities that support community engagement and increase the visibility and utility of careers in autonomous technologies; and 4) establish an education resource hub for autonomous technologies with a focus on outreach and expanded partnerships. The National Center for Autonomous Technologies aims to achieve its mission through partnerships with ATE Centers (e.g., CAAT; CA2VES; GeoTech; MATE; and SpaceTEC), ATE projects, industry, and government. By supporting collaborations among these stakeholders, the Center expects to develop and disseminate the content and tools needed to educate technicians for careers in autonomous technologies. This project is funded by the NSF Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2329904 | Broadening Participation in Plant/Agricultural Biotechnology through Stackable Credentials Leading to an Associate in Science Degree | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/04/2024 | Anjali Misra | anjali.misra@hancockcollege.edu | NC | Wake Technical Community College | Standard Grant | Kalyn Owens | 10/15/2022 | 04/30/2025 | $449,001.00 | Ying-Tsu Loh, Moira Hughes | 9101 FAYETTEVILLE RD | RALEIGH | NC | 276.035.655 | 9.198.665.076 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | In response to changing agriculture priorities, the plant/agricultural biotechnology industry is growing in the California Central Coast region. Individuals from Hispanic communities continue to be underrepresented in biotechnology. This project is led by Alan Hancock College, a rural, federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution in central California. The project is designed to increase the participation of individuals from Hispanic communities in plant/agricultural biotechnology. To do so, the project team will develop stackable credentials that prepare students to enter the region’s plant/agricultural biotechnology workforce and can lead to an new associate degree in plant/agriculture biotechnology. This degree program will be designed in collaboration with local industry partners and stakeholders in K- 14 education. The project will train local high school teachers in biotechnology skills aligned with the new curriculum, thus creating a pathway from high school into plant/agricultural biotechnology. The project expects this approach will increase the interest and success in the skilled biotechnology workforce for second-generation Hispanic youth. As a result, the project has the potential to help diversify the STEM technical workforce and ensure that students of color become members of the next generation of scientists. In doing so, the project can help to mitigate the disproportionate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the communities it will serve. Using evidence-based strategies identified for Hispanic Serving Institutions, the project will: 1) develop two stackable certificates, based on courses in biotechnology, plant tissue culture, and genetics, that lead to an associate of science degree in plant/agricultural biotechnoloy; 2) provide high school faculty with professional development and create a pipeline of prospective students into the associate degree program by increasing awareness and providing hands-on experience in biotechnology; 3) offer institutional, student-centric support and engage students in work-based learning experiences in plant/agricultural biotechnology; 4) expand collaboration and partnerships with local agriculture biotechnology industries that can prepare Hispanic students for emerging technical jobs, including those in the field of agricultural biodiagnostics. This training will enable Hispanic students to develop skills that are transferable to other sectors and help to alleviate the shortage of skilled technical workers in the state. In addition, this funding can generate revenue needed to sustain the degree program, helping to alleviate COVID-19-related impacts on the College itself. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2301087 | Diesel Technology Pathway to Postsecondary Certification or Associate Degree | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/04/2024 | Justin Beishline | jbeishli@pct.edu | PA | Pennsylvania College of Technology | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 07/15/2023 | 06/30/2026 | $625,861.00 | Mark Sones, Chris Weaver, John Motto, Brad Conklin | 1 COLLEGE AVE | WILLIAMSPORT | PA | 177.015.778 | 5.703.263.761 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national interest by creating new integrated and streamlined pathways from secondary career and technical education (CTE) diesel programs to postsecondary certificate or associate degree programs in diesel technology. The goal is to address the growing unmet need for high school diesel students to continue their education beyond the high school CTE level. The skills gap in the U.S. has caused the diesel equipment industry to hire CTE diesel students directly into the workforce, but there is a great need for employees with postsecondary training. Meeting this demand will help U.S. commercial trucking and industrial equipment companies to remain competitive globally. In addition, improving the pathway from CTE to postsecondary training also increases the possibility of career advancement and higher lifetime earnings for students from underserved backgrounds and those underrepresented in STEM, as postsecondary training and education helps workers remain current and adapt to ever-changing technologies. The project will revise the current postsecondary curriculum to remove any redundancy with the CTE programs and will recognize prior CTE learning, thus reducing the number of credits and the tuition needs each semester. Additional activities are a virtual career awareness course for CTE students, professional development for CTE diesel instructors, and a diesel skills competition to attract students to the field. Such activities will strengthen secondary CTE diesel programs that feed into postsecondary diesel offerings and will compose a replicable model that can be adopted in other technician education fields or at other institutions. This project will implement and evaluate a new pathway between CTE and postsecondary education that uses articulation credits to reduce the need for students to take redundant content, thereby minimizing their time and financial commitment once they enter a postsecondary program. Students at Pennsylvania College of Technology (Penn College) will earn a postsecondary two-semester certificate or four-semester associate degree in an electric power generation or heavy construction equipment diesel technology program. Project goals will be accomplished through the following activities: (1) collaborating with CTE instructors toward enhancing CTE programs and improving instructor training; (2) revising Penn College diesel courses to enable articulation credit to be awarded for content learned in CTE programs; and (3) increasing awareness in high school students and their families, CTE instructors, and high school guidance counselors about diesel technology careers and the long-term benefits of the new CTE-postsecondary pathway. The project will implement and evaluate a skills competition and a new virtual workshop for CTE students that will increase awareness of careers in heavy equipment and power generation and further the use of a virtual platform for productive learning. The project team will investigate the benefits of the revised pathway for students, especially if it leads to increased program completion, and will contribute to existing literature that seeks to improve pathways to technical education. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1841783 | EvaluATE: Evaluation Learning and Resource Hub for Advanced Technological Education | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/04/2024 | Lyssa Becho | lyssa.becho@wmich.edu | MI | Western Michigan University | Standard Grant | Connie Della-Piana | 01/15/2019 | 12/31/2024 | $6,407,856.00 | Lori Wingate, Ayesha Boyce, Emily Binder, Michael Harnar, Lyssa Becho | 1903 W MICHIGAN AVE | KALAMAZOO | MI | 490.085.200 | 2.693.878.298 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | EvaluATE is the evaluation learning and resource hub for NSF's Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program. This award will support EvaluATE's research, education, and network building activities, with the goal of enhancing the quality and impact of ATE workforce development projects. It is expected that higher quality evaluations will increase the potential of the evaluation results to inform practices in STEM workforce development. The goals of this project are to: Expand the evidence base for effective science, technology, engineering and mathematics education evaluation practices; Improve ATE evaluators' knowledge and skills in evaluation; Improve the ability of ATE project personnel to use evaluation effectively (e.g., for improvement, understanding, and accountability of federally funded projects focused on workforce development); and increase professional exchange and strengthen connections among ATE evaluation stakeholders. This project will conduct four research studies with the overarching goal of improving the evaluation of federally supported projects. Study 1 examines the validity of the ATE Evaluation Task Framework to guide the design and execution of rigorous project evaluation. Study 2 investigates the procurement of evaluation services. Study 3 explores the feasibility of measuring equity, diversity, and inclusion in the ATE context. Study 4 examines evaluation in decision-making. Drawing on adult learning principles, the project will help ATE project evaluators and personnel to design conduct, manage, and use evaluation in their projects. Building on existing strategies and resources, such as webinars and job aids, the project team plans to integrate and investigate fellowships and one-on-one technical assistance in evaluation capacity building. Working with other ATE community and capacity building efforts, EvaluATE will facilitate development of a sustainable ATE evaluation network that includes evaluators and ATE practitioners. This network has the potential to further strengthen the evaluation capacity of the ATE community and to enable rigorous evaluation of federally funded projects focused on workforce development. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1801096 | The Necessary Skills Now Network: Integrating Employability Skills Development into Technician Education Across STEM Disciplines | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 01/08/2024 | Hope Cotner | hcotner@cord.org | TX | CORD | Standard Grant | R. Corby Hovis | 10/01/2018 | 08/31/2024 | $599,424.00 | John Sands, Marilyn Barger, John Chamberlain, Richard Roberts, Hope Cotner | 4901 BOSQUE BLVD | WACO | TX | 767.102.302 | 2.547.418.334 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | For several decades, employers in high-tech fields have complained that entry-level employees often lack "employability skills," which are also called "soft skills." These skills are the non-technical skills necessary for success in the workplace, including working in teams, problem solving, verbal communication, written communication, dependability/work ethic, and planning/organizing. Reports have called on colleges to redesign courses and curricula to address the deficiency in employability skills, and many projects have been launched to do so, often with a focus on a particular discipline. As a new Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Coordination Network, the Necessary Skills Now Network will foster the collaboration of community and technical college faculty with business/industry partners to integrate employability skills into technician education programs across the STEM disciplines. The Necessary Skills Now Network will assist community and technical colleges in sharing resources, exploring new teaching methods, and collaborating with employers to help students improve their mastery of employability skills. The Network will (1) create an active "community of practice" to exchange ideas, promising practices, research, and employment trends; (2) provide faculty development workshops and courses to support the adoption of effective teaching methods, instructional materials, and learning environments; and (3) create an online portal of open educational resources to improve the development of employability skills among students in technical associate degree programs. The project is led by the Center for Occupational Research and Development and three ATE centers: the South Carolina Advanced Technological Education center (engineering technology), the Center for Systems Security and Information Assurance (cybersecurity), and the Florida Advanced Technological Education center (advanced manufacturing). Through the existing, extensive networks of these partners, the investigators expect to reach over 450 faculty members with workshops, online courses, and on-demand resources and to engage over 300 colleges and 75 companies in community-of-practice activities. Conference presentations, webinars, publications, and social media will further extend awareness of the Network's resources to stakeholders across the STEM disciplines. The overall goal is to develop an environment in which many employers and educators collaborate across roles, technology sectors, and geography to build solutions that will give students the full range of skills needed for working productively after they are hired. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2201692 | Developing a Technician Training Program for the Advanced Manufacturing Workforce | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/01/2022 | Danelle Maxwell | maxwelld@otc.edu | MO | Ozarks Technical Community College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 06/01/2022 | 05/31/2025 | $345,725.00 | Landon Vinson, Jacque Harris, Robert Randolph | 1001 E CHESTNUT EXPY | SPRINGFIELD | MO | 658.023.625 | 4.174.474.842 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | As the manufacturing sector in the United States continues to evolve, the need for a highly skilled workforce is increasing. As a result, the nation is experiencing a critical shortage of trained professionals who have the skills required to function in an advanced manufacturing environment. This project will improve and expand technical training opportunities in advanced manufacturing at Ozarks Technical Community College (OTC). As one of the few programs of this kind in the Midwest, this program will provide both the workers that employers are searching for as well as establishing an educational pipeline for students interested in manufacturing. Exploration opportunities for K-12 students will be developed to build interest in manufacturing trades. Students who gain an interest in automation through one of OTC’s tours or summer camps will have the opportunity to earn a degree in advanced manufacturing. These will then be qualified to fill one of the high-demand positions in advanced manufacturing available at area employers. This project has two overarching goals, 1) improve and expand automation and robotics instruction for manufacturing at two-year colleges, and 2) increase the awareness of automation and robotics career pathways for secondary students. The resulting programs, developed with input from industry stakeholders, will focus on critical areas such as robotic programming and maintenance, integration of programmable automation controllers into the manufacturing process, and development of IT infrastructure to support automated systems. To address the gap in skilled workers, the program will develop a secondary to post-secondary talent pipeline, utilizing a layered approach to begin building interest in automation and robotics early in high school. The program will develop a series of experiences that allow secondary students to develop an interest in the field. This method will allow multiple entry points and varying levels of involvement to develop a workforce prepared for the needs of Industry 4.0. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2100322 | Teaching Technician Troubleshooting with Mini Industry 4.0 Factories | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/22/2022 | Mason Lefler | mlefler@btech.edu | UT | Bridgerland Applied Technology College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 10/01/2021 | 09/30/2025 | $547,981.00 | Jeffrey Waddoups, Matt Fuller, Tyler Storey, Stephen Allred | 1301 N 600 W | LOGAN | UT | 843.212.292 | 4.357.503.214 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Utah is facing a critical shortage of skilled advanced manufacturing technicians due to the large number of industries that continue to automate their facilities, the limited number of advanced manufacturing programs in the state, and the looming retirement of a large portion of the workforce in the next several years. Automated systems that formerly employed standalone electronic systems are now integrated with more automated processes such as: information technology, big data, and industrial robotics. Manufacturers are calling for students who not only understand the constituent parts of manufacturing systems and how they interact but fundamentally understand troubleshooting methodology. Highly skilled technicians need to be able to troubleshoot complex systems that are not only composed of motors, conveyors, and sensors, but also reliant on networks of devices, intricate computer codes that control processes, and high-speed exchanges of data about the state of the different components in the systems. Bridgerland Applied Technology College, in collaboration with industry partners, aims to develop and build a “Mini Industry 4.0” factory along with associated curricular materials. Together they will be used to teach troubleshooting practices in support of the education of the skilled technical workforce needed by the advanced manufacturing industry. To meet the demands of industry, this project will pursue four objectives. First is to integrate troubleshooting methodology into the current curriculum of three programs at the institution. Second is to build a low cost "Mini Industry 4.0" factory and develop a corresponding troubleshooting curriculum. Third is to provide professional development in troubleshooting complex manufacturing systems for faculty. And fourth is to deliver high-quality professional development to high school and college faculty throughout the region. The project will evaluate how the mini-factory and augmented reality impact student learning outcomes with respect to troubleshooting, and the College will evaluate students periodically throughout the certificate with respect to "Employment Skills & Ethics." Redesigned certificate courses and newly designed industry courses will be shared across the state and nation. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2301095 | NEVTEX Next | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/10/2023 | Kenneth Mays | kmays@cocc.edu | OR | Central Oregon Community College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 07/01/2023 | 06/30/2026 | $2,999,990.00 | Patrick English, Benigno Cruz | 2600 NW COLLEGE WAY | BEND | OR | 977.035.933 | 5.413.837.711 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The fast pace of Electric Vehicle (EV) transition throughout the nation has prompted the need for thousands of EV technicians for every category of transportation. As of 2021, sales of EV vehicles surpassed 10% of light duty vehicles sold nationally. By 2030, EV sales are expected to increase to between 17% and 36% of national market share. With the proliferation of EV sales, an educated technician workforce is needed to service these vehicles. The national standards, certification, and curriculum developed with a prior award will inform this project to take the next step of expanding EV technician training to 15 two-year college automotive programs across the U.S. Implementing EV technician programs at two-year colleges not only addresses a critical workforce need for the EV industry, but it also provides low-barrier access to high-quality jobs for underserved populations. Many of the 15 two-year colleges who will develop EV programs as part of this project serve large numbers of minority students, female students, low-income students and rural students, and four colleges are designated as Minority Serving Institutions. The NEVTEX Next consortium will create and test a model for addressing the need to educate the EV skilled technician workforce through four objectives: 1) 15 new 2-year college EV technician programs will be started and certified by providing professional development for instructors, providing industry-vetted EV curriculum and industry-recognized credentials, and supplying necessary testing equipment. 2) An advisory group will promote and sustain a national, industry-recognized EV certification for educators and technicians to advance standards-based EV certifications at 2-year colleges and in the EV workforce. 3) Five college automotive instructors will gain the EV technology knowledge and skills required to be certified in the national EVPro+ training and testing standards, and equipment will be provided at their colleges to establish five authorized EVPro+ certification testing sites. 4) Consortium-wide training based on proven and successful strategies will enable automotive faculty to develop effective student recruitment and retention strategies to increase diversity in their programs by attracting and retaining women and underserved minorities. EV programs launched at 15 geographically and demographically diverse 2-year colleges will help broaden the EV workforce for national impact. These capacity-building strategies will create a sustainable pipeline of diverse, certified EV technicians to more quickly grow an EV workforce and address the growing national need. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2039395 | Building Pathways to Innovation in Skilled Technical Workforce Education Through Strategic Employer Engagement | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/14/2023 | Ann Beheler | abeheler@collin.edu | TX | CORD | Continuing Grant | Virginia Carter | 09/01/2020 | 08/31/2025 | $2,748,060.00 | Ann-Claire Anderson, David Dinkins, Hope Cotner | 4901 BOSQUE BLVD | WACO | TX | 767.102.302 | 2.547.418.334 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project will serve the national interest in a strong American workforce by ensuring that more college technical education programs align with the current and emerging needs of business and industry. In May 2020, the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board published a call-to-action challenging key stakeholders in the U.S. economy to “engage in a shared, coordinated, and sustained effort to build a resilient and agile workforce of the future powered by skilled American workers.” Investing in American Workers to Expedite Economic Recovery issued three goals: 1) Expedite American workers’ return to employment and upward mobility by investing in career pathways and implementing skills-based hiring practices; 2) Remove obstacles to the modernization of American education and training to accelerate reskilling and facilitate innovation in workforce development; and 3) Build the technological infrastructure necessary for the future of work. These goals closely align with current efforts of the National Science Board, the National Science Foundation, and the NSF’s Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program to grow the STEM-capable U.S. workforce through skilled technical workforce programs tailored to the needs of local communities. To support workforce development, this project will address the essential need to strengthen and expand partnerships between business/industry and community colleges that prepare the skilled technical workforce through career pathways programs. By fostering public-private partnerships in technical education, the project will promote making high-wage, high-skilled job opportunities available to many people who have not previously had access to these positions. Local and regional business and industry will benefit because their pipeline of qualified candidates for open positions will be expanded. Finally, participating colleges, their faculty, and future students in existing and emerging technical disciplines will benefit from initiating work on a culture of innovation co-led by business and industry. This project will develop strong business engagement between technical education programs and the employers who want to hire graduates of these programs, while also strategically increasing the number of competitive grant proposals submitted annually to the ATE program. Building on the ATE-supported Business Industry Leadership Team (BILT) model, a proven method for strategic employer engagement, colleges engaged in the project will develop employer relationships that yield workforce intelligence at a depth and with a frequency to facilitate continuous program improvement and innovation. The project will launch three complementary initiatives: 1) A BILT Academy that will support teams from community college to effectively keep pace with shifting workforce demands and evolving technologies to prepare the nation’s skilled technical workforce; 2) A Mentoring Academy that will increase awareness of ATE’s focus on innovation and mentor college teams to use BILT’s essential elements as a foundation upon which to build competitive proposals for implementing innovative programs responsive to employer needs; and 3) The project team will coordinate efforts with ATE National Centers to assist new grantees in effective grant management and implementation of strategic employer engagement through on-demand resources and an Ask-an-ATE Expert helpline. To carry out these activities, the project will develop a body of materials that can be used virtually and face-to-face, as well as a curated resource collection that will support ongoing college innovation in creating and enhancing technical education programs through strategic employer engagement. The project will also develop an updated approach to mentoring by building upon existing ATE proposal-writing workshop materials augmented with a BILT emphasis. The project will identify and document new frequently asked questions by the Ask-an-ATE Expert Help Desk to inform the development of new resources for grantees. All on-demand, curated content developed by the project will be made available without cost to the public. and beyond. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2201862 | Improving Industry Based Skills in Environmental Studies At a Community College | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/05/2022 | Jennifer Guiher | Guiherj@sunyulster.edu | NY | Ulster County Community College | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $349,838.00 | Christopher Marx | 491 COTTEKILL ROAD | STONE RIDGE | NY | 124.845.134 | 8.456.875.050 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | New York’s Hudson Valley is experiencing a growing demand for well-trained STEM graduates, with a particular need to meet the workforce demands of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYC DEP), one of the area’s largest employers. The NYC DEP oversees a three-reservoir system that provides more than 8.5 million people with clean, unfiltered, drinking water from Catskill-Ulster County and Delaware reservoirs. Projections estimate that approximately 46% of the 1,044 employees currently budgeted for in the Bureau of Water Supply division will be eligible for retirement by 2026. Ulster County, additionally, is the first county in the United States to adopt a Green New Deal to mitigate climate change and practice environmentally sustainable actions with an emphasis placed on education and job training to equip the future workforce. Creating workforce ready technicians to meet these needs is the goal of SUNY Ulster’s Environmental Studies program and the Industry-Based Skills for Undergraduate Success (IBSUS) project. IBSUS will satisfy the growing industry need for technicians in the environmental field and help produce technicians with a research problem solving mentality. The project will satisfy the growing demand for skilled STEM graduates in the Hudson Valley, NY region, address the hard/soft skills gap in job applicants between graduates and industry expectations, and enhance recruitment of underrepresented groups in STEM, with an emphasis on females. The IBSUS project will leverage on-campus services, industry partners, and the larger ATE community to create a set of project deliverables that will have an ongoing impact on students, faculty, and the greater campus community. This combination of resources is expected to improve student success and ultimately better prepare students to enter the workforce. The project will improve student retention and career readiness in the SUNY Ulster Environmental Studies program through three sets of applied learning activities in the form of Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) designed to introduce and utilize techniques and technology to identify and solve environmental problems, foster a collaborative environment, and help students develop effective communication skills. The IBSUS Project Team will streamline the General Biology II lab curriculum in collaboration with the NYC DEP to emphasize applied learning in the reinforcement and further examination of prioritized lecture topics to introduce/reinforce hard skills and competencies. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202150 | Expanding the Cell Science and Immunological Testing Workforce by Developing a Diverse and Inclusive Credentialed Biotechnology Program | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/21/2022 | Andria Denmon | denmon_andria@smc.edu | CA | Santa Monica College | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $348,925.00 | Thomas Chen | 1900 PICO BLVD | SANTA MONICA | CA | 904.051.628 | 3.104.344.616 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The life sciences/biotechnology sector has continued to remain resilient during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the Los Angeles region generating $60.8 billion in economic activity in 2020 and hosting more than 1,000 life science innovation companies. It is projected that 16,000 regional technical jobs will be added to this rapidly growing sector within the next three years. The acceleration of the widening supply-and-demand gap, along with the growing awareness that community colleges produce competitive and highly skilled technicians, emphasizes the necessity to develop projects that focus on life sciences/biotechnology technician education to prepare students to become the next generation of highly skilled workers in this dynamic sector. Therefore, this project focusing on Cell Science and Immunological Testing will recruit and train 30 students from diverse and traditionally untapped pools of talent, including system impacted and justice involved students, resulting in 30 industry internship matches and award up to 60 certificates that are part of a career education pathway consisting of two stackable certificates. The project will align academic offerings with industry needs based on the input from an advisory council. Students will be trained in a curriculum that focuses on essential knowledge, state-of-the-art technical skills, and industry-required soft skills. Students will also receive an introduction to nanobiotechnology concepts and their applications in the cell science/gene therapy and immunological testing industries. In this project, Santa Monica College (SMC) will: 1) produce two stackable certificates that will enable students to successfully enter the rapidly growing life sciences/biotechnology industries in the greater Los Angeles region, 2) expand outreach, recruitment, and retention efforts to students from traditionally untapped pools of talent and communities, and 3) grow a diverse and talented workforce while reducing the training, mentorship, and employment equity gaps often associated with the life science/biotechnology industry. Students benefiting from this project will complete 22 units (5 courses) to earn their first stackable certificate and can opt to complete 15 additional units (4 courses) to obtain a second certificate. Regardless of their academic pathway, all participating students will receive an industry appointed mentor and complete an internship. The scope of this project also aims to inform 40 SMC students from special counseling programs, 150 pre-college educators, and four full-time SMC career and academic counselors about the biotechnology industry through planned outreach activities. Finally, mobile biotechnology exploration days will provide 210 pre-college students who are justice-involved or from low-income communities with hands-on activities, information about this project, and employment opportunities available to them in the life sciences/biotechnology sector. The results generated from this project will be disseminated through regional and national conferences, NSF ATE Center platforms, and the California Community College network. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2100029 | Crisis as Catalyst for Change and Innovation—Targeted Research on Institutional Response and Enduring Impacts on Advanced Technological Education | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/26/2023 | Xueli Wang | xwang273@wisc.edu | WI | University of Wisconsin-Madison | Standard Grant | Connie Della-Piana | 06/01/2021 | 05/31/2025 | $958,811.00 | Turina Bakken | 21 N PARK ST STE 6301 | MADISON | WI | 537.151.218 | 6.082.623.822 | EDU | 741200 | 096Z, 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project will investigate changes and innovations in technician education that were implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Over three years, the mixed-methods research project will analyze all 16 technical colleges within the Wisconsin Technical College System. The analysis will include perspectives and decisions at multiple scales from the statewide system to the two-year technical colleges in the system, and the institutional leaders and faculty in those colleges. The research is expected to provide a comprehensive picture of the scope and types of changes spurred by COVID-19. Results of the research may expand both theoretical and practical knowledge about how technical education programs respond to a crisis. This knowledge may also identify areas of innovation in which two-year institutions lead the way, as well as identify ways to better support vulnerable student populations. Informed by disruptive adaptation theory (McGee, 2012) and the multi-faceted framework for understanding change (Kezar, 2018), this research study addresses five questions about how the system, its colleges, and college leaders and faculty: (a) engage with and address the influx of disruptions, changes, and innovations during the pandemic; (b) view the immediate and future impact of the disruptions, changes, and innovations on advanced technological education, particularly on key stakeholders and vulnerable students; and (c) inform a model for cultivating a diverse, skilled technician workforce in advanced technological education. Deductively and inductively derived topic areas, text mining algorithms, and social network analysis will comprise the quantitative strand of the project. The social network analysis will capture large patterns that depict simultaneous links among the type and timing of innovations, and whom the innovations served across programs and institutions. In addition, the research team will gather qualitative data from in-depth case studies to further develop an understanding of how institutions adapt to disruptive events and create innovative approaches to address them. Research findings will be integrated toward meta-inference and model building that may provide new insights into institutional change and instruction. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000933 | Expanding Remote Delivery of Information Technologies Education in a Rural Environment | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/27/2020 | Laura Berry | lberry@northark.edu | AR | North Arkansas College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 07/01/2020 | 06/30/2024 | $470,059.00 | Cheryl Keymer, Rick Williams | 1515 PIONEER DR | HARRISON | AR | 726.015.508 | 8.703.913.280 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Between 2019 and 2023, Information Technology (IT) jobs are expected to grow 10% in northwest Arkansas. The demand for IT professionals in Arkansas is already outpacing the number of graduates being produced. This project aims to address this need by remotely delivering IT courses to rural students in a six-county area in north-central Arkansas. The use of remote-access labs will provide state of the art, hands-on coursework to these students, thus preparing them for employment as IT technicians in northwest Arkansas. This project has the potential to change the lives of students who are unable to move outside of their local area for IT education or work. The college will expand delivery of remote content to include the associate degree in Information Technology, and will improve the curriculum by adding new content, including cloud technologies, virtualization, and Internet of Things. The students will have access to real-world problem solving and teamwork in the capstone course, as well as internship opportunities. Such changes will build employability skills into the program so that students are ready for immediate employment after graduation. This program will offer year-round access with multiple entry points, providing more flexible opportunities for program completion. The project has the potential to help diversify the workforce and grow the economy in rural areas by providing access to high-tech jobs for low-income students. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2100012 | Increasing the Number and Diversity of Cybersecurity Technicians in Rural North Carolina | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/21/2021 | Michael Jacobs | mjacobs@robeson.edu | NC | Robeson Community College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 05/01/2021 | 04/30/2024 | $299,792.00 | Loretta Allen | 5160 N FAYETTEVILLE RD | LUMBERTON | NC | 283.602.158 | 9.102.723.675 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the need for cybersecurity technicians will grow more than 30 percent over the next decade. The number of students enrolled in and graduating from cybersecurity programs is not at a pace that can meet this growing demand. As a result, the nation will not have enough domestically trained cybersecurity technicians to satisfy the needs of industry, business, government, and other sectors. This project aims to addresses critical regional and national needs for skilled cybersecurity technicians. It will do so by collaborating with the local education agency’s high school Career and Technical Education program, local businesses, and industries to increase the number of trained cybersecurity technicians who are ready for work. Program pathways will be created that allow students to earn credits toward a degree in applied science while completing an industry-recognized certificate in cybersecurity. Internships with local businesses and organizations will provide students with opportunities to put the skills they are learning in the classroom into real-world practice. The goals of this project include: (1) producing skilled, highly qualified, and career-ready cybersecurity technicians; (2) equipping information technology faculty with the cybersecurity knowledge and skills required to effectively teach cybersecurity and optimize student learning and retention; (3) recruiting, retaining, and graduating individuals from communities that are underrepresented in cybersecurity, including women. Evaluation of the project will include both formative and summative assessment of the efficacy of the program in meeting the proposed goals and outcomes. The outcomes of this project have the potential to advance knowledge about challenges that students in a rural community face as learners in STEM fields, particularly in the information technology and cybersecurity fields. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2100062 | Targeted Research to Identify Mathematics Competencies and Align Mathematics Education for Skilled Technicians in Advanced Manufacturing | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/21/2021 | Michael Hacker | Michael.Hacker@Hofstra.Edu | NY | Hofstra University | Standard Grant | Connie Della-Piana | 09/01/2021 | 08/31/2024 | $799,315.00 | Paul Horwitz, GERHARD Salinger, Bernard Gorman, Rodney Null | 128 HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY | HEMPSTEAD | NY | 115.491.280 | 5.164.636.810 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national interest by aligning the mathematics taught in technical programs with the needs of advanced manufacturing technicians in the workplace. To do so, the research team will conduct a three-year research and development project that builds upon recommendations of the NSF-supported Needed Math Conference held in 2018. The project will establish connections between the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges and manufacturing educators and industrialists. The project intends to use this collaboration to: (1) develop and validate situations encountered by technicians in several manufacturing sectors; (2) identify the mathematics competencies technicians need in those situations; and (3) enhance communication between industry leaders and community college technical faculty to identify and align the mathematics needed by skilled technicians in manufacturing. It is expected that the project will improve mathematics education in technical programs. In addition, the project may provide a model for how partnerships involving academia, industry, and other stakeholders can enable curriculum reform to meet present and future industry needs. To accomplish its goals, the project will hold a series of Collaborative Working Group meetings across the country to establish and sustain changes in mathematics instruction for students pursuing certificates and degrees for careers in advanced manufacturing. Institutions and organizations involved in this project are Hofstra University, City University of New York, Holyoke Community College, Rhodes State College, American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges, Consortium for Mathematics and its Applications, Florida Advanced Technological Education Center, Central Virginia Community College, Support Center for Microsystems Education, Gadsden State College, Ohlone College, and the Center for Supply Chain Automation. The project is designed to develop resources that inform the teaching of mathematics, coupled with a mixed methods research investigation. Drawing on work by Simon and Goes, a validation panel will review workplace scenarios using the Validation Rubric for Expert Panels. The qualitative (grounded theory) and quantitative (descriptive, linear regression, ANOVA, cluster analysis) research design will integrate data collection and analyses that are guided by a set of four research questions that focus on: (1) the alignment between mathematics competencies for the technical workplace and the mathematics taught in technical programs; and (2) the effectiveness of collaborative working groups as mechanisms for change in the post-secondary mathematics education of skilled manufacturing technicians. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2232622 | Dissemination of ASEE Industry 4.0 Webinars and Summit Findings | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 08/14/2023 | Daniel Sayre | dan@newworldassoc.com | DC | American Society For Engineering Education | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 08/15/2022 | 07/31/2024 | $49,600.00 | Ashok Agrawal, Rachel Koroloff, Norman Fortenberry | 1818 N ST NW | WASHINGTON | DC | 200.362.406 | 2.023.313.500 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 7556, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The industrial and professional world is undergoing rapid technological advances. These advances comprise Industry 4.0, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, defined as the convergence of digital, biological, and physical technologies so as to disrupt manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, and all industries around the globe. Currently, educators and training providers view Industry 4.0 technologies in segregated silos. To succeed in Industry 4.0, educators will be required to radically rethink their models, methods, and offerings to meet the needs of industry and a rapidly changing society. The American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) launched a multi-year dialog among industry, academia, policymakers, professional societies and accreditors on the desired content knowledge and practices needed to prepare graduates of engineering, engineering technology, and engineering technician programs for Industry 4.0 and beyond. These efforts culminated in a series of webinars and an in-person Summit. To capitalize on the momentum of the new ideas and relationships the webinars and Summit helped spark, the next step will be to distill and communicate the key observations and findings from the events. This project will broadly disseminate the findings of these webinars and the Summit among the nation’s community and technical colleges and engineering and engineering technology departments. Policymaker briefings will summarize the key findings regarding the challenge of, and opportunity for, meeting US engineering and skilled technical workforce needs, and a Practitioner White paper will provide a more detailed PDF-format summary of the work presented at the webinars and Summit. These materials will include observations, suggestions, and the examples of best practices on the following: Policies for Building Skilled Technical Workforce for High-Value Manufacturing; Community Colleges and ATE Program Addressing Workforce for Industry 4.0; Alternate Pathways, Platforms, and Policies: Educating Engineers and Skilled Technical Workforce; Scaling Up Industry-Education Collaboration; Industry 4.0 Education, Policies, Perspectives, and Pandemics; A Call for Action for Education 4.0 Pathways; Leveraging New Partnerships and Work/Learn Opportunities for Workforce Development; Expanding Equitable Access to Engineering and Technical Education; Role of Funding Agencies and Influencers in Improving and Enhancing Education and Training Programs; and Preparing the Workforce to Meet Societal & Corporate Responsibilities. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2100225 | Developing an Online Cybersecurity Certificate with Stackable Credentials to Increase the Number and Expertise of Cybersecurity Technicians | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/07/2021 | Mete Kok | amkok@bmcc.cuny.edu | NY | CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 09/01/2021 | 08/31/2024 | $595,800.00 | Ching-Song Wei, Mohammad Azhar | 199 CHAMBERS ST | NEW YORK | NY | 100.071.044 | 2.122.208.010 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The world now critically depends on the security of its cyberinfrastructure. For example, our nation’s critical systems depend on complex computer and telecommunications technology. This dependence includes national systems for water, banking, power (nuclear and conventional), security, and public safety. Although cybersecurity is a critical economic and national security challenge, the nation has a severe shortage of computer security specialists with the skills and knowledge needed to support cyberinfrastructure. This project aims to help meet this need by developing an Online Cybersecurity Certificate with stackable college credits to prepare cybersecurity technicians in New York City. This project is led by the Borough of Manhattan Community College, a Hispanic-serving institution in which more than 75% of the students are from communities that are not yet equitably represented in STEM or in cybersecurity fields. Thus, by providing training that can lead to high-paying, stable jobs, this project will help to mitigate the disproportionate impacts of COVID-19 on the communities that the College serves. The certificate program will target high school students and incumbent workers. By mapping stackable credentials, such as industry certifications or prior experiences, to credit-bearing college courses, the certificate program intends to increase timely completion. The curriculum will consist of 30 college course credits. Thus, individuals who earn the certificate will have the flexibility of entering the workforce directly or continuing their studies to earn advanced credentials including a college degree. In creating the certificate program, the project will modify current face-to-face cybersecurity courses for delivery online. By offering these courses online, the certificate program will accommodate individual schedules and travel limitations, thus enabling more individuals to participate. To help participants gain knowledge about the industry, the certificate program will include enrichment activities, such as summer bridge courses, industry certification workshops, and panel discussions with career professionals. Throughout development of the certificate program, the project team will adopt or adapt materials from ATE Cybersecurity Centers, including curricular materials and faculty development activities. In addition, by sharing the new materials developed by the project with the cybersecurity community, the project will contribute to the cybersecurity education knowledge base. The project will benefit incumbent workers who need new skills as well as high school students who want to enter information technology fields after graduation. Incumbent workers will gain valuable contacts with industry leaders through the project’s Advisory Board, while the dual enrollment certificate courses will help prepare high school students for both cybersecurity careers and college. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2200835 | Welding Education Smart Technology Program | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/19/2022 | Timothy Baber | tim.baber@canyons.edu | CA | College of the Canyons | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 05/15/2022 | 04/30/2025 | $646,354.00 | David Thrasher | 26455 ROCKWELL CANYON RD | SANTA CLARITA | CA | 913.551.803 | 6.613.623.644 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project will contribute to the national need for a highly skilled workforce by producing qualified welding technicians that meet the needs in today’s Advanced Manufacturing Industry sectors. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the need for welders is expected to grow 8 percent from 2020 to 2030. This project will address this workforce need by incorporating significant improvements to an existing Welding Technology Associates of Science degree program. Improvements include incorporating advanced technologies and certification requirements across the program curriculum, use of nontraditional instructional deliveries (virtual reality and hybrid flexible, or HyFlex), performance assessments, faculty professional development, and program outreach. These improvements are projected to increase the number of students who successfully complete the program by 7 percent each year of the project. The goal of this project is to provide a model for two-year colleges to integrate smart welding technologies into their certificate and degree programs so students are prepared to build successful careers in advanced manufacturing sectors. The project will modernize two existing instructional labs to facilitate use of smart technologies inside each welding booth and into each robotic cell. These smart technologies involve use of live weld process control and monitoring software and virtual reality systems. This creates a platform from which students can gauge their own progress in addition to providing instructors valuable data analytics to identify and assess students’ progress. This assessment-driven approach is expected to contribute to the development of standardized welding education practices. Faculty teaching in the welding technology program will earn certifications offered by the National Coalition of Certification Centers to facilitate administering the required performance exams. Students earning these certifications will be prepared to enter the workforce upon completion of the program. This project will consist of significant outreach by hosting live events at local junior and high schools using the program’s existing welding roadshow trailer. The project will also leverage existing agreements with secondary education to build a K-14 pipeline of skilled technicians using conventional and HyFlex instructional deliveries. Summer manufacturing camps will be offered that focus on providing entrepreneurial skills training along with hands-on project-based activities in the welding and metal fabrication labs. The project will develop partnerships with area welding companies to collaboratively design course offerings and curriculum with input from an Industry and Business Team. These efforts are designed to result in a robust program that facilitates hands-on learning experiences centered on aligning student ability with employment opportunities in the field. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2100176 | Electronics and Engineering Technician Training in High Technology for the 21st Century | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/23/2021 | Peter Maritato | maritap@sunysuffolk.edu | NY | Suffolk Community College | Standard Grant | Nasser Alaraje | 07/01/2021 | 06/30/2024 | $597,961.00 | Gordon Snyder, Laura Galletta, Wesley Francillon, David Macholz | 533 COLLEGE RD | SELDEN | NY | 117.842.851 | 6.314.514.760 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | As technological innovation continues to determine the competitiveness of U.S. industries, businesses are seeking employees who possess the skills to engage with new technologies being adopted across a variety of sectors. In response, Suffolk County Community College’s (SCCC) Electronics and Engineering Technician Training in High Technology for the 21st Century (ETECH-21) will develop advanced technological training and virtual hands-on lab activities that incorporate some of these latest technologies, such as applied artificial intelligence and machine learning and microcontroller electronic devices. With guidance from industry, the initiative will engage 120 college students, 12 high school teachers and 30 high school students in new curriculum and lab activities; design and implement an innovative remote lab, which will provide 24/7 access to virtual lab equipment for students, faculty and industry partners; offer internships with industry partners such as Brookhaven National Laboratory, Tesla, and Curtis Wright, among others; and provide training to faculty and high school educators. To increase the participation of underrepresented students, SCCC will collaborate with area high schools and women-focused STEM organizations to promote enhanced STEM educational pathways among K-12 women and minority students. Dissemination of project innovations and best practices will be achieved through presentations at regional, state, and national conferences. Project evaluation will focus on several key components. First is the extent project activities are completed with quality and within the anticipated timeline. Second is the degree to which the activities result in the proposed outcomes. Third is to investigate how much the project increases regional capacity to grow and train the advanced technological workforce. Fourth is to gauge the extent to which the project creates a seamless pathway for inquiry-based STEM learning, particularly for the participation of underrepresented students. And fifth is to examine the extent to which the project fosters collaboration among scientific, engineering, industry, higher education, and secondary schools to expand ATE knowledge. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202107 | Developing PLC and Robotic Automation Technician Training for Service Industries | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/03/2022 | Shouling He | shouling.he@vaughn.edu | NY | Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology | Standard Grant | Nasser Alaraje | 06/15/2022 | 05/31/2025 | $284,549.00 | Douglas Jahnke | 8601 23RD AVE | EAST ELMHURST | NY | 113.691.000 | 7.184.296.600 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national interest by addressing the shortage of technicians with the skills to maintain the programable logic controllers (PLCs) and robots in the service industries. The project at Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology provides a PLC and Robotic Automation (PRA) Technician certificate program to address this shortage in the service industries in the greater New York City (NYC) area. As a Hispanic-Serving Institution, Vaughn has embraced students from low-income and first-generation college families, as well as from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups. The one-year certificate program reduces the financial and time commitments for students who want to pursue education to improve their upward mobility. Providing this additional pathway not only meets the needs of service industries but also increases diversity in PRA technicians. The goal of the project is to create a one-year 24-credit program to provide PRA technicians with the skills they need for employment in service industries. To ensure graduates of the program have the desired qualifications, the project (a) collaborates with its Business and Industry Leadership Team to determine the service industry needs and develop curriculum to meet them; (b) supports faculty to obtain certifications; (c) recruits both high-school students and incumbent workers using newly developed informational materials; and (d) increases diversity in the PRA technician workforce by partnering with Vaughn’s existing programs to recruit students from groups underrepresented in the technician workforce including women and racial and ethnic minorities. Additionally, advancements in the understanding of technical education for service industries are shared through ATE Central and at regional and national conferences. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2300188 | National Information Technology Innovation Center (NITIC) | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 08/30/2023 | Lawrence McWherter | lmcwherter@cscc.edu | OH | Columbus State Community College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 09/01/2023 | 08/31/2028 | $7,475,000.00 | Diane Meza, Kyle Jones, Rajiv Malkan | 550 E SPRING ST | COLUMBUS | OH | 432.151.722 | 6.142.872.639 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The Information Technology (IT) industry is continuing to experience shortages of skilled workers, and COVID-19 has further exacerbated the sense of urgency and need for an IT skilled technical workforce. According to CompTIA’s 2022 Workforce and Learning Trends report, U.S. tech employment will grow an estimated 12.4 million net jobs in 2022 alone. Over the next ten years, technology occupations are expected to grow at twice the rate of overall employment. Yet the high demand for skilled workers is confounded by workers leaving the field. According to Microsoft’s 2021 Work Trends Index, more than 40% of employees were considering a job change, and 46% planned to make a significant career move or transition. While traditional areas of technology are experiencing an increasing demand, there are also emerging job clusters. These include, but are not limited to, the following fields: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), IT Automation, Quantum Computing, DevOps, FinTech, Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Encryption Technologies, IoT/Edge Computing, 5G, and Blockchain Technology. Nationally, there are diversity gaps in the IT industry. Underserved and disadvantaged students are not well represented in pathways for careers in IT which often discourages these individuals from pursuing these career pathways. This project will bring together an experienced consortium of community colleges leaders in information technology collaborating with industry partners to create the National Information Technology Innovation Center (NITIC). The Center will create a future-focused community of practice with diverse perspectives and geographic distribution. NITIC will focus on emerging technologies while strengthening and promoting proven best practices from prior ATE IT centers. NITIC will create new deliverables that develop high-quality educational materials, curricula, pedagogy, and teaching resources while consolidating access for existing materials across broad areas of information technology. The center will leverage a mix of experienced and emerging community college partners to serve as leaders within their technology clusters to expand collaboration and develop future leadership for the ATE community. The Center will produce, implement, assess impact, and broadly share the following: 1) Innovation clearinghouse to encourage new emerging IT curriculum and materials driven by a Business & Industry Leadership Team (BILT) Model for high employer engagement; 2) A Community of Practice: IT Innovation Network (ITIN) to promote sharing and problem-solving; 3) Faculty Professional Development Model – Working Connections Virtual and In-Person Workshops to address continuing learning needs for faculty as technologies emerge; and 4) Dedicated models for increasing diversity and underserved population representation in IT, including veterans, women, and underserved student populations in STEM. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2100402 | Supporting Micro and Nano Technicians through Hybrid Teaching Methods | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/21/2021 | Richard Vaughn | rick.vaughn@riosalado.edu | AZ | Maricopa County Community College District | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 07/01/2021 | 06/30/2025 | $281,983.00 | Trevor Thornton | 2411 W 14TH ST | TEMPE | AZ | 852.816.941 | 4.807.318.402 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Labor market data show that Micro and Nano Technicians are in high demand throughout the American Southwest. Employers have indicated that they have trouble identifying potential hires with the right combination of experience and industry knowledge. This project at Rio Salado College, in collaboration with Arizona State University, seeks to address the critical need for skilled Micro and Nano Technicians throughout Arizona and the American Southwest. It intends to do so by developing a technician education program with a hybrid learning environment that prepares students to quickly enter the workforce. This award will enable Rio Salado to (1) offer a six-course certificate, and an associate degree in Nanotechnology, (2) provide an accessible and affordable academic program for students to gain employable skills, (3) actively recruit students from underrepresented and underserved groups, and (4) establish partnerships with industry and other partners to prepare students to fabricate and characterize materials for biological, textile, chemical, light, and electrical applications, all at the micro and nanometer scale. The project team expects that the combination of flexible course options and student recruiting will increase the number of highly skilled technicians who meet industry needs. Central to this project is the development and testing of a hybrid Micro and Nano Technology academic program that will train or reskill students. This project will advance career and technical education by providing insights about alternative training models that are both accessible and affordable for non-traditional students. An estimated 30 students will complete either a certificate or an associate degree, and at least 8 community college and secondary school educators will receive relevant training that will enhance their teaching with industry relevant concepts and skills. This project will generate new knowledge about how non-traditional students use flexible pathways to complete their educational, career, and professional goals. Rio Salado College will share the results of this work through national technical education conferences and with other colleges in the Maricopa County Community College District. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2054891 | Expanding the Biotechnology Pipeline to Adults Seeking Reemployment | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/21/2021 | Chander Arora | aroracp@lamission.edu | CA | Los Angeles Mission College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 05/01/2021 | 04/30/2024 | $509,414.00 | Parvaneh Mohammadian | 13356 ELDRIDGE AVE | SYLMAR | CA | 913.423.200 | 8.183.647.600 | EDU | 741200 | 097Z, 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The California bioscience sector employs more 300,000 skilled technicians, as well as at least an additional 600,000 related workers. Though the pandemic has negatively impacted many businesses across the state, the bioscience sector continues to expand, including efforts to develop, test, treat, and prevent COVID-19 infection. This project at Los Angeles Mission College focuses on two pressing needs: the acute industry demand for biotechnology lab assistants and technicians due to the pandemic, and the need of many individuals who lost their jobs to find new, sustainable employment. The demand for biotechnology workers has been growing for the past ten years, and the pandemic-driven demand for lab technicians, lab assistants and biotechnology technicians has only amplified it. At the same time, increased unemployment and job insecurity due to changing economic and social conditions are making displaced workers seek different, more sustainable employment options. The project aims to create a pathway for these individuals into biotechnology certification. With a focus on inclusion of veterans and individuals from communities that are underrepresented in STEM, the project aims to provide employment opportunities and increase the talent pool for a high demand, high growth sector. The project will adapt the existing biotechnology certificates and Associate of Science degree programs and supplement these programs with new supports specifically to serve re-entering adult learners. The new supports will include a Bridge to Biotech workshop aimed at strengthening academic skills needed to succeed in science courses, and a Bridge to Employment workshop that prepares students for employment in the industry. Existing supports, such as tutoring, counseling, job readiness services, and industry internships will be modified to help adult students enter the workplace more quickly, while earning industry-recognized certifications along the way. The project will also conduct research and evaluation to determine how specific pathways, strategies, and activities affect participants’ success in completing the program and obtaining employment in biotechnology industry. The results are expected to increase knowledge about what works in retraining adults and helping them secure employment in the biotechnology industry. The project findings will be disseminated to a national audience to assist other organizations in creating pathways to technology careers for adults seeking reemployment. The project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2301066 | Automotive Technician Education on Electrified, Automated, and Connected Vehicles | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/29/2023 | Donald Hutchison | hutchisond@macomb.edu | MI | Macomb Community College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 07/01/2023 | 06/30/2026 | $649,999.00 | Benigno Cruz | 14500 E 12 MILE RD | WARREN | MI | 480.883.896 | 5.864.457.241 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Automakers are making increased investments in battery and Electric Vehicle (EV) manufacturing in North America and will need more workers trained in EV, Connected Automated Vehicles (CAV) and automated systems. However, there is a critical shortage of EV and CAV technicians, especially in the non-original equipment manufacturer (OEM), suppliers, and automotive shops. The workforce need will be detrimental to the industry without interventions to increase the applicant pool and retain employees. This project will leverage the EV certificate program previously developed by the NSF-ATE, Resource Center for Advanced Automotive Technology (RCAAT) to respond to the industry needs. Curricula will be adapted based on an annual review with the Michigan EV Jobs Academy, Employer-Led Collaborative (ELC) so that program changes align with the pace and transition of industry. The project will target underemployed adults and secondary students, in addition to women and minorities who are currently underrepresented in the advanced automotive industry. The project will also provide early exposure to careers for secondary students and expand relationships with four-year universities to develop clear career pathways allowing students to advance their education and careers. This project will establish a new associate degree program in EV technology, upgrade the current EV certificate program, and develop two new certificate programs in CAV and cybersecurity. The project creates a co-leadership model that requires administrators, faculty, industry, and educational partners to co-develop curricula that meets workplace standards. It will also break down traditional academic silos by requiring faculty from different disciplines (engineering and automotive technology, and business and information technology) to work together. This is crucial because cybersecurity and CAV technologies are increasingly being integrated into new EVs. It is also important as educational institutions shift from engineering technician education that is mechanically based to a curriculum that is software and computer and power electronics based. The project will collaborate with educators at high schools, industry, and universities to develop clearly defined technician career pathways to advanced education. The project will also develop and implement early exposure activities for high school students, introducing them to careers in the advanced automotive industry. The certificate programs in CAV and cybersecurity will be offered in a compressed short course format for on-demand workforce\technician education that will lead students quickly into sustainable wage employment. Pathways to advancement that allow existing workers to upskill at a rapid pace will also be available. Additionally, the curriculum will be shared and available via the hybrid/virtual delivery Educational Programs in Collaboration (EPiC) consortium platform through the Michigan Association of Community Colleges, which will provide convenience and flexibility for learners. The EPiC Consortium provides the ability to scale up training with potential talent pools throughout the state. In the long-term, the project will lead to a better prepared workforce that is more gender and racially diverse to address the technician skills gap leading to greater economic impact for the region. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000177 | Bridging the Skills Gap in Smart Manufacturing through a New Technician Education Program | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/10/2020 | Elizabeth Azhikannickal | azhikannickale@mtc.edu | OH | Marion Technical College | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 10/01/2020 | 09/30/2024 | $477,868.00 | feng hua, James White | 1467 MOUNT VERNON AVE | MARION | OH | 433.025.694 | 7.407.254.078 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | As the rapidly developing field of Smart Manufacturing introduces advanced technologies into traditional manufacturing facilities, technical education must keep pace. Such technologies include smart machines, advanced control systems, the industrial internet of things, and cloud services. This project aims to address the growing gap between the skills employers need in Smart Manufacturing and the skills students develop from traditional technical education programs. By creating new academic pathways, this project plans to increase the number of skilled technicians who can meet the demand from key regional employers. The project will support professional development activities to help college and high school instructors understand new trends in manufacturing. The new curriculum will focus on enabling students to learn the skills needed to be successful in a Smart Manufacturing environment. This project may also provide a model for other colleges that want to implement a Smart Manufacturing technical education program. The primary goal of this project is to create a manufacturing industry-aligned technician education pathway in Smart Manufacturing, with the goal of increasing the supply of qualified technicians with proficiency in advanced technology applications. A job skills analysis will be performed to identify the set of technical skills that are needed in Smart Manufacturing facilities. Based on the results of the analysis, a curriculum in Smart Manufacturing will be developed to include multiple pathways leading to Associate of Applied Science degrees and certificates. The pathways will also include entry points and fast track options for incumbent workers in manufacturing and information technology fields. A Smart Manufacturing career pathway initiative will be designed to recruit underrepresented students, promote careers in manufacturing to high school students, and establish transfer agreements with four-year programs. The project will also organize an annual Smart Manufacturing Summit to bring together industry practitioners, community college instructors, and high school instructors to promote dissemination of best practices in technical education for Smart Manufacturing. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2300976 | Integrating Data Science and Hands-on Experience into the Community College Biotechnology Classroom with Applications to Antibody Engineering | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/11/2023 | Dylan Bulseco | dylan@intofuture.org | MA | INSTITUTE FOR FUTURE INTELLIGENCE, INC. | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 07/01/2023 | 06/30/2026 | $650,000.00 | John Berestecky | 26 ROCKLAND ST | NATICK | MA | 17.605.852 | 5.083.977.021 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Antibodies are proteins naturally produced by the vertebrate immune system. They are important in biotechnology, serving as reagents in research, diagnostics, and therapeutics. Using antibody engineering as a focus for training, students at Kapi’olani Community College (KCC) will learn practical skills for the biotechnology workforce. Indeed, the biotechnology industry is experiencing a period of growth that requires talented personnel trained across many disciplines, including data science, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. Moreover, the pandemic severely impacted the economy in Hawai’i due to its heavy reliance on tourism. Thus, to diversify the economy and create high-paying jobs in high-tech, knowledge-based, and emerging industries such as biotechnology, the state of Hawai’i is interested in diversifying innovative industries to ensure the state can function in a technologically advanced world. As a minority serving institution, with a native Hawaiian student population of ~20%, KCC contributes to the enhancement of diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM. The unique opportunity to introduce antibody engineering into KCC’s regular biotechnology curriculum will contribute to the building of a capable workforce for the growing biotechnology and biomanufacturing sectors in Hawai’i. This project will also contribute to the diversification of the economy in Hawai’i and have a positive impact on native Hawaiian students and the biotech industry in the state of Hawai’i and across the nation. This project will introduce new antibody engineering modules to the biotechnology program at Kapi’olani Community College. The first goal is to train students to enter the biotechnology workforce. The second goal is to demonstrate the importance of data science in biotechnology and biomanufacturing and to enhance the undergraduate experience. The third goal is to train students in the design, production, purification, and characterization of antibodies using the Design-Build-Test paradigm. Accomplishing these goals will extend the capabilities of the Monoclonal Antibody Service Facility and Training Center (MASFTC). The specific aims for this project are: (1) Develop classroom and laboratory modules to support experiential-based undergraduate learning and research activities using the Design-Build-Test paradigm as applied to antibody engineering. (2) Develop data science and bioinformatics education modules with a web-based graphical user-interface to guide classroom activities and laboratory components with an emphasis on undergraduate research experiences. (3) Establish the KCC-Antibody Center of Excellence (KCC-ACE) database to record the Design-Build-Test activities carried out by KCC students and faculty. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000190 | A New Technician Training Program for Advanced Building Technologies | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/25/2022 | Andrew Smart | adsmart@waketech.edu | NC | Wake Technical Community College | Standard Grant | Nasser Alaraje | 07/01/2020 | 12/31/2024 | $455,641.00 | Lora Eddington, Constance Keen, Zachary Taylor | 9101 FAYETTEVILLE RD | RALEIGH | NC | 276.035.655 | 9.198.665.076 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to prepare future Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration (AHR) technicians for the rapidly changing technological advances in Building Automation Technology. Knowledge and skills in Building Automation Technology are not included in traditional AHR training. This project intends to address a serious workforce shortage in AHR by training skilled technicians to install and maintain advanced building technologies. The project team will work with industry to develop educational materials, equip a new laboratory, recruit students into the Building Automation Technology pathway, and share best practices. Qualified Building Automation Technology technicians will serve the national interest by ensuring that buildings reach their potential energy efficiency, contributing to energy savings that have positive environmental impacts and national security implications. Properly implemented building controls, which students will learn in apprenticeships and in a new Building Automation Technology laboratory, will also improve occupants’ productivity and health. This project will create a new Building Automation Technology program to prepare students for new and high-demand technical careers. Goals include developing four new Building Automation Technology courses and a building technology laboratory to support the courses; providing faculty professional development opportunities; and recruiting new students into the program, especially women and underrepresented minorities. The project will work with the Building Efficiency for a Sustainable Tomorrow Center and industry partners to ensure that the program will be aligned with industry workforce needs and will result in high quality educational resources, including a Building Automation Technology laboratory that emulates actual building conditions. The Building Automation Technology program will support life-long educational pathways including work-based learning, apprenticeships, and four-year options. Upon validation of the curriculum and laboratory best practices, materials will be disseminated across the North Carolina Community College System and through the Building Efficiency for a Sustainable Tomorrow Center. This project will help inform the technical education community about effective practices for recruiting women and underrepresented minorities, implementing apprenticeship programs, and developing Building Automation Technology programs. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2301138 | Collaborative Research: Development of a Nanofabrication Lab Manual Featuring a Suite of Low-Cost Experiments to Enable Hands-On Training at Community and Technical Colleges | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/15/2023 | Justin Starr | jstarr@ccac.edu | PA | Community College of Allegheny County Allegheny Campus | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 10/01/2023 | 09/30/2026 | $41,620.00 | 808 RIDGE AVE | PITTSBURGH | PA | 152.126.003 | 4.122.373.050 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Semiconductors in the form of integrated circuits (ICs), or chips, are an integral part of our technology-driven world. The need for chips has risen sharply while the supply has fallen short of the demand worldwide. Before the end of the last century the United States (US) led the world in chipmaking. However, the US now provides less than 10% of the world need, and the leadership of chip supply is dominated by other countries. Semiconductor products are critical to our economic and national security and rank the fifth largest US export sector providing approximately 250,000 jobs in the United States. This project will explore an innovative way to increase the chipmaking workforce numbers required to meet this national need by eliminating the expensive and complex infrastructure (e.g., cleanrooms, fabrication equipment) traditionally required to train and educate individuals in this area. This project will develop a lab manual featuring low-cost experiments that closely represent the methods used in the chipmaking industry. The manual will feature experiments for students to demonstrate their learning in a hands-on fashion. The lessons in the manual will specifically be designed to be transferrable to any community college (CC) seeking to offer degree tracks in micro and nanotechnology (i.e., chipmaking) to dynamically meet the local industry demand. Instructor guides will include student assessment rubrics to measure learning outcomes. After development, partnering CC’s will review the manual and evaluate the experiments. The manual will be further optimized and evaluated before widespread dissemination through national conferences and professional development activities. This manual will be used as both an outreach tool and a training resource to help cultivate and develop the workforce required to fill the US chipmaking sector. This project, in response to the Enhancing Engineering Technology and Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Technician Education Dear Colleague Letter (22-120), is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2054966 | Appalachian Solutions in Cybersecurity Innovation Initiative: Cybersecurity Technician Pipeline Development in Rural, Eastern Kentucky | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/21/2021 | Kathryn Miller | kmiller0045@kctcs.edu | KY | Kentucky Community & Technical College System | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 07/01/2021 | 06/30/2024 | $300,000.00 | Cindy McKenzie | 300 N MAIN ST | VERSAILLES | KY | 403.831.245 | 8.592.563.397 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The arrival of a 288-strand fiber optic cable system in fall 2019 was the first step in providing a high-speed, high-capacity broadband connection to businesses and residents in Central Appalachia. The resulting growth in the Central Appalachian digital economy has created unprecedented challenges and opportunities for region’s current skilled technical workforce and future talent pipelines. As business and service providers in the region use this high-speed infrastructure, there is an increased need for skilled cybersecurity technicians. To meet this need, this project will design and offer Kentucky’s first associate degree in Cybersecurity. Design of the new degree program will be informed by regional industry needs and federal standards. This project intends to increase understanding of effective recruitment strategies, student support services, and curricular design in Cybersecurity education for remote rural environments such as Central Appalachia. This project will use the Business and Leadership Team framework as published by the National Convergence Technology Center to validate course content and learning outcomes for an associate of applied science degree program in Cybersecurity. Student success will be supported by implementing a student cohort program model, embedding a contextualized first-year experience course into the curriculum, and providing tutoring. Students will participate in external opportunities such as the National Cybersecurity Student Association, Cyberleague competition, and apprenticeships. The project team will work closely with other NSF ATE projects in Cybersecurity, the National Center for Systems Security and Information Assurance at Moraine Valley Community College, and the National CyberWatch Center to adapt course content and create exercises for remote and virtual delivery. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2300650 | Preparing Manufacturing Technicians for the Challenges of Industry 4.0 | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/18/2023 | Doug Parrish | parrishd@edgecombe.edu | NC | Edgecombe Community College | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 10/01/2023 | 09/30/2026 | $306,236.00 | MERDIKAE WILLIAMS | 2009 W WILSON ST | TARBORO | NC | 278.869.399 | 9.198.235.166 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Due to the fast pace of technological advancements in the manufacturing industry, employers have identified a need for more highly-trained manufacturing technicians. Desired skills for manufacturing technicians now include data acquisition, computer integration, machine maintenance, and troubleshooting. This project from Edgecombe Community College (ECC) will align the existing Manufacturing Technology degree and Electrical Systems Technology diploma with the current and emerging Industry 4.0 needs of local manufacturing employers in Edgecombe County and an adjacent jurisdiction, Nash County. Over this three-year project, ECC plans to recruit and enroll up to twenty students who will be on track to complete these programs, and obtain industry recognized credentials along the way. ECC faculty will participate in certified professional development from the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) to better prepare them to enhance the curriculum at ECC. Through continuing education classes, ECC will engage with incumbent manufacturing technicians who are in need of re-skilling. To address the under- and unemployment of populations in Edgecombe and Nash counties who are underrepresented in their pursuit of careers in manufacturing, the college will collaborate with the Tar River Area Boys and Girls Club to actively recruit teens with an aptitude towards technical and science topics, specifically Black male teens, and on-site mentoring with peer student mentors. The overall goal of this project is to meet the needs of manufacturing employers in Edgecombe and Nash counties with respect to emerging workforce skills in maintenance and troubleshooting. ECC intends to grow the skilled technical workforce with recruitment efforts that will include under-employed incumbent manufacturing workers and high school graduates. These students will benefit from a focused STEM curriculum tailored towards the data-intensive needs of Industry 4.0 which relies increasingly on smart sensors, cloud computing, data acquisition, and cloud analytics. ECC intends to enroll forty to sixty individuals over three years and engage ECC faculty to complete the training necessary to deliver this curriculum. Each cohort of high school students and incumbent workers will be able to complete five courses in the first year of this project, which can ultimately result in a Manufacturing Technology degree. Students may gain additional relevant experience as they participate in available internships. Initial course completers may be eligible to enter the workforce or continue to complete the Manufacturing Technology or Electrical Systems Technology degree program. Through an actively engaged Advisory Board, ECC faculty and administration will pursue additional workforce engagement opportunities to ultimately improve employment outcomes for ECC students. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education Program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2100113 | Enhancing Aviation Maintenance Technician Training with Nondestructive Testing Skills | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/15/2022 | Robert Crognale | robert.crognale@fscj.edu | FL | Florida State College at Jacksonville | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 05/01/2021 | 04/30/2025 | $529,354.00 | David Dagenais, Thomas Dutrieux, Samuel Fischer | 501 WEST STATE STREET | JACKSONVILLE | FL | 322.023.099 | 9.046.323.327 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Nondestructive Testing (NDT) is used to detect and evaluate defects in materials without damaging the object being tested. In this way, NDT can be used to ensure the functionality of objects across their period of service. The NDT industry is expected to grow substantially over the next few years, driving an increasing industry demand for technicians with the knowledge and skills needed to perform NDT. A need for more NDT technicians already exists within Northeast Florida’s aviation manufacturing industry. However, local college education programs are not available to help meet this need. This project aims to establish a new career pathway in NDT for students and incumbent workers. It will do so by developing a new NDT certificate program within the current Aviation Maintenance Technology associate degree program at Florida State College at Jacksonville. To support the certificate program, the project will create a new NDT learning lab equipped with training equipment so that students can learn how to use different types of NDT methods. A set of NDT lab exercises will be developed for outreach activities, such as high school visits and summer camps, designed to increase the number of students in the certificate program. These outreach efforts will focus on reaching students from communities that are underrepresented in the aviation maintenance workforce. The project is expected to provide the aviation industry with workforce-ready technicians while broadening participation in the technical workforce. Based on recommendations from aviation industry partners, the college will develop a program to prepare students for American Society of Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) NDT Level I certification. It will develop the NDT program with guidance from a Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT) that includes members from the aviation industry and academic institutions. The project anticipates developing a set of five courses covering the common NDT techniques of magnetic particle, liquid penetrant, electromagnetic, ultrasonic, and visual inspection. The courses will use an inquiry-based learning model based on the 5E learning cycle, Engage, Explore, Explain, Evaluate, and Extend. A new NDT learning lab will serve as an educational training center for faculty and students and will include NDT equipment needed for inspection techniques covered in the ASNT Level I certification. Outreach activities will be conducted at participating high schools to introduce students to NDT technology, to describe career opportunities available in aviation technology, and to share profiles of high school and college students from diverse populations who are employed in the aviation technology industry. The impact of the project activities on student enrollment and retention will be assessed using institutional data including demographics, student enrollment in courses, and student retention rate. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2024276 | Preparing a Skilled Technical Workforce through Utilization and Assessment of Undergraduate Research | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/07/2020 | Iraj Nejad | inejad@mtsac.edu | CA | Mount San Antonio College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 09/01/2020 | 08/31/2025 | $953,432.00 | Alvin Kung | 1100 N GRAND AVE | WALNUT | CA | 917.891.341 | 9.092.745.417 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project builds upon the evidence that early immersion in mentored experiential learning, such as an undergraduate research experience, increases student persistence in STEM, completion of STEM certifications, and entry into the technical workforce. Since research experiences may be limited at many two-year college campuses, students at these institutions would benefit from expanded opportunities to engage in authentic research experiences. Educating enough skilled technical workers who are prepared for advanced technology industries has become a national priority in the United States, and it is essential for the country to retain its global leadership in science and technology. Community and technical colleges play a vital role in meeting this demand, especially for preparing students who are well qualified to enter the technical workforce or transfer to a four-year university to earn STEM baccalaureate degrees. An efficient and rapid way to produce the STEM professionals that the nation needs would be to increase community college student persistence in STEM fields. This project proposes to achieve that goal by providing more undergraduate research experiences to community college students. The research experiences are expected to help students gain deeper STEM knowledge and skills, to increase their academic success, and to enable them to develop the highly valued professional skills needed to enter the STEM technical workforce. The project will build on three distinct goals: (1) providing authentic undergraduate research experiences to a large number of STEM students to help strengthen their interest in STEM careers and gain professional skills that are critically important in the technical workplace; (2) modifying an assessment tool, EvaluateUR, for use in shorter (8-week) summer research experiences; and (3) implementing EvaluateUR to assess the intellectual growth and development in the students’ disciplinary and professional skills acquired through participating in the undergraduate research experiences. The project is aligned with the goals of the Advanced Technological Education program and leverages the vast research facilities and resources at the University of California, Irvine, together with the technical resources and support for modifying and implementing EvaluateUR available through SUNY-Buffalo State and the Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College. Four cohorts of 20 STEM students will be recruited and engaged in an undergraduate research experience. Student and faculty mentors will be assessed using the modified EvaluateUR tool. This tool has been shown to measure a broad range of desirable outcomes that include both content knowledge and the outcomes that are critically important in the workplace, including communication skills, ability to solve obstacles, problem solving skills and critical thinking. The project will work to ensure educational equity through activities that support the recruitment of women, veterans, first-time college students, racial and ethnic minorities; these groups represent an important, talented STEM pool for growing the nation's technological workforce. The project outcomes will be published through a dedicated website, presentations at local and regional conferences, including the ATE Principal Investigators Conference, the American Association of Community Colleges annual convention, and the Council on Undergraduate Research Conference. The lessons learned while implementing this project will likely be of interest to all community colleges and other academic institutions with an interest in engaging students in similar research experiences. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2300470 | Incorporating Virtual Reality into Advanced Manufacturing Technician Education at a Rural Community College | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/08/2023 | Elizabeth Azhikannickal | azhikannickale@mtc.edu | OH | Marion Technical College | Standard Grant | Kalyn Owens | 07/01/2023 | 06/30/2026 | $648,370.00 | feng hua, Scot McLemore | 1467 MOUNT VERNON AVE | MARION | OH | 433.025.694 | 7.407.254.078 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national interest by advancing engineering technology education programs through the incorporation of virtual reality activities at a rural community college. Most significantly, this project will increase the number of skilled technicians that are prepared to enter careers in the advanced manufacturing industry with a specific focus on preparing students for jobs in the growing semiconductor manufacturing industry in the region. A significant focus of the project will be on increasing students’ and incumbent workers’ awareness and ability to work with automation equipment used in semiconductor manufacturing clean rooms. Further, the project will provide training opportunities that simulate automation equipment in a factory environment using virtual reality when physical equipment is unavailable or cost prohibitive. The coupling of both hands-on and virtual reality training will serve as an engaging method to cultivate rural students’ interest in the manufacturing industry as a viable career path. This project will build on existing engineering technology programs through the incorporation of virtual reality into two-year college courses that are aligned with industry needs. The specific goals of the project are to 1) increase students’ ability to work with advanced automation equipment typically used in semiconductor manufacturing clean rooms; 2) provide technical virtual reality training to college and high school instructors; 3) increase program enrollment and retention of rural students and women pursuing degrees and certificates in engineering technology, and 4) pilot virtual reality-based advanced manufacturing modules as a tool for workforce training. A formal evaluation will be conducted to assess project activities and outcomes with a focus on contributing to the body of knowledge on preparing skilled technicians to support the advanced manufacturing industry. A targeted dissemination plan will be carried out that shares project results including recruitment strategies, curriculum, technology, and specialized training activities with similar two-year colleges and with the technical education community at the national level. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202109 | Advanced Manufacturing: Girls Can, Too | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/31/2023 | Sara Palmer | sara.palmer@kctcs.edu | KY | Kentucky Community & Technical College System | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $347,382.00 | Laura Lynch, Hannah Green | 300 N MAIN ST | VERSAILLES | KY | 403.831.245 | 8.592.563.397 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Kentucky faces a skilled technical worker shortage that must be addressed if the state is to advance its manufacturing base. Analysis of graduation data in Advanced Manufacturing credentials by Bluegrass Community & Technical College (BCTC) faculty indicates few women graduate in these fields. BCTC’s three-year Girls Can Too Project will address this problem by educating, recruiting and mentoring 80 middle and high school girls into careers relating to Industrial Maintenance Technology (IMT), a key technical field that supplies highly skilled technicians who install, maintain and repair industrial systems equipment. Project activities will develop awareness and learning activities coupled with mentoring interventions for these middle and high school girls and then recruit 10 to 12 high school girls to enroll in dual credit courses that will prepare them for transfer into the IMT program to earn certificates, diplomas or AAS degrees. Mentoring and support by professional women employed in IMT will provide women enrolled in the IMT program with leadership opportunities as near-peer mentors for the middle and high school students participating in the Girls Can Too Project. The broader impacts of this project include support for girls’ engagement and transition into technical fields by strengthening and expanding high school dual credit programs to include IMT preparation courses. The project also supports systemic change in the college’s systems of support, mentoring and industry connections through a female-led mentoring program and a Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT). The intellectual merit of the project rest on its contribution to a growing field of study that assesses the value of mentoring and support interventions to address gender disparities in STEM fields. College administrators will review project successes and adapt or expand activities to grow enrollment in other technical programs with similar gender disparities so the college can build a diverse skilled technical workforce. The overall goal of the project is to recruit and retain more women in Industrial Maintenance Technology by increasing awareness and providing learning opportunities and mentoring beginning in middle school. Girls and young women will gain access to relevant dual credit courses in high school and have high levels of contact with faculty and industry professionals who are women. Each year, project directors expect 80 students from middle and high schools to participate in program activities supported by two faculty who will lead the program of interventions and support that encompass Saturday engagements at the college’s Advanced Manufacturing campus in Georgetown Kentucky and summer learning experiences that engages them with hands-on activities related to industrial maintenance. High school students who participate in the program will have the opportunity to take four technology-related dual credit courses to prepare for enrollment in the college’s IMT program. IMT faculty will add to their pedagogical skills those strategies needed to engage a more diverse classroom by participating in BCTC’s Cultural Competency course, a semester-long course developed and offered by the college to advance the goals of equity and diversity in teaching and learning. This cultural competency knowledge will be integrated into the IMT classroom to update the curriculum and better meet the needs of a more diverse student body. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2301100 | Strengthening Technical Apprenticeships through Regional Coordination | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/22/2023 | Justin Starr | jstarr@ccac.edu | PA | Community College of Allegheny County Allegheny Campus | Standard Grant | Nasser Alaraje | 06/01/2023 | 05/31/2026 | $649,971.00 | Matt Kovac, Paul Alwin | 808 RIDGE AVE | PITTSBURGH | PA | 152.126.003 | 4.122.373.050 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Apprenticeships are one of the most effective tools for producing trained technicians to meet the needs of the local workforce, but some programs are too closely tied to the needs of a specific company or offerings of an education provider. This project aims to transform a successful mechatronics apprenticeship into a regional engine for growth by convening a Business and Industry Leadership Team to expand the apprenticeship opportunity to encompass community colleges and corporate partners in a four-county area. It will result in a standardized, articulable mechatronics curriculum that will allow apprentices to enter the program in their home county, transfer credits between institutions, and receive on-the-job training that is closely tied to classroom instruction. This will serve as a model for dynamically changing technical apprenticeship programs that serve the needs of an entire region as manufacturing technologies continue to advance. Specifically, four local community colleges sill work together to adopt the knowledge, skills, and abilities recommended by the business and industry leadership team to create a foundational mechatronics program that serves as the basis of the technical instruction of the apprenticeship program, including standardizing a core set of lab equipment. Roving trainers will align the on-the-job training with classroom instruction using detailed technical lessons adapted from the German dual system of technical education, and a coordinator will align the progress of apprentices as they move between participating community colleges. Participating community colleges will host a series of STEM summer camps to attract a continuous pipeline of students interested in advanced manufacturing to meet the increased demand of this regional apprenticeship program. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2300497 | Accelerating Advanced Electric Vehicle Technician Education While Increasing the Recruitment and Retention of Women | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/04/2023 | Michael LeBlanc | leblanm@linnbenton.edu | OR | Linn Benton Community College | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 07/01/2023 | 06/30/2026 | $347,934.00 | Garwin Burroughs | 6500 PACIFIC BLVD SW | ALBANY | OR | 973.213.755 | 5.419.174.999 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The shift towards battery powered electric vehicles continues to change the landscape of public and personal transportation in the United States and shows no signs of slowing down. While development of infrastructure ramps up and the number of electric vehicles on the road continues to grow, the impact on the automotive and heavy equipment repair industry will need to be addressed. This project from Linn Benton Community College (LBCC) seeks to address the growing skills gap facing automotive and heavy equipment technicians in southwest Oregon. The college will leverage its existing automotive and heavy equipment diesel facilities to create a new one-year certificate that will focus on electric vehicle and hybrid vehicle technology. As part of this effort, the college will make a special effort to engage more female students in the college's advanced transportation technology program. Finally, the project will promote the development of advanced vehicle technician education programs regionally through a collaborative effort including neighboring community colleges and high schools. The project team recently completed an industry survey of dealerships, independent repair shops, and municipalities in the region to gauge their needs for current and future workers. Results from this survey will inform the creation of a new one-year certificate, which will be a new stackable credential that will contribute to the existing Advanced Vehicle Technology degree. Instructors from LBCC will complete industry recognized training to prepare them for the creation of six new courses on Advanced Transportation and Battery Vehicle Technology. To increase the representation of females, the college will participate in customized training sessions to make systemic changes that should result in increased female enrollment. Practices from this training will create a culture of support for female students, and should ultimately help to diversify the electric vehicle workforce. Results from this work will be shared regionally among Oregon's 17 community colleges, and nationally through the ATE community. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2201663 | Expanding a Multi-skilled STEM Technician Pipeline to Meet Industry Needs | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/21/2022 | Melissa Robbins | mwrobbins@johnstoncc.edu | NC | Johnston Community College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $635,012.00 | Shawn Ford, Julie Griffin, William Kirby | 245 COLLEGE RD | SMITHFIELD | NC | 275.776.055 | 9.192.092.571 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Johnston Community College’s (JCC) Expanding a Multi-skilled STEM Technician Pipeline to Meet Industry Needs “Bio Blend 2.0” seeks to better prepare students to meet biotechnology company hiring needs and to improve employment outcomes for underserved populations, specifically focusing our recruitment of neurodiverse individuals on the autism spectrum. JCC is located one hour south of Research Triangle Park in North Carolina, where the demand for well-trained and diverse biopharma technicians is growing and exceeding the number of technicians currently produced from local and regional community colleges. Bio Blend 2.0 will further modify Applied Engineering and Bioprocess Technology curriculum to provide access to distributed control system software (DeltaV), work-based learning, and internship opportunities with a goal of enrolling 50 students in years two and three of this project. The project will broaden participation of students with autism at JCC by 150%, leading to greater participation of neurodiverse individuals in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) related programs. This three-year project will provide opportunities for DeltaV certification, Bio Blend certification, and Associates Degrees in Applied Engineering and Bioprocess Technology. Project results will include an increased number of trained technicians for local partners with national scalability for other colleges and industries. Bio Blend 2.0 seeks to accomplish three goals: 1) Modify Bio Blend curriculum, course progression, and resources based on stakeholder feedback and expand to all degree students across both the Applied Engineering and Bioprocess Technology programs; 2) Improve the Talent Pipeline to meet workforce and industry needs by developing a work-based learning experience and soft-skills training; and 3) Increase neurodiversity in the Applied Engineering and Bioprocess Technology programs to include more individuals from the autism spectrum. As part of the Bio Blend 2.0 project, DeltaV, the distributed control system used by many biotech companies, will be embedded into the curriculum across both programs. The project will also increase diversity and inclusion as it relates to the neurodivergent population. This is based on local industry feedback, unemployment rates for this population, and familiarity with a successful STEM program specifically for individuals with autism at other colleges. Faculty will receive training in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to support diverse learners. JCC will also offer summer professional development opportunities for middle and high school educators and career counselors to strengthen the pipeline from public schools to postsecondary technician education. Industry feedback through advisory council meetings, classroom support, and on-going communication will improve student engagement and project outcomes. JCC’s Career Coach will facilitate learning communities for all students with specific focus for neurodiverse students on the autism spectrum. Bio Blend 2.0 will ultimately produce a more diverse and talented group of students from Applied Engineering and Biotechnology, ready to enter the workforce with hands-on applicable experience and certifications to fill the local industry need. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1800909 | Skills for Biomedical Emerging Technology Applications | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 01/08/2024 | Russ Read | rread@forsythtech.edu | NC | Forsyth Technical Community College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 07/01/2018 | 07/31/2025 | $991,744.00 | Kathy Bakhit, Micah Young, Sengyong Lee, Matthew Salo | 2100 SILAS CREEK PKWY | WINSTON SALEM | NC | 271.035.150 | 3.367.347.177 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Advances at the intersection of biomedical devices and tissue engineering are creating new workforce demands for advanced technological education. With the development of combination devices, sensors, photonics, and implantable systems, employers need technician-specialists who understand more than classical biological and chemical sciences and traditional engineering. The emerging technician-specialist will also need to understand fundamental principles of electronics engineering, mechanical engineering, nanotechnology, optics, photonics, and process-control/quality assurance. Through its National Center for the Biotechnology Workforce, Forsyth Technical Community College will lead the effort to define the skills and knowledge needed by these technician-specialists, and develop educational strategies that can help students learn those skills. This project includes a collaboration between Forsythe Technical Community College (NC), Ivy Tech Community College (IN); Anoka-Ramsey Community College (MN); and College of the Canyons (CA). These four states account for 25% of the employment nationwide across all biosciences industry subsectors and 32% of jobs in medical devices and equipment. The project goal is to initiate, support, and nurture a national effort for advanced technological education that reflects the convergence of science and technology at the interface between biomedical devices and tissue engineering. Skills for Biomedical Emerging Technology Applications (BETA Skills) will be defined in collaboration with multiple employers, industry groups, educators, workforce agencies, researchers, innovators, and other stakeholders, radiating outward from the four institutions. The project has two objectives: (1) Define BETA core skills for national use by educators, industry, researchers, and employers, and (2) Connect BETA core skills to educational and career pathways with multiple on- and off-ramps. The Biotech-Careers.org website will provide an online platform to curate national information about jobs and opportunities related to BETA core skills. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202066 | Preparing Career Ready Information Technology Technicians | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/27/2022 | Lanka Elson | lelson@chesapeake.edu | MD | Chesapeake College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $317,035.00 | Jacquelyn Blevins | 1000 COLLEGE CIR | WYE MILLS | MD | 21.679 | 3.018.225.400 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The lack of diversity and the shortage of qualified workers in the technical sector is a well-known and well-documented problem that is making it difficult for companies to hire workers across the entire technology sector. This project will address local industry needs while at the same time supplying broader insights into effective strategies for diversifying the Information Technology workforce in a rural region, and formalizing career readiness skill development within a highly technical curriculum. Career readiness skills will be embedded throughout the core Computer Science Technology program, providing students with the opportunity to take industry certification exams and to learn and practice job skills. The result of this project will be a more diverse, career-ready technical workforce that can support the continued growth of Chesapeake College’s Computer Science Technology program and the growing population on the Delmarva Peninsula. Four career readiness skills (teamwork, customer service, communication, and professionalism) and 12 soft skill competencies will be embedded into the program’s six core courses. Students will be provided with vouchers enabling them to take two industry certification exams, providing the opportunity to further develop their Information Technology skills. Responding to local workforce needs for students with help desk experience, a help desk simulation lab will be established to provide students with hands on experience providing customer service using help desk software while at the same time allow them to improve their soft skills. To assess the extent to which the project achieves its objectives, the evaluation will consist of formative questions and summative questions that will be analyzed to determine the extent to which the objectives of the project are being achieved. Project results will be disseminated through presentations at state and national conferences as well as through ATE Central. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1744627 | Strengthening Impact, Supporting Collaboration, and Sustaining Access in the ATE Community | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/30/2020 | Rachael Bower | bower@scout.wisc.edu | WI | University of Wisconsin-Madison | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 10/01/2018 | 09/30/2024 | $6,165,806.00 | Edward Almasy | 21 N PARK ST STE 6301 | MADISON | WI | 537.151.218 | 6.082.623.822 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Born out of a need recognized by the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program community for a centralized resource portal, ATE Central initially grew out of a collaboration between a group of ATE centers and the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Internet Scout Research Group. ATE Central provides a browseable and searchable portal and a suite of tools and services that support grantee work, along with a digital archive that preserves and sustains NSF's valuable investment in ATE. ATE Central will continue to support the successful efforts already under way, including the archiving service, resource collection, and PI meeting app, but will also respond with new and innovative solutions to meet evolving ATE community needs. ATE Central will support community-responsive tools, services, and solutions. Community-building technology will help bring grantees together with a chat service and monthly online "office hours" to help support collaboration and communication amongst grantees. Annual Spotlight Focus workshops and webinars will provide expertise from within and beyond ATE on topics indicated by grantees as critical to their work. The new Curriculum Dissemination Service will develop and deploy documentation and mechanisms to help ATE projects and centers ensure the content they develop is Learning Management System (LMS)-friendly, and to provide access to those ATE-authored materials and curriculum to faculty within their local LMS. These and a host of other tools and services will create neoteric approaches to supporting grantee work and take advantage of diverse pathways for disseminating the deliverables and results of the community. ATE Central will continue to broaden the impact of the work of ATE grantees by showcasing data and deliverables, and disseminating metadata about the projects and centers and the resources they develop and collect. The collective work of the ATE program and ATE Central impacts a diverse set of stakeholders including students, faculty, industry partners and evaluators. By utilizing a variety of pathways, from conferences to social media to webinars, and with a deep commitment to Universal Design, the project will ensure access to all stakeholders, including those with disabilities. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202217 | HVAC Fast Track: Establishing A Competency-Based HVAC/R Apprenticeship Program | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/18/2023 | Steve Tornero | stornero@starkstate.edu | OH | Stark State College of Technology | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $650,000.00 | George Cardinal | 6200 FRANK AVE NW | NORTH CANTON | OH | 447.207.228 | 3.304.946.170 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The United States heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC/R) industry is projected to see an increase in value from $26.5 billion in 2019 to $35.8 billion in 2030. It is projected that over the 10-year period from 2016-2026, HVAC/R jobs nationally will grow 15%. This project will design an accelerated HVAC/R apprenticeship program to support the HVAC/R industry in Northeast Ohio. The program will be responsive to input from regional industry partners regarding the design and implementation of the apprenticeship. It is expected that the competency-based apprenticeship model will allow apprentices to complete the program in three years rather than the five years for a traditional, time-based apprenticeship as apprentices will be assessed for competencies rather than tracked for completion of hours. The apprenticeship will provide a guided pathway that pays participants while they learn and offers apprentices the opportunity to earn a Journeyman credential upon successful completion of the program. The project team will develop a state-approved, accelerated, competency-based, HVAC/R apprenticeship program to help meet employment demand in the HVAC/R industry and provide students the field experience necessary to quickly move from an entry-level technician role to a Journeyman-certified HVAC/R position. Project objectives include: 1) establish a state-approved, competency-based HVAC/R registered apprenticeship program at Stark State College; 2) enroll students into the apprenticeship with a focus on veteran students and high school students/recent graduates; 3) retain at least 80% of students/apprentices enrolled in the program; 4) prepare students for HVAC/R Journeyman certification upon completion of the accelerated apprenticeship; and 5) evaluate project outcomes and widely share best practices for replication purposes. By working with regional HVAC/R industry partners, local public school districts, community veterans agencies, and area workforce development agencies, the project will recruit apprentices into a career pathway leading to well-paying, high-demand occupations in the HVAC/R sector. The model of a competency-based apprenticeship may be adapted for other industry areas. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1700678 | SCME: Scaling Microsystems Support | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 08/07/2023 | Matthias Pleil | mpleil@unm.edu | NM | University of New Mexico | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 07/01/2017 | 12/31/2024 | $1,947,659.00 | John Wood, Pamela Auburn, Daniel Kainer | 1700 LOMAS BLVD NE STE 2200 | ALBUQUERQUE | NM | 87.131 | 5.052.774.186 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 7556, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Microsystems, also known as Micro Electro Mechanical systems (MEMS), are becoming prevalent in daily life (e.g., wearable sensors, gaming consoles, sporting gear, smart phones, medical devices, and autonomous vehicles). This trend is driven by increasing functionality, decreasing device costs, and the Internet of Things (IoT) that need billions of sensors, actuators and communications devices. Given this increasing demand for microsystems, which has been growing at double-digits annually, there is both a jobs gap and a skills gap for such technologies, as well as STEM at large. The Southwest Center for Microsystems Education (SCME) will transition to a Support Center to work with community colleges and professional organizations to infuse microsystems educational materials into standardized job training and educational systems across several STEM disciplines. The STEM students benefit by being presented with alternative high technology microsystems career paths and having the knowledge to pursue them. SCME has built a large portfolio of microsystems-based STEM educational materials and the supporting delivery infrastructure that have benefited hundreds of educators and thousands of their students. As a support center, SCME seeks to increase this impact several fold by providing asynchronous online and hands-on adaptable resources and the technical mentoring support needed for educational organizations to adopt and adapt SCME materials into their traditional STEM curricula. The SCME support center will provide a vehicle for partners to share their integration experiences and curricular modifications through conferences and online sharing opportunities. UNM will partner with the Lone Star College (LSC) system initially to pilot the introduction of microsystems into STEM courses. Historically, SCME has provided targeted professional development and microsystems courses to both Hispanic and Native American serving secondary and post-secondary institutions. SCME, with LSC and its Office of Diversity Initiatives, and student and industry professional associations, will provide scaled MEMS education, mentoring and career advisement targeted at underrepresented groups. This effort will inform SCME as it extends its reach using the standard of "Scaling Educational Innovations", and illustrates possible career pathways for technician students in the expanding microsystems arena. |
| 1954994 | Enhanced Marine and Environmental Science Training for Pacific Island Community College Students | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/13/2023 | Robert Richmond | richmond@hawaii.edu | HI | University of Hawaii | Standard Grant | Keith Sverdrup | 05/01/2020 | 10/31/2024 | $719,745.00 | Patrick Tellei, Vernice Yuji | 2425 CAMPUS RD SINCLAIR RM 1 | HONOLULU | HI | 968.222.247 | 8.089.567.800 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project will address a critical need to enhance the technical workforce of Pacific Islanders who are trained to address regional ecosystem stress and degradation. The project plans to strengthen and modernize the marine and environmental science training of Pacific Islanders at five minority-serving community colleges: American Samoa Community College, College of Micronesia – Federated States of Micronesia, College of the Marshall Islands, Northern Marianas College, and Palau Community College. The future of these islands and their populations depends on the technical skills and knowledge of local resource managers, policy makers, businesses and stakeholders. This project will support training of faculty and students to increase the success rate of Pacific Islanders in STEM disciplines, which has traditionally been low. This project builds on prior Advanced Technological Education projects that helped to establish the marine and environmental programs at the five minority-serving community colleges of the Pacific Islands. The goal of this project is to develop and increase the participation of Pacific Islanders in STEM technical careers. The project aims to provide: 1) enhanced regionally relevant curricula; 2) professional development for community college faculty and secondary school teachers; and 3) experiential learning for students. The project will incorporate input from local agencies, businesses, and stakeholders that have identified key technological skills needed by community college graduates to fill positions within the government, non-government organizations, and private sector. The formative and summative evaluation will use multiple methodologies sensitive to indigenous cultures. The technical skills and training obtained by students will allow them to serve their home islands in critical areas, including natural resource assessment, management, protection, restoration, and resilience. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2332143 | EvaluATE: The Evaluation Hub for Advanced Technological Education | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/15/2023 | Lyssa Becho | lyssa.becho@wmich.edu | MI | Western Michigan University | Standard Grant | Connie Della-Piana | 01/01/2024 | 12/31/2028 | $6,211,812.00 | Ayesha Boyce, Megan Lopez, Lori Wingate, Tiffany Tovey | 1903 W MICHIGAN AVE | KALAMAZOO | MI | 490.085.200 | 2.693.878.298 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Recognizing the value of systematic and effective evaluation and current and emerging issues in the education of the skilled technical workforce, the Evaluation Hub for Advanced Technological Education: EvaluATE supports a comprehensive effort to provide evaluation support services and materials/resources for the NSF Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program and its community of PIs, evaluators, project staff, and other stakeholders. The EvaluATE Hub seeks to advance and sustain a community in which evaluation is driven by principles; is valued, systematic, and effective; and is used to improve the education of technicians in advanced technological fields. In conjunction with programmatic evaluation activities, EvaluATE will also conduct a series of studies to advance knowledge about evaluation and evaluation practice, which focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion in education and evaluative activities; and the use of evaluation for improvement and accountability. The project aims to address documented needs of the ATE community for current and emerging evaluation of the ATE program and technician education, more broadly. In addition, it seeks to build on, enhance, and advance the activities and impact of EvaluATE through its programming, resources/services, and research. Four goals guide the execution of this effort. First, is to enhance the number, diversity, proficiency, and visibility of potential ATE evaluators through increasing the pool and diversity of qualified evaluators for ATE. Second, is to increase awareness and use of evaluation by ATE project and centers. Third, is to enhance the empirical understanding of the ATE program’s activities, achievements, and other ATE-related activities. Fourth, and finally, is to advance innovation in evaluation methods and develop an empirical knowledge base about ATE evaluation. EvaluATE activities include: 1) administration of the ATE Annual PI Survey; 2) investigation of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts across the ATE community; 3) creation of an ATE Outcomes Bank and supportive resources; 4) establishment of an ATE Evaluation Ambassadors/Champions program; 5) establishment of a badging or credentialing process associated with qualifications for ATE evaluators and professional development for current and future evaluators; and 6) creation and dissemination of evaluation resources, materials, and support services for current and future PIs and their activities. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000583 | Collaborative Research: Identifying and Investigating Pathways and Critical Junctures in Two-Year Information Technology Programs | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/31/2020 | Calandra Stringer | stringec@tcc.fl.edu | FL | Tallahassee Community College | Standard Grant | Connie Della-Piana | 08/01/2020 | 07/31/2025 | $262,347.00 | 444 APPLEYARD DR | TALLAHASSEE | FL | 323.042.815 | 8.502.017.970 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This research and development project aims to design and test a method for understanding the pathways students take through college and into careers in information technology. Specifically, the project will gather data about former students, including institutional data (such as grades) and information from surveys and interviews. The data will include information about students who completed the program, who did not complete the program, and who changed programs or transferred to other institutions. These data will be analyzed to identify potential pathways and critical junctions that may lead to student success or other outcomes. The research team from Tallahassee Community College and Florida State University expect that this approach will reveal opportunities and hindrances students face as they pursue credentials in information technology. This project aims to test the potential of integrating institutional data with phenomenological data to model student progression through post-secondary STEM programs, specifically information technology. Framed by Tinto’s model of student attrition and persistence, it will use a mixed methods sequential exploratory design with multiple layers of data collection and analyses that merge and examine institutional data and alumni phenomenological experiential data. It expects that this analysis will identify and verify influencers that support or hinder student success. Quantitative data analyses will consist of descriptive and comparative methods, which will be verified and informed by open coding and thematic analysis of the qualitative data. The systematic investigation of institutional and phenomenological data has the potential to: (1) generate practical knowledge about academic/career pathways in information technology for use by stakeholders; (2) identify and examine relationships among these pathways, students experiences, and psychosocial factors; and (3) add to the analytical methods available to institutional research professionals to document, investigate, and visualize student pathway information using data dashboards. Four Florida community colleges that collectively serve rural and urban student populations (Pensacola State College, Florida State College at Jacksonville, Chipola College, and Gulf Coast State College) will pilot test the efficacy and usefulness of the method for modeling and visualizing their students’ college and career pathways. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2202183 | Preparing the Agricultural Workforce in Southwest Ohio | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/18/2022 | Dawn Allen | dawn.allen2588@sinclair.edu | OH | Sinclair Community College | Standard Grant | Kalyn Owens | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $318,011.00 | James Beaty | 444 W 3RD ST # 12 | DAYTON | OH | 454.021.453 | 9.375.124.573 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Agriculture is the number one industry in the state of Ohio, contributing $107 billion a year to the state economy. As the population of farmers ages and a larger proportion of farmers switch to farming part-time, agriculture has emerged as the one of the top industries aiming to increase the skilled workforce in the Miami Valley region. Over its 3-year duration, the Preparing the Agricultural Workforce in Southwest Ohio project will expand and enhance Sinclair Community College’s Agricultural Sciences (AGR) degree program to build capacity and provide agricultural training that meets the workforce needs of both urban and rural communities. To accomplish this, Sinclair Community College will offer five additional program tracks within the agricultural sciences program and create learning environments that are conducive to hands-on and experiential learning. Extensive outreach efforts to K-12 students, teachers, formally incarcerated individuals and incumbent workers will expand pathways aimed at training the next generation of the agricultural workforce in the region. In alignment with the mission of the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program, these new resources will supplement existing high-quality training offered at Sinclair to enrich student interest and skills in agriculture technology and enhance career pathways for incumbent workers. This work seeks to diversify the agricultural workforce and address larger societal challenges such as urban food deserts and helping formerly incarcerated individuals obtain stable and well-paying employment. The overall project goal will be to increase capacity of educational providers to meet agricultural workforce demands in Southwest Ohio. Five new short-term agriculture certificate tracks embedded within the associate degree program will be developed and implemented to support this goal. The five new certificate tracks (Greenhouse Management, Urban Agriculture, Agronomy, Large Animal Care & Husbandry, and Food Science) create a stackable credential model that will provide incremental preparation steps for students and adults with entry-level backgrounds in these areas. This model will also provide connections to entry-level jobs, pathways to further education, short-term solutions for those needing to earn a credential to enter the job market quickly, and ultimately lead to economic stability and mobility. To grow and diversify the future agricultural workforce in the region, the project team will create pathways and conduct outreach activities that target K-12 students and teachers, formerly incarcerated individuals, and incumbent workers. It is expected that project outcomes will lead to increased access to high quality educational programming and hands-on training to prepare students for in-demand occupations across the state. Ultimately, this project will improve student learning and increase Sinclair’s capacity to meet regional workforce needs. The community of educators in agriculture education, along with the broader technician education community, will receive implementation information on the curriculum created. The broad reach of the dissemination plan will allow for replication and adaptation at other colleges and K-12 dual-enrollment institutions across the country seeking to enhance agricultural science pathways. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2301163 | Collaborative Research: A Solar and Wind Innovation and Technology Collaborative for Hawaii (SWITCH) | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/26/2023 | Aaron Hanai | hanaia@hawaii.edu | HI | University of Hawaii | Standard Grant | Keith Sverdrup | 07/01/2023 | 06/30/2026 | $349,991.00 | 2425 CAMPUS RD SINCLAIR RM 1 | HONOLULU | HI | 968.222.247 | 8.089.567.800 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This Track 2 ATE project aims to serve the national interest by cultivating the next generation workforce to lead Hawaii’s transition to 100% renewable energy by 2045. A central challenge in renewable energy generation is it often confronts other basic needs such as food, water, and culture, as its distributed nature demands a lot of space. As such, large-scale deployments of renewable energy generators in our country would be unthinkable without establishing wide social acceptance. Studies have suggested that greater public participation in planning and designing of renewable energy solutions can increase their transparency and gain more public trust and community support. However, the current paradigm of technical education in the field of renewable energy lacks essential elements for teaching students how to address public concerns with technological solutions and then communicate the engineering results to stakeholders. This project will supplement these elements to existing courses in community colleges and use the social environments of public schools as testbeds for students to learn and practice those “soft skills.” In partnership with five high schools in Hawaii, Kapiolani Community College (KCC) and the Institute for Future Intelligence (IFI) will develop innovative educational programs that engage community college and high school students to learn the knowledge and skills needed to take on the renewable energy challenge. These programs will use students’ own homes, schools, and communities as the application scenarios for designing hypothetical solar and wind energy solutions. Students will learn how to meet the diverse needs of their families and communities while minimizing adverse effects on local ecosystems, cultures, and economies. To consolidate the pathway of career and technical education from the secondary level to the tertiary level, the project will designate KCC students who have successfully completed these programs as teaching assistants to teachers and design tutors to students in collaborating high schools to help them implement customized versions of the programs. The project will be empowered by Aladdin, an open-source, Web-based computer-aided design tool developed by IFI as a citizen science platform that supports public participation in renewable energy engineering and planning. Aladdin allows anyone to design their own renewable energy solutions for their communities, share the proposed solutions via social networks, and draw public interest in crowdfunding their construction. KCC will run annual professional development workshops to introduce the curricular and technological innovations of this project to secondary teachers in Hawaii. Interested teachers will then partner with KCC to implement these innovations in their schools. This project will be overseen by an Advisory Board consisting of experts in the fields of renewable energy, technical education, and policy making. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2301202 | Implementing Game-Based Learning to Enhance Training for Cybersecurity Technicians and Recruit a Diverse Cybersecurity Workforce | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/13/2023 | Mike Libassi | mike.libassi@sinclair.edu | OH | Sinclair Community College | Standard Grant | R. Corby Hovis | 10/01/2023 | 09/30/2026 | $646,713.00 | Kyle Jones, Eric Renegar | 444 W 3RD ST # 12 | DAYTON | OH | 454.021.453 | 9.375.124.573 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178 | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national interest by producing more qualified technicians to meet workforce demands in cybersecurity. Keeping computers and information systems secure is a critical need and a major challenge in business, industry, and government. The growth of cyber-threats has created a need for many more workers who have the knowledge and skills to protect both existing and emerging technologies. The use of challenges, competitions, games, puzzles, and similar highly interactive and team-oriented activities has proved to be an effective means of exciting students about cybersecurity and improving their understanding of cybersecurity concepts. These tools can supplement traditional pedagogical approaches, and they can sometimes engage students that the traditional approaches do not. In this project, educators from Sinclair Community College and Moraine Valley Community College will refine, test, and disseminate a hands-on, minds-on learning game called "Sticker Heist," in which teams of students solve cybersecurity puzzles to complete the shared quest of opening a locked box to retrieve "stickers." This quest is supported by an immersive story that locates the players in an alternate time and identity. This cybersecurity simulation game encourages teamwork, communication, and leadership while it teaches principles and skills in the cybersecurity curriculum. Role-playing and simulation games, especially escape games like "Sticker Heist," are broadly appealing to people of various ages, educational backgrounds, races, and genders and can be used to expose people of all ages to new career fields, especially cybersecurity and other areas of STEM. The learning activities in this project will increase students' engagement, promote learning outcomes, support recruitment into the cybersecurity profession by encouraging participants to picture themselves in a cybersecurity career, and address the critical need to attract more students from underrepresented populations into the cybersecurity workforce. "Sticker Heist" is a hands-on learning game that consists of a self-contained, portable security system protecting a locked box of laptop stickers. The interior box is a simple, locked container containing a number of laptop stickers related to Defcon, hacking events, etc., which are often collectibles to enthusiasts. The surrounding box contains the systems that secure the first -- currently a Raspberry Pi 4, Arduino Uno, network, and other components (RFID, keypad, buzzer, lights). However, the box is not 100% secure; several common security flaws and vulnerabilities have been built in. This allows teams of high school and college students to work together to gather information (reconnaissance) on the system and then use free, open-source tools to expose and exploit the security flaws to access the system, open the box, and collect the prize. In this challenge, students work together as a team and think critically and creatively while learning the basics of cybersecurity. In the project, the investigators will pursue four related goals. First, is to refine the "Sticker Heist" learning tool, ensuring its alignment with the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Cybersecurity Workforce Framework as well as industry-recognized cybersecurity credentials. Second, is to deliver professional development training on the tool to high school and college faculty so that they can effectively implement the tool in their classrooms. Third, is to promote use of the tool as a means to attract underrepresented students into cybersecurity through demonstrations, recruitment events, and clubs. Fourth, and finally, is to assess the effectiveness of the tool for improving engagement and attracting a broader and more diverse population of students to cybersecurity careers. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program, which focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2148138 | Industry 4.0 Skills for Manufacturing Technicians: Adjusting Engineering Technology Programs to Respond to Industry Identified Skills | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/18/2023 | Marilyn Barger | marilyn.barger@flate.org | FL | FLORIDAMAKES, INC. | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 04/01/2022 | 03/31/2025 | $952,021.00 | Sam Ajlani, Mori Toosi, John Paterson, Ronald Eaglin, Sidney Martin | 201 E PINE ST | ORLANDO | FL | 328.012.729 | 4.074.507.206 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The manufacturing workspace and the technician workforce that will support that space in the future is an important issue to deal with today. As Industry 4.0 technologies are integrated into manufacturing facilities around Florida, manufacturing technicians working in these facilities must prepare to acquire new skills and knowledge. Also, students must gain these skills prior to entering the workforce. This project will infuse Industry 4.0 skills within both Florida's Engineering Technology programs and the manufacturing technician workforce. The project is leveraging findings from a prior award, Technician Future of Work Issues Caucus for Florida Community Colleges and Manufacturers. The Caucus identified Florida-specific technician workforce skills deficiencies and a statewide collection of Florida manufacturers willing to work on this problem. The findings and the manufacturers will inform this project to develop a model for cooperative interactions on Industry 4.0 identified skill needs between Florida industry, state colleges, FloridaMakes (National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Manufacturing Extensions Partnership) and the Florida Department of Education. The overall project goal will be to generate pathways that support future as well as incumbent technicians in Florida acquiring STEM knowledge related to Industry 4.0 (I 4.0) technologies. Two college certificates with credit articulation to all twenty-two Engineering Technology degree programs in Florida will be developed to support this goal. The first targets students in Florida's Engineering Technology associate's degree programs to assure they have manufacturer identified I 4.0 needed skills. The second certificate will be a post-associate's degree technical certificate that upskills technicians and generates a pathway to STEM-related 4-year programs at state colleges and universities in Florida for people looking to continue their education. Project personnel will work directly with the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) to meet State Legislature expectations for Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses through FLDOE maintained Frameworks. Professional Development activities will provide faculty additional expertise in I 4.0 technologies as defined during the project’s duration. It is expected that project outcomes will lead to increased student access to potential employers in all Florida community college service regions; active engagement of more Florida manufacturers and manufacturer organizations in manufacturing career and technical education; increased career advancement through the project's credit-bearing college certificates for current manufacturing technicians; broadened manufacturer's access to Florida State College resident expertise; and increased manufacturer statewide access to the FloridaMakes network. Upon project completion, the five statewide organizations involved in the project (FloridaMakes Advanced Manufacturing Workforce Leadership Council and Board of Directors Technology Committee, Engineering Technology Statewide Industry Advisory Board, Florida Engineering Technology Forum, and FLATE) will have crafted duties that allows each to employ their own resources to execute their part in clarifying and then rectifying manufacturer identified technician skills deficiencies. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1838535 | Information Technology Skill Standards, 2020 and Beyond | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/23/2023 | Ann Beheler | abeheler@collin.edu | TX | Collin County Community College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 09/01/2018 | 08/31/2024 | $3,755,825.00 | Peter Maritato, Deborah Roberts, Terryll Bailey, Suzanne Ames | 3452 SPUR 399 | MCKINNEY | TX | 750.698.742 | 9.727.583.804 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | In 2003, the ATE National Workforce Center for Emerging Technologies (NWCET) developed and published the "Building a Foundation for Tomorrow: Skill Standards for Information Technology". This document has not been updated since 2003, and it no longer aligns with current information technology (IT) industry needs. This project will develop a new employer-led and verified IT Skill Standards document for the top eight to ten IT industry job clusters supporting positions requiring a two-year or a four-year applied IT degree. Initial discussions with industry experts have identified at least four new job clusters that did not exist in 2003, along with an additional five to six job clusters that need to be updated. Skill standards make IT careers more accessible as they provide transparency regarding the knowledge, skills and performance standards needed for success in the industry, and educators use skill standards to develop relevant curricular materials to better prepare students for the workplace. This project will develop a future-facing set of IT Skill Standards for the most critical IT job clusters, led by employer subject matter experts. In addition to creating a set of skill standards for each job cluster, the standards within each job cluster will be stratified by the top four to eight critical work functions. The project will also compile a list of the certifications valued by employers as of the date of publication. For each cluster, a national group of educators and Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT) members will determine which portions of the standards apply to two-year and four-year programs, to facilitate ease of use in development of employer aligned curriculum. These stratifications will assist both employers and educators to more easily apply the standards. Subject matter experts will be asked to predict trends in IT and the knowledge and skills that will likely to be needed to support emerging trends. It is expected that this effort will increase the use and longevity of the developed standards. Dissemination efforts will use ATE Central and the Convergence Technology Center website, will feature multiple strategies to increase awareness of the skill standards, and will provide tools for their use and application. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2100405 | A California Central-Coast Partnership for Industry-focused Micro/nanotechnology Education | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/30/2021 | Jens-Uwe Kuhn | jkuhn@sbcc.edu | CA | The Foundation for Santa Barbara City College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 07/01/2021 | 06/30/2025 | $299,974.00 | Nicholas Arnold | 721 CLIFF DR | SANTA BARBARA | CA | 931.092.312 | 8.057.304.420 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Maintaining a successful workforce pipeline in modern micro/nanotechnology is a critical national need. This project is designed to fill a demonstrated micro/nanotechnology industry need for job-ready cleanroom-manufacturing technicians. Although community college students could help meet these industry needs, many community colleges lack access to semiconductor cleanroom facilities. As a result, students at these institutions are unable to develop the cleanroom skills needed for entry into high-tech manufacturing positions. This project intends to provide community college students with access to onsite learning in manufacturing cleanroom facilities at the California Nanosystems Institute and the NSF-funded Nanofabrication Facility. Through these experiences and related coursework, they will develop the knowledge and skills needed for work in cleanroom facilities. The project can contribute to the local economy by increasing the number of competitive local applicants for cleanroom technician positions, which can in turn lower the need for on-the-job training and decrease employee turn-over. Through this project, Santa Barbara City College and the University of Santa Barbara will build a partnership to provide community college students with access to and training within cleanroom facilities. At these facilities, both community college faculty and students will be trained in cleanroom techniques. They will also tour local manufacturing facilities to experience real-world applications of cleanroom technology. Santa Barbara City College faculty members will participate in regular Industry Advisory Board discussions, creating an avenue for two-way dialogue to align industry needs and college curricula. Students will be able to earn industry-vetted certificates that comply with those set by the semiconductor industry-standards organization, SEMI. By providing community college students access to cleanroom facilities, the project can prepare students for high-tech manufacturing positions. This project intends to lay the foundation for building a robust regional workforce pipeline to serve the larger micro/nanotechnology industry. This collaborative partnership involving a community college, a four-year institution and local industry partners to develop an industry-backed curriculum is a model that could be adopted or adapted elsewhere. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2055735 | A Collaborative Approach to Work-Based Learning in Biotechnology: Building Inclusive Lab Environments | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/30/2021 | Laurence Clement | Laurence.Clement@ucsf.edu | CA | University of California-San Francisco | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 05/15/2021 | 12/31/2024 | $262,964.00 | Naledi Saul | 1855 FOLSOM ST STE 425 | SAN FRANCISCO | CA | 941.034.249 | 4.154.762.977 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | There is a renewed sense of urgency to develop a more diverse workforce in STEM-related fields. This project focuses on community college students from groups that are not yet equitably represented in STEM. These communities have also been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Most workforce interventions to prepare students for technical positions have been based on the premise that the students simply need targeted skill training and tips on behavioral norms to be successful in these workplace cultures. This “student deficit” model puts the burden on the newcomer to navigate a work environment that is often inherently biased against people of color, women, and individuals from groups that are underrepresented in the sciences. However, as leading-edge organizations are recognizing the value of diversity, they are also realizing that they have a role to play in establishing an inclusive workplace culture. This project aims to foster the professional development of students, faculty, industry managers, and academic researchers in inclusive workplace practices. The project expects that these practices can seed true cultural change and prepare a more diverse, inclusive, and productive United States biotechnology workforce. This project at City College of San Francisco is a collaboration with the Office of Career and Professional Development at the University of California, San Francisco. Its overall goal is to build more inclusive workplace environments for community college students pursuing biotechnology education and careers. The project plans to address issues of diversity in the scientific workforce by 1) teaching industry managers and academic researchers practical ways to supervise, mentor and train future scientists inclusively and effectively, and 2) helping community college students and their instructors navigate the scientific workplace to identify inclusive workplaces and navigate barriers to inclusivity. It builds on prior work that has led to the development of a published framework for inclusive workplace practices in research laboratories, a comprehensive inclusive academic mentor and intern training, and a guided internship program that includes formative assessments and coaching. In collaboration with the California Life Sciences Institute, an organization representing hundreds of biotechnology companies, the project will invest significant resources in developing new frameworks, tools, and curriculum tailored to the needs of the biotechnology industry. Additionally, the project seeks to disseminate the trainings to other community colleges and academic research institutions. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2100027 | Using Cloud Technologies to Develop the Data Analysis Skills of Community College Students | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/07/2023 | Monica Trujillo | mtrujillo@qcc.cuny.edu | NY | CUNY Queensborough Community College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 09/01/2021 | 08/31/2024 | $359,874.00 | Esma Yildirim | 222-05 56TH AVE | BAYSIDE | NY | 113.641.432 | 7.186.316.222 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The greater New York City (NYC) area is one of the world’s leading financial and cultural centers. High-tech jobs are a key driver of NYC’s place in the US economy and the need for high tech workers is growing. From 2008 to 2018, jobs in this sector rose 45%, with jobs in the data analytics category representing 30% of that total growth. The current rate at which students graduate with skills in data analytics is not keeping pace with the demand for skilled data analytics technicians. This project aims to increase the number of students graduating with the skills necessary to enter the data analytics workforce. It will do so by improving the data analytics knowledge and skills of students at a diverse urban community college. The project intends to increase the participation of women and individuals from communities that are not yet equitably represented in the technical workforce. It is expected that the project will help prepare students for the predicted employment opportunities and contribute to better productivity, problem solving, and effectiveness in the workplace. Working in collaboration with the Business Industry Leadership Team at Queensborough Community College, the project team intends to enhance the ability of the College to recruit, educate, and graduate a diverse group of students to help meet regional employment needs. Participating students will be offered a summer boot camp in Data Science/Analysis, a year-long undergraduate research experience following the summer camp, and a series of workshops focused on skills for internship applications and job interviews. To meet role models and increase their sense of belonging in Data Science/Analysis, students will also participate in a seminar series focused on Data Science/Analysis careers that will feature professionals from diverse backgrounds and from both academia and industry. The project will also offer preparation for the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification. It is expected that this initiative will lay the foundation to establish a degree program in Data Science/Analysis at Queensborough Community College. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2055313 | Strengthening Community College and Workforce Partnerships in Construction Management | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 08/25/2022 | Azhar Mahmood | azhars93@yahoo.com | NJ | Hudson County Community College | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 09/01/2021 | 08/31/2024 | $298,806.00 | Catherina Mirasol, Raja Javaid, Khursheed Khan, Shahida Manzoor | 26 JOURNAL SQ | JERSEY CITY | NJ | 73.064.102 | 2.017.147.100 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Employment in construction management is expected to grow 11% over the next ten years. In response to this workforce demand, Hudson County Community College recently developed an Associate in Applied Science degree program in Construction Management. This degree includes transferable general education classes as well as relevant training in construction management. Current construction management students are trained on new construction methods, protocols, testing procedures, engineering drawings, software, cost estimation, and management principles. However, the rapid rate of change in construction technology requires continuous curriculum updates and additional real-world experiences prior to graduation. The project will work to achieve these needs by revitalizing the Industry Education Advisory Board as a Business and Industry Leadership Team. This change is expected to result in increased engagement of potential employers and improved outcomes for students through academic and industrial co-leadership of the project. The goals of this project are to (1) develop structured partnerships with local employers to increase internship opportunities and employment for Construction Management students and graduates, and (2) ensure rigor and relevance of the academic program in partnership with the Industry Education Advisory Board. It is expected that these changes will result in training of qualified employable graduates in 12 to 36 months of project initiation. Hudson County Community College will continually evaluate the success of these initiatives, including the quality and number of partnerships created, as well as the number of internships, apprenticeships, and new job opportunities for Construction Management students. This effort is anticipated to enhance eight courses in the degree program, and enable students to sit for national licensing exams as they proceed. Co-leadership with the Industry Education Advisory Board will allow Hudson County Community College to continually align their academic programs to keep pace with changes in construction management. The project plans to recruit and retain veterans, female students, minority, non-traditional students, students with special needs, and incumbent workers. Hudson County Community College will share the results of their work among the other 19 community colleges in New Jersey and the New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2100297 | Developing and Implementing Hybrid Instruction to Increase the Access of Women and Adult Learners to Diesel Technology Training | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 02/06/2023 | Jeremy Smith | jeremy.smith@wallacestate.edu | AL | George C. Wallace State Community College-Hanceville | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 06/01/2021 | 05/31/2024 | $279,336.00 | 801 MAIN ST NW | HANCEVILLE | AL | 350.775.462 | 2.563.528.144 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The Alabama Department of Labor has identified Diesel Technicians as a high demand occupation and estimates that 3000 technicians will be hired over the next six years. Wallace State Community College will help to meet this need by revising and enhancing its Diesel Technician program to align with industrial needs and to put students on the path to quickly earn a credential that will result in employment. The college will leverage partnerships to build new virtual training opportunities that will make the program more accessible to students who need flexible learning options. An additional partnership with the National Institute of Women in Trades, Technology, and Sciences will increase the diversity of students entering the Diesel Technology program, ultimately providing more opportunities and jobs for women and adult learners. This project has the potential to establish a pathway to employment for individuals in communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in Alabama. In addition, the project can decrease the potential negative impacts on supply-chain logistics that heavily rely on diesel technology for the transportation of groceries and farming supplies. The revised Diesel Technician program will be designed to (1) improve student learning outcomes by aligning the curriculum with National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation standards, (2) implement a hybrid online content delivery model that will enable students to complete up to 75% of their coursework from remote locations, and (3) increase the number of graduates who are women and/or from populations that are not yet equitably represented in diesel technology fields. A Diesel Technology Business and Industry Leadership Team will work with college faculty to align the curriculum with the needs of employers. Students enrolled in the program will use virtual reality training to give them access to on-the-job training that would otherwise take place in a technical workshop. A digital coach in the virtual training modules will provide immediate feedback through Conversational Artificial Intelligence. Information gathered from this project will be shared and replicated among ten Wallace State STEM Career and Technical Education workforce programs. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2037491 | Enhancing the Independent Mechatronics Technical Curriculum and Creating a New Pathway from Rural High Schools into Mechatronics Careers | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/08/2022 | Doug Laven | doug.laven@southcentral.edu | MN | South Central College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 09/01/2020 | 08/31/2024 | $1,551,663.00 | Douglas Pauley | 1920 LEE BLVD | NORTH MANKATO | MN | 560.032.504 | 5.073.897.228 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Manufacturing is a significant industry in both Minnesota and Nebraska, creating a strong demand for highly skilled mechatronics technicians. Mechatronics is a cross-disciplinary field that integrates principles of electrical, mechanical, computer, and control systems to design, develop, and maintain “smart devices” in automated manufacturing or process environments. Both South Central College in Minnesota and Central Community College in Nebraska have Mechatronics and Process Instrumentation and Control programs. However, the demand for mechatronics technicians continues to exceed the supply of graduates, creating a pressing need to expand the pipeline of skilled technicians. Prior to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the colleges were making progress on developing effective and efficient distance learning models for technician education. The resulting restrictions and disruptions have amplified the importance of developing high-quality technician education that can be supported via distance learning. In this project, the two colleges will collaborate to enhance accessibility to technical education programs and develop new pathways into mechatronics technical careers for high school students. The project aims to increase the number of Mechatronics and Process Instrumentation and Control technicians by enhancing and expanding a high-quality/low-cost distance education model and creating a new pathway to Mechatronics programs in partnership with dedicated rural high schools. The project will be guided by three overarching considerations: strong industry demand hindered by a workforce skills gap; the need for distance technology coursework; and existing programmatic capacity upon which to build. The two colleges will align 12 credit hours of coursework from their existing Mechatronics programs for remote delivery, with a focus on recruitment and enrollment of students who cannot attend on-campus learning programs. The specific aims are to: 1) Develop state-of-the-art, low-cost, portable instructional units, known as Independent Remote Experiential Automation Labs (iREAL), which will enable hands-on learning, including for students in remote locations; 2) Establish a Business and Industry Leadership Team to provide active leadership related to the curriculum, iREAL trainer design, and equipment selection; 3) Engage industry personnel from food-processing, biofuels, energy, and manufacturing to mentor students; and 4) Provide substantive professional development workshops each year for 12-18 rural secondary educators that will lead to partnerships between the schools, a business mentor, and their partnering college. Expected project outcomes include: a new distance learning education model that will bring meaningful technical education to students at remote locations; development of dual enrollment capacity of secondary schools in mechatronics courses; documentation of project impact on high schools and industry; and mechatronics educational resources that are freely available on partner websites, and through relevant ATE Centers and ATE Central. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2333039 | Increasing Community College Participation in the Marine Advanced Technology Education's Remotely Operated Vehicle Competition | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/18/2023 | Jill Zande | jzande@marinetech.org | DC | MARINE TECHNOLOGY SOCIETY, INC. | Continuing Grant | Paul Tymann | 02/01/2023 | 09/30/2024 | $751,180.00 | 1 THOMAS CIR NW STE 700 | WASHINGTON | DC | 200.055.800 | 7.038.705.272 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Center created a global remotely operated vehicle (ROV) competition in partnership with the Marine Technology. This competition challenges students to build underwater robots to tackle tasks based on the real world situations. Through this work, students develop and apply a range of technical, scientific, and workplace skills. These skills among the most in demand by employers today, and include creativity, adaptability, teamwork, and communication. Community college students are currently underrepresented in MATE ROV Competitions. This project at Monterey Peninsula College in Monterey California, aims to increase the number of community college students who participate in the MATE ROV competition. It is expected that this participation will increase the number of community college students who have the scientific and workplace skills needed to enter and thrive in the STEM technician workforce, a critical sector for the nation’s economy and security. The overarching goal of the project is to increase the number of community colleges that participate in the MATE ROV Competition. To accomplish this goal, the project will: 1) identify and recruit community colleges to participate in the competition; 2) use experienced community college faculty ROV team advisors to serve as mentors; 3) provide resources and other support to community college faculty preparing for the competition; 4) use MATE’s Evaluate-Compete methodology as a mentoring and feedback vehicle for competition teams and as a tool to recruit new community colleges; 5) enhance the resources in the MATE Regional Coordinators’ Toolkit to assist coordinators in recruiting and supporting participation in competitions; and 6) identify and disseminate examples for sustaining long-term participation in the competition that could be applicable to other undergraduate research experiences. This project leverages the experiences and best practices from other successful NSF-funded projects including the MATE Center and ITEST Scale-Up. In addition, the project will use an online undergraduate research evaluation instrument also supported by NSF, EvaluateUR, to measure the efficacy and impact of the project activities. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2325500 | Journal of Advanced Technological Education (J ATE) | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/24/2023 | Peter Kazarinoff | peter.kazarinoff@pcc.edu | OR | Portland Community College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 08/01/2023 | 07/31/2024 | $615,281.00 | Karen Leung, Lynn Zentner | 12000 SW 49TH AVE | PORTLAND | OR | 972.197.132 | 9.717.228.392 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Community colleges are integral to the higher education landscape in the United States, enrolling a large percentage of all undergraduate students, including half of all freshman and sophomores. Community and technical colleges teach a higher proportion of low-income students, students of color, and first-generation college students than their counterparts at four-year institutions. Because of differences in the history, mission, organizational structures, and student populations, community college faculty spend more time teaching and fewer hours engaged in research and scholarship than four-year college faculty. Yet within higher education as a whole, publication in peer-reviewed journals remains a primary way of evaluating the productivity and workload of college faculty. In a world where faculty competence is often measured in terms of publications rather than teaching experience, the lower number of articles submitted for publication by faculty at community and technical colleges contributes to perceptions of lower prestige, and misperceptions of the quality of education provided by community and technical colleges. With the emergence of the Journal of Advanced Technological Education (J ATE), these highly-valuable, little-known sources of innovative ideas can be brought to a larger audience. J ATE represents an opportunity not only for community colleges, but for educators at all levels to learn about research and best practices in technician education and undergraduate research that are being developed for the most diverse population of undergraduates in the country. This project will support the J ATE in developing a sustainability plan for the journal while also supporting both faculty and students in honing their skills on crafting articles for submission to peer-reviewed journals. The goal of J ATE is to promote and advance technician education nationwide by building a community of peer-reviewed published authors from community and technical colleges. By publishing innovations in technician education, this project will promote best practices for teaching America’s increasingly diverse undergraduate student population and increase the reach and recognition of community college faculty and students. The goal will be achieved through professional development of project team members, community college faculty and students; broad dissemination of resources and information for ATE PIs, Co-PIs, Evaluators, and community college faculty; and a business plan for sustaining the only peer-reviewed journal dedicated to technician training. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2054859 | Developing Automation and Manufacturing Technicians in North Dakota | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/25/2024 | Reynold Miller | Reynold.miller@bismarckstate.edu | ND | Bismarck State College | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 07/01/2021 | 05/31/2025 | $299,954.00 | Wesley Braun, Michael Chamberlain, Seth Westby | 1500 EDWARDS AVE | BISMARCK | ND | 585.011.276 | 7.012.245.656 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | As technology advances and more industries begin to embrace automation, there is a national need for more automation technicians. These technicians must have broad skills in areas including programming, robotics, automation, and control. North Dakota recognizes the need to diversify its industry base and provide training so its citizens can fill jobs in advanced manufacturing. This training is urgently needed to enable the state to stay ahead of the anticipated decrease in energy-focused sectors. Unfortunately, automation and manufacturing technician training in North Dakota is limited. This project aims to help fill this need by expanding access to automation and manufacturing technology, especially in the rural areas served by Bismarck State College. With this award, Bismarck State College will expand on existing foundational courses to create an Associate of Applied Sciences degree in Automation and Manufacturing Technology. New automation equipment will be purchased, and faculty will develop high quality hands-on activities that enable students to gain the knowledge and skills needed to use the equipment effectively. The degree program will include multiple entry points, thus serving students at different career stages. Advisers serving as Career Navigators will receive training to help them place graduates in manufacturing plants, processing plants, and other places that use automation. Materials for recruiting students into the degree program will be created by adapting case studies from the National Institute for Women in Trades, Technology and Sciences. The college’s existing Industry Advisory Committee will be expanded to include relevant industries in developing the content of the degree program's stackable certificates, thus building on Bismarck State College’s strong history of creating technical programs to meet local industry needs. The evaluation of this project can inform industry and education stakeholders about how to to decrease the time and expense needed to deploy a new degree by effectively modifying and expanding an existing foundation. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000685 | Collaborative Research: Preparing the Workforce for Industry 4.0's Intelligent Industrial Robotics | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/07/2020 | Khalid Tantawi | khalid-tantawi@utc.edu | TN | University of Tennessee Chattanooga | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 07/01/2020 | 06/30/2024 | $198,065.00 | 615 MCCALLIE AVE | CHATTANOOGA | TN | 374.032.504 | 4.234.254.431 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | According to the International Federation of Robotics, nearly 75% of the global market for next-generation industrial robotics is in China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. To remain competitive, U.S. industries need to rapidly accelerate the use of intelligent robotics. As a result, the nation needs to train highly skilled technicians who can program, use, maintain, and repair intelligent industrial robots. This collaborative project will address the nation’s shortfall of qualified technicians in intelligent industrial robotics. It intends to do so by establishing a collaboration between academic institutions and major manufacturers in the eastern and central regions of Tennessee and Alabama. Together these partners will define the necessary skillset for the next-generation industrial robotics technical workforce. They will also develop a curriculum that will allow students to learn those skills. This project will result in one of the first programs in the nation for workforce training in intelligent robotics and artificial intelligence technologies. This effort will thus support U.S. businesses and industries to rapidly and effectively incorporate next-generation robotics in their workplace. The project has the following specific aims: 1) develop intelligent robotics curricular modules; 2) implement train-the-trainer workshops for educators; 3) identify skill sets needed for handling the next-generation robotics; 4) develop a knowledge base of next-generation robotics for secondary and post-secondary educators; and 5) increase public awareness of next-generation robotics. By using a collaboration among four academic institutions in the eastern and central regions of Tennessee and Alabama, and involving major manufacturers in the region, the project expects to deliver outcomes that will be sustainable and can be replicated or adapted at other institutions. This project intends to develop one of the first programs in the nation for workforce training at community and technical colleges in intelligent robotics and artificial intelligence technologies. Since community and technical college supply a significant percentage of the industrial workforce, this project has the potential to help U.S. businesses and industries rapidly and effectively incorporate next-generation robotics in their workplace. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 1801136 | Increasing Women in Engineering and Industrial Technologies Programs | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/25/2024 | Tony Bean | Tony.Bean@rccc.edu | NC | Rowan-Cabarrus Community College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 06/01/2018 | 05/31/2024 | $224,093.00 | Lori Safrit, Brandon Hoffner, Zackary Hubbard | 1333 JAKE ALEXANDER BLVD S | GRANITE QUARRY | NC | 281.468.357 | 7.042.163.884 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Manufacturing in the United States is expanding regionally and nationally at the same time that low-skill, labor-intensive manufacturing jobs are being replaced by highly technical, automated processes. To meet this increased demand for highly skilled manufacturing technicians, community college manufacturing programs must evolve to meet these changing industry environments and attract a wide diversity of students. Women have traditionally been greatly underrepresented in manufacturing careers, but they represent the largest pool of untapped talent needed to address the manufacturing skills gap threatening America. Working collaboratively with industry partners and building on research findings that identified reasons why many women are not interested in manufacturing careers, this project at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College (RCCC) in North Carolina will create the Women in Engineering and Industrial Technologies (WE IT) program. The program will utilize the strong partnership between the college, three K-12 school districts, and the more than 35 partner employers of the North Carolina Manufacturing Institute to develop a replicable model to increase interest among women in engineering and industrial technology programs. It has been informed by and builds on effective practices designed to increase of involvement of women that include, but are not limited to, the Institute for Women in Trades, Technology and Science (IWITTS), National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE), the Dream It, Do It campaign launched by the Manufacturing Institute, and the Asheville Buncombe Community College ATE Women in Technology program. Program evaluation will monitor progress and determine the most effective practices. Project results will be disseminated through TeachingTechnicians.org, NC-NET (an online source for the 58 community colleges in NC), and presentations at regional and national conferences. To accomplish the goal of increasing enrollment of women in college engineering and industrial technology programs, the project will focus on changing perceptions of both potential students and career influencers (i.e. parents, counselors, advisors, teachers, faculty and administrators). Career influencers will take part in industry tours and Taste of Industry events held on the College campus, and a combination of faculty and staff will present to the district-wide Parent-Teachers Association (PTA). Potential students will be targeted through a variety of programs including an Industry Speaks series for high school students and an internal awareness campaign focused on current Rowan-Cabarrus students. Each semester at least 15 sections of college English will include exploration of technical careers. The second goal of the project is to increase completion rates among women in these programs. Women enrolled in these programs will have the opportunity to be WE IT Ambassadors, participate in the WE IT Navigators group, and have open lab events. The WE IT program will also provide increased partnerships and communication networks between faculty/staff, students, parents, administrators and industry allowing this program to be institutionalized by leveraging resources available to each partner. The three K-12 school districts play a vital role in the program, and the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Director from each district is committed to sustained, active participation. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202076 | Automotive Technician Training for Electric Vehicles | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/07/2022 | Justin Morgan | justin.morgan8747@sinclair.edu | OH | Sinclair Community College | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $602,424.00 | John Porter, James Truxal, Thomas Freels | 444 W 3RD ST # 12 | DAYTON | OH | 454.021.453 | 9.375.124.573 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The transportation sector is in the midst of a major transition to electric vehicles as automotive manufacturers have launched large electric vehicle development programs. Automotive technician training programs will need to adjust to these changes by providing technical education that focuses on electric vehicle technologies. Students need to learn how to diagnose a new set of problems and how to use equipment and tools to maintain these vehicles. This project will develop a new certificate program in hybrid and electric vehicle technology leading to an associate degree in automotive technology. Technician training will focus on the theory, operation, diagnosis, service, and repair of systems related to the propulsion of electric vehicles. Professional development workshops will be provided for postsecondary educators so that they can upgrade their automotive technology programs. During the workshop, participants will learn about battery technology, electric motors, and safety procedures through classroom instruction and hands-on learning experiences with electric vehicles and service equipment. High school students will have the opportunity to learn about careers in automotive technology through summer camps in which students will learn the hands-on basics of vehicle maintenance. The primary goal of this project is to help develop the technician workforce that can support the new infrastructure for electric vehicles. This project aims to increase the capacity of faculty to prepare automotive technicians to repair and service electric vehicles, the number of automotive technician graduates with the knowledge and skills needed to diagnose and repair electric vehicles, and the number of high school students enrolling in automotive technology degree and certificate programs. Faculty in automotive technology programs at two-year institutions will be recruited to participate in a summer workshop on electric vehicle technologies. Workshop participants will have hands-on learning opportunities focused on diagnostics, testing, and repair procedures. The project will develop a new certificate program that will provide students with advanced training in high-voltage safety systems, removing/replacing batteries, servicing electric drive motors, diagnosing electric power convertors, and other skills needed to service battery electric vehicles. Technician training will focus on the theory, operation, diagnosis, service, and repair of vehicle systems. The project will recruit high school students from traditionally underrepresented groups for automotive summer camps designed to increase students’ interest in taking automotive technician courses. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202062 | A Comprehensive Approach for Preparing Community College Career Programs to Support the Vehicle to Grid Transition | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/12/2023 | Christopher McNally | c.mcnally@hvcc.edu | NY | Hudson Valley Community College | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 05/01/2022 | 04/30/2025 | $350,000.00 | Robert Kenney, James Countryman | 80 VANDENBURGH AVE | TROY | NY | 121.806.096 | 5.186.298.177 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Market analyses show that battery electric vehicles (BEV) will make up over 25% of the automotive and light vehicle fleet in the United States by 2030. The global BEV market share is expected to exceed 30% of all vehicles on the road. The increased power demand generated by this growth will require greater efficiency in the generation and delivery of electricity to the US market. Central to this efficiency will be the vehicle-to-grid interface (V2G) commonly referred to as the “electric vehicle charging station”. Energy producers, government entities, and industry will all require employees with an understanding of the impact of BEVs on the electrical supply grid and the impact of the supply grid on the operation of BEVs. This project at Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) seeks to address the critical need for electricians and technicians with applicable knowledge of the V2G interface. The project will meet this need by (1) developing educational modules to train electricians in the theory and operation of BEV charging systems, and (2) training automotive/light truck technicians in the theory and operation of electrical generation and supply grids. HVCC will develop BEV charging system educational modules that can be easily and efficiently integrated into existing degree programs, and make these training modules widely available for implementation by other educational institutions throughout the country. The project team expects that addressing the knowledge gaps in V2G theory and operation will greatly increase the population of technicians prepared to perform the critical services necessary to support the country’s transition to electric vehicles. This project will enable HVCC to develop training modules that will address significant knowledge gaps in trades critical to the country’s transition to a BEV fleet. An estimated 200 students will complete degree programs in areas directly impacted by V2G, including automotive repair, electrical construction and maintenance, and green technology management. Additionally, 14 high school, community college, and trade educators serving students in traditionally underserved communities will be trained in V2G theory and operation. The educational modules developed through this project will be shared with educational programs throughout the country through existing NSF/ATE supported conferences and data bases, the State University of New York system, and professional trade and industry conferences. This project is funded by the Advanced Technology Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2055411 | Expanding the Data Analytics Technician Pipeline from High School into College and High Demand Jobs in Southwest Ohio | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/19/2023 | Paul Hansford | paul.hansford@sinclair.edu | OH | Sinclair Community College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 07/01/2021 | 06/30/2024 | $576,315.00 | NAJAT BAJI, Jeff Sommer, Jessica Jones, Martha Taylor | 444 W 3RD ST # 12 | DAYTON | OH | 454.021.453 | 9.375.124.573 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Data analytics is having an enormous impact on society and the economy. As the field of data analytics evolves, there will be an increasing need for technicians with skills in data analytics who can work in a wide range of job roles. Unfortunately, the number of students pursuing careers in data analytics is not keeping pace with workforce demand, particularly among populations underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This project aims to prepare the future workforce by establishing pathways that generate interest in data analytics careers, support the transfer of data literate high school students into postsecondary programs, and prepare them to fill the growing demand for data analytics technicians. Project activities will provide multiple opportunities for high school students to explore and begin a data analytics pathway. The project will leverage several strategies for attracting and retaining populations typically underrepresented in STEM careers and support student success. These strategies include equitable and inclusive instructional design, experiential learning, accelerated credential completion, affordability, and comprehensive student support. In this project, Sinclair Community College will partner with local industry in southwest Ohio to develop a data analytics technician pathway for students that will facilitate their transfer into college and support their postsecondary credential completion in preparation for careers in data analytics. A stackable certificate model will be developed to prepare students for entry-level data analytics jobs and be beneficial to those who need to earn a credential quickly to enter the job market. The model will also provide clear pathways to further education that can lead to higher-paying jobs. The project will share data literacy concepts and information about data science careers with high school students and teachers. Dual high school/college credit courses will be offered to accelerate college credential completion while students are still in high school. The project will engage high school teachers in data literacy professional development opportunities to increase learning in statistics using R and Python for data analytics. College students will benefit from enhanced experiential learning opportunities designed to increase data career-related technical skills and connections with potential employers. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2033801 | The Center for Aviation and Automotive Technological Education using E-Learning: Providing E-learning Resources and Increasing Knowledge about Their Effectiveness | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 08/25/2023 | Anand Gramopadhye | agramop@clemson.edu | SC | Clemson University | Continuing Grant | Virginia Carter | 08/01/2020 | 07/31/2025 | $4,018,818.00 | Kevin Cooper, Garrett Brown, Jay Coffer, Jeff Hunt, Kapil Chalil Madathil, Carl Washburn | 201 SIKES HALL | CLEMSON | SC | 296.340.001 | 8.646.562.424 | EDU | 741200 | 097Z, 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, all levels of education have shifted to greater reliance on electronic technologies or e-learning. This shift creates new needs for e-learning materials as well as for knowledge about which strategies support student learning in diverse settings. This project will build on the success of prior NSF funding for the Center for Aviation and Automotive Technological Education using Virtual E-Schools (CA2VES). This funding supported early initiatives to create and deliver accessible e-learning resources to support aviation and automotive technological education. Through its EducateWorkforce platform, which emphasizes engaging and effective online teaching and learning, CA2VES is uniquely positioned to support technological instructors who are making a transition to online learning. In addition to helping meet the aviation and automotive technician education needs of today, the project will also focus on educational needs relevant for future manufacturing technologies. The project is directly relevant to NSF’s funding priority areas (e.g., Future of Work at the Human Technology Frontier) and the National Academy of Engineering’s Grand Challenges (e.g., Enhancing Virtual Reality; Advancing Personalized Learning). Informed by industry, governmental agencies, and academia, the project will: 1) support aviation and automotive technological fields with a scalable, cost-effective, and flexible e-learning model; 2) grow and broaden the aviation and automotive network of scholars; 3) use e-learning to assist technical and community colleges in support of diverse communities; and 4) conduct evidence-based research and pursue longitudinal studies on the efficacy of e-learning and virtual reality/augmented reality for diverse settings. This e-learning delivery model will integrate classroom and hands-on laboratory experiences for a diverse aviation and automotive technician education audience. The project outcomes will provide practical guidelines and resources for school administrators and system designers for developing and deploying e-learning curricula for diverse audiences. Additionally, the project is intended to serve as a national resource for curated e-learning materials for aviation and automotive technology and provide an online resource for awareness of career pathways. A key component of the project is its integration of Universal Design for Learning principles into curriculum development. As a result, the materials developed by the project will serve all learners, including veterans, women, economically marginalized students, first-generation students, and students with learning differences. The project intends to generate new knowledge about e-learning through evidence-based controlled and longitudinal studies on the efficacy of e-learning approaches to broaden the aviation and automotive talent pipeline and its application to diverse populations. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2301165 | Cultivating Career Pathways for Advanced Manufacturing Technicians | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/14/2023 | Brooks Jacobsen | jacobsbr@lakeareatech.edu | SD | Lake Area Technical College | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 10/01/2023 | 09/30/2026 | $342,504.00 | Steven Trautner | 230 11TH ST NE | WATERTOWN | SD | 572.012.869 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The South Dakota Department of Labor & Regulation recently reported nearly 3,000 manufacturing job openings and the industry is projected to add 3,500 jobs by 2030. This report and other indicators highlight the significant need for skilled technicians to fill the state’s high-demand, high-wage Advanced Manufacturing jobs. Lake Area Technical College’s three-year effort will encourage learning and career pathways at an earlier age, provide regional manufacturers with an expanded and diversified talent pipeline, and strengthen relationships between education and industry. The project was developed with the support of secondary education, workforce development, and industry partners who share LATC’s vision for expanded employability and earning potential for workers and a growing state economy. The overall goal of the project is to recruit larger classes of college-ready students into the college’s Advanced Manufacturing programs and increase the number of technicians entering the workforce. The project will provide the opportunity for middle and high school students to explore careers and technical education options not often emphasized in South Dakota’s secondary schools. Teachers, administrators and other influencers will also learn the importance of these careers and find resources for improving secondary technical education programs and supporting students in their career and education decisions. Over the course of the three-year project, STEM-related recruiting events will reach 1,050 students. In addition, 30 secondary educators will join LATC’s STEM learning community and 60 incumbent workers will receive additional technical training through the college. This project will help break the manufacturing industry stigma in the region; introduce students, parents, educators and incumbent workers to new career opportunities; and share examples of how individuals with a variety of STEM-related aptitudes can succeed in today’s manufacturing industry. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2400830 | Tri-State Expansion, Curriculum Evolution, and Equity during BioTechnician Training (Tri ExCEEd BTT) | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/10/2024 | Kristy McGuire | kshudamcguire@wistar.org | PA | Wistar Institute | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 09/01/2024 | 08/31/2027 | $649,971.00 | Dominic Salerno, Margaret Bryans | 3601 SPRUCE ST | PHILADELPHIA | PA | 191.044.205 | 2.158.983.700 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The growth of the life science industry, fueled by cell and gene therapy (CGT) in the Greater Philadelphia region, has led to a high demand for laboratory technicians in both academic and industry labs. Both an increase in clinical trials and approved CGT products will bring increased demands for laboratory technician positions in bioprocessing, increasing opportunities for individuals with less than a bachelor’s degree. The Wistar Institute, developed the Biomedical Technician Training (BTT) Program to prepare students from the Community College of Philadelphia (CCP) for positions as biological laboratory technicians and research assistants. The BTT Program has served as both research experience and workforce development for community college students, and the BTT Program was registered as a pre-apprenticeship program in 2019. This project will work with new community college partners to identify appropriate pre-requisite courses and allow students to earn credits for their experience in the BTT Pre-apprenticeship Program that includes a Laboratory Orientation and two Lab Experiences, one in an academic research lab and the other in an industry lab or core facility. The project will expand the number and geographical location of employer partners to New Jersey and Delaware. The project will expand recruitment efforts in the Greater Philadelphia region and increase numbers of applicants by including 3 additional community college partners, bringing a total of 8 community colleges covering at least 10 counties in 3 states involved in the BTT pre-apprenticeship program. The project will provide a blueprint for incorporation of a biotechnician pre-apprenticeship program into various biotechnology and science curricula at community colleges and serve as a model for regional program expansion. New employer partners in 2 neighboring states will be recruited, allowing the registration of the apprenticeship for use nationally. Project-based laboratory curriculum will be developed and mapped to newly developed standards in CGT. By using research from Wistar specifically chosen to engage underserved students and paying participants during the program, we will investigate whether this program provides the equity needed to close completion gaps. Faculty liaisons at each new community college partner will be identified and they will be exposed to current research and CGT. These experiences will allow them to make connections to one another, industry partners, and the ATE community. Adding employer partners to offer lab experiences is expected to result in more hiring of employees with an associate degree. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2300950 | Towards an Electric Vehicle Service Technology Certificate: Building Career Pathways by Implementing a Hybrid Curriculum in Electric Vehicle Technology | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/08/2023 | Keli Fewox | fewox.k@ptc.edu | SC | Piedmont Technical College | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 06/01/2023 | 05/31/2026 | $335,707.00 | Gerald Sartin, William King | 620 EMERALD RD N | GREENWOOD | SC | 296.469.675 | 8.649.418.742 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The growing demand for Electric Vehicle (EV) technicians in the burgeoning South Carolina Automotive industry has created a need for career pathways for automotive technology students and corresponding professional development for their instructors. This project will develop both a pathway for students and training resources for instructors offering the coursework leading to the Electric Vehicle Service and Repair certificate. Over the three-year project, 50 students will be recruited to complete credit bearing courses that will result in an EV Service and Repair certificate enabling them to work in the ever-growing EV repair field. Also, professional development for faculty addressing the new EV curricula will be provided. With mentorship from the CA2VES ATE Center (Center for Aviation and Automotive Technological Education Using Virtual E-Schools), and advisement from EV consortia members, this project will create equitable opportunities for underserved populations in South Carolina to progress to two- and four-year institutions and to the workplace. The project will integrate classroom and virtual learning to increase and diversify the pool of EV service technicians. This will be accomplished by implementing practices to support participation and persistence in EV service technician education for students including those who are rural, underserved, and/or underrepresented in the EV industry. The flexible hybrid approach allows for personalized learning to support students with different backgrounds to achieve proficiency in a shorter time period and attain certification. The assessment of the effectiveness of this hybrid approach regarding creativity and innovation in teaching and learning, digital learning technology, and workforce development will advance ATE knowledge. The overall goal of this project is to better prepare diverse students to enter the EV workforce or continued education through implementing a hybrid curriculum and providing training for faculty. Working closely with NSF-funded EV consortia, the project will refine and deploy an innovative, creative, and informed EV service industry technician education hybrid curriculum incorporating classroom and virtual learning to augment Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification courses and complement existing advanced manufacturing research. Additionally, this project will provide professional development for faculty and trainers addressing the augmented EV curricula and create a novel "Train the Trainer" program to ensure widespread use. Finally, the project will recruit, retain, and graduate students from EV technician education programs, build career pathways and address South Carolina’s need to build capacity and diversity in the EV maintenance workforce. Fifty students are expected to enroll over three years, and at least twenty-five instructors will be impacted as the "Train the Trainer" program is established. Students will participate in in-person and on-line synchronous and asynchronous lectures with in-person labs for all EV Service Technician courses starting with Engine Fundamentals in their first year. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program focusing on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1902093 | Expanding Access to Cybersecurity Career Pathways for Rural Community College Students | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/29/2021 | Gloria McAllister | dktrzee@gmail.com | FL | Palm Beach State College | Standard Grant | R. Corby Hovis | 10/01/2019 | 09/30/2024 | $592,630.00 | John Hadley, Uzma Amiruddin, Jeanne Murcia | 4200 S CONGRESS AVE | LAKE WORTH | FL | 334.614.705 | 5.618.683.333 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Keeping computers and information systems secure is a major challenge. Business, industry, and government need well-prepared technicians who can prevent, detect, and investigate cybersecurity breaches. The growth of cyber-threats has created a need for many additional workers who have the necessary cybersecurity knowledge and skills. This project aims to help address this need by promoting students' movement along a cybersecurity career pathway from credit-bearing certificates to baccalaureate degrees. The work will involve three major tasks. First, the project team will collaborate with industry professionals to define cybersecurity workforce needs. Cybersecurity students will have opportunities to interact with industry professionals to learn what is required in real-world work environments. Second, the project will use virtual, cloud-based classroom and lab environments, with state-of-the-art videoconferencing technology, to deliver courses and laboratory experiences to students at the college's rural campuses in Belle Glade and Loxahatchee Groves. This approach will relieve students of having to travel long distances to attend classes and will mitigate the problem of finding qualified instructors for physical classes at the remote locations. Third, project activities will be designed to serve all students, targeting rural students, women, and students from groups that are underrepresented in cybersecurity. These populations offer talent that must be tapped to meet the region's and the nation's needs for maintaining a cybersecure infrastructure. The project will generate new knowledge about cybersecurity education by testing the following hypothesis: Creating an inclusive cybersecurity community that includes student learning communities and cybersecurity professionals as mentors will enhance progress of students along a cybersecurity career pathway. Project activities include (1) creating a learning community to promote student engagement, (2) conducting specialized outreach activities designed to recruit rural students, women, and other populations into cybersecurity, and (3) improving academic instruction in cybersecurity and access to cybersecurity career pathways by delivering educational opportunities for students in rural areas. An objective of the project is to enable at least half of participating students annually to complete at least four courses toward a Network Support Technician College Credit Certificate or a Network Security College Credit Certificate. The project has the potential to increase the number and diversity of students who are interested in cybersecurity careers, who pursue a pathway toward that goal, and who enter the technician-level cybersecurity workforce in Florida. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program, which focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2055714 | Increasing Student Access to Industrial and Scientific Equipment Training through Authentic Remote Learning Experiences | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/09/2023 | Justin Starr | jstarr@ccac.edu | PA | Community College of Allegheny County Allegheny Campus | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 04/15/2021 | 03/31/2025 | $523,766.00 | Arif Sirinterlikci, Ghassan Al-Sinbol, Vamsi Borra, Rohollah Moghadam | 808 RIDGE AVE | PITTSBURGH | PA | 152.126.003 | 4.122.373.050 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | An important part of preparing students for the technical workforce is training on engineering technologies that are currently used in industry. However, due to high equipment costs and other limitations, providing students with access to industrial equipment can be challenging for many community colleges. Even when such equipment is available, it is in lab facilities that have limited availability and little flexibility to accommodate students’ work and family schedules. These limitations were spotlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced lab facilities to close altogether. As a result, students had even less access to the lab equipment and training, preventing course completion for many students. Although remote instruction and distance education are not new concepts, providing an authentic remote experience for equipment training remains an open problem. Computer simulations have been used to lower the costs for training using industrial equipment. However, these tools tend to oversimplify the equipment, with resulting limits in students’ ability to gain skills in operating the equipment and troubleshooting problems. This project will develop and assess new remote access tools that allow students to control physical industrial equipment over the internet. This approach will provide a new capability for sharing resources amongst colleges. In addition, these tools will give students experience with working on distributed teams, helping prepare them for the technical workforce. By expanding access to technical courses for students living in rural locations or in other situations that limit access to lab facilities, the project will help broaden participation in the technical workforce. Lab facilities at the Community College of Allegheny County currently provide students with in-person training on industrial equipment including robots, programmable logic controllers, and mechatronic devices. The goal of this project is to create a new remote capability for controlling equipment in the lab facilities and evaluate the impact of this capability on student learning. Remote capability will enable students to access physical equipment and view the results of their control actions and control programs in an immersive environment on a computer at another location. Stereo cameras will transmit a three-dimensional view of a work cell in the lab facility. Students will be able to remotely trigger actuators over the internet to achieve a desired behavior and view the results of their actions in near-real-time. This project will: (1) implement and test new hardware and software interfaces for lab equipment; (2) develop lab exercises using the remote capability, lesson plans for instructors, and instructional materials for students; (3) evaluate student learning in on-line courses and compare it to concurrent in-person courses; and (4) expand the implementation to multiple institutions and multiple course offerings. Using a mixed methods approach, the project evaluation will use focus groups, student surveys, and pre- and post-tests to assess the impact of the new remote capability on students’ comprehension of the technologies and their confidence in their ability to use the equipment. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2301184 | Northeast Consortia for Advanced Integrated Silicon Technologies | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/13/2023 | Abraham Michelen | amichelen@sunypoly.edu | NY | SUNY Polytechnic Institute | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 09/01/2023 | 08/31/2026 | $2,790,053.00 | Stephen Leone, Marina Bograd, Justin Starr | 257 FULLER RD | ALBANY | NY | 122.033.613 | 5.184.378.689 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The expansion of data networks and centers, safer autonomous driving vehicles, and more efficient food production cannot be sustainably met by electronic microchip technology alone. However, combining electrical devices with integrated photonics provides a more energy efficient way to increase the speed and capacity of data networks, reduce costs and meet an increasingly diverse range of needs across various industries. This transition is critically reliant on the incorporation of silicon photonic integrated circuits (PICs) for ultra-fast, low-loss optical data transmission. Silicon (Si) PIC fabrication has moved quickly from the laboratory to high-volume manufacturing. However, the U.S. skilled technical workforce (STW) is not currently positioned to support this expansion and risks losing domestic manufacturing capability and U.S. global leadership in this key technology area. This project aims to respond to this need and will establish the Northeast Consortium for Advanced Integrated Silicon Technologies (NCAIST) with a mission of educating the STW for advanced silicon-manufacturing with an emphasis on Si-based PIC technologies and electronic-photonic integrated circuits (EPICs). Working closely with AIM Photonics, a U.S. Manufacturing Innovation Institute (MII), NCAIST will coordinate and accelerate the transition of technician education content and teaching methodologies from key AIM-affiliated U.S. universities to community and technical colleges in the northeast U.S. This will include hands-on training of students and teachers from community and technical colleges in Si-PIC and EPIC fabrication, testing and packaging, incorporation of PIC/EPIC technician education content directly into existing for-credit courses and degree programs, and introduction of career pathways and PIC- education content to regional high school teachers. NCAIST is comprised of a network of 16 community colleges and technical colleges, and 4 universities across NY, MA, and PA with a common goal of rapidly developing and disseminating technician education content in PIC/EPIC technologies. In addition to working with AIM Photonics, NCAIST works with the NEATEC, NACK, LASER TEC and MNT-EC ATE centers to enable dissemination of content across the U.S. NCAIST will: (1) Develop and disseminate of Si PIC education kits incorporating custom-designed, packaged PIC/EPICs and full lab-ready packages for sustainable and economical incorporation in existing technician education courses and programs; (2) Co-develop with consortium community colleges PIC/EPIC learning modules; (3) Introduce virtual reality-based training modules for PIC testing and packaging equipment for online and in-lab education; and (4) Evaluate the efficacy of short-term training to prepare students for direct transition to PIC/EPIC manufacturers with immediate workforce needs, and the sustainability of industry mentorships/internships as a future pathway for students entering the workforce. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202151 | Advancing Precision Agriculture in the Urban Environment | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/21/2022 | Trentee Bush | trentee@northeast.edu | NE | Northeast Community College | Standard Grant | Kalyn Owens | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $545,016.00 | Brian Anderson, Brandon Keller | 801 E BENJAMIN AVE | NORFOLK | NE | 687.010.469 | 4.028.447.244 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The agriculture industry has seen rapid advances through the development and application of precision agriculture techniques. Horticulture-based jobs are now utilizing these advances such as drones, water-sensing technology, and automated weeding systems. Combining precision agriculture with horticulture in the emerging field of urban agriculture is therefore an expanding filed that needs a skilled workforce. This is particularly true in Nebraska, where one in four jobs is connected to agriculture and many are found in an urban and/or horticulture setting. This project unites the fields of precision agriculture and horticulture to create a technical education program at a two-year college that provides a pathway to urban agriculture careers. Over its 3-year duration, current programming will be expanded to provide micro-credentialed courses related to urban agriculture technology, summer workshops for high school agriculture educators, and continuing education workshops for incumbent workers. These new resources will improve existing high-quality training to enrich student interest and skills in horticulture technology and enhance career pathways for incumbent workers. The following objectives will guide the project: 1) partner with local high schools to introduce students to career options and to provide active learning opportunities using horticulture concepts and precision technologies, 2) design and implement a series of six workshops for agriculture educators to enhance their ability to teach relevant courses in horticulture, precision technology, and urban agriculture, and 3) provide a series of five continuing education workshops for incumbent workers. This program will strengthen partnerships with area high schools and build new relationships within the horticulture and urban agriculture industries. In secondary schools, teachers will be invited to be true colleagues, by co-creating educational pathways that excite, encourage, and prepare students to consider careers in urban agriculture. A three-course modularized curriculum will be developed that can be used to supplement agriculture education courses in local high schools, and in some cases, will result in dual credit for high school students. Overall, the new curriculum will impact students and teachers at five pilot high schools and incumbent workers from around the state. Results of the project and the curriculum will be made available to other community colleges, the community of educators in agriculture education and the broader technician education community. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2228120 | Fostering Collaboration, Amplifying Impact, & Sustaining Access to Support Advanced Technological Education | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 08/09/2022 | Rachael Bower | bower@scout.wisc.edu | WI | University of Wisconsin-Madison | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 02/01/2023 | 01/31/2028 | $6,545,596.00 | Edward Almasy | 21 N PARK ST STE 6301 | MADISON | WI | 537.151.218 | 6.082.623.822 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program supports a diverse community of grantees led primarily by educators at community and technical colleges. ATE funded projects and centers, in collaboration with their industry and education partners, create innovative programs in the high-tech applied STEM fields critical to the US economy and develop thousands of valuable resources, activities, and events each year. ATE Central grew out of needs raised by the community to help ensure that all the resources created were made available in one place and sustained over time. ATE Central is now also an information and communication hub for the community, providing dynamic services and tools that support grantee work and an archiving service that helps sustain NSF’s valuable investment. This project will extend and enhance existing ATE Central core components, as well as providing innovative new tools and services designed to foster collaboration within and beyond ATE, amplify the impact and efforts of the community, and sustain ongoing access to and extend and expand the impact of the valuable resources and materials developed by ATE grantees. The ATE Central project team will create and deliver a new set of community-responsive solutions, tools, activities, and services and extend existing core ATE project components to support and amplify the work of ATE grantees. The proposed Convergence Labs and ATE Works will be created and delivered in collaboration with ATE center and project staff to help provide unique opportunities to explore how melding fields and technologies is influencing and driving innovation. ATE Informatics will support grantees, funders, and other stakeholders with a better understanding of the evolution of the community, pulling together available programmatic data from inception to present, showcasing potential trends, gaps, and future directions. The collective work of the ATE community and ATE Central impacts a diverse set of stakeholders including students, faculty, and industry partners. ATE Central shares out information and metadata about the deliverables and resources created by ATE grantees. The project will expand the awareness and reach of these critical ATE materials beyond ATE, via efforts like the STEM Curriculum Dissemination Channel and harvesting of metadata by organizations from the digital library and education communities like the STEM Exchange and OAIster. The project's ongoing commitment to Universal Design will help ensure all stakeholders, including those with disabilities, can make use of these valuable resources. The Archiving Service will help protect NSF's investment and provide long- term access for current and future grantees, as well as those from the larger education community, extending and increasing the adoption, adaptation, and impact of the work of ATE grantees. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1902225 | Scaling Elements of a Competency-Based Hybrid Instructional Model into Advanced Manufacturing Courses | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/03/2019 | Thomas Wylie | twylie@northweststate.edu | OH | Northwest State Community College | Standard Grant | Nasser Alaraje | 06/01/2019 | 05/31/2024 | $500,005.00 | Thomas Bowes, William Chaplin, Sarah Stubblefield | 22600 State Route 34 | Archbold | OH | 435.029.517 | 4.192.671.335 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | A nationwide shortage of qualified manufacturing technicians and the demand for training that keeps pace with rapidly changing technology has driven collaboration between education and industry partners. To fill the need for qualified manufacturing technicians, Northwest State Community College (NSCC) will work with industries to improve a competency-based advanced manufacturing program and promote its broader adoption. NSCC plans wide-spread implementation of its instructional model through a Networked Improvement Community (NIC) of partner colleges and their local industries across four states: Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and North Carolina. Through mentorship, professional development, and focused cooperation, this project will improve the effectiveness of advanced manufacturing courses, increase access to technical education programs, and prepare technicians with the skillsets that employers require. On a broad scale, this project will promote diversity by increasing opportunities for underserved populations to pursue high-demand, family-sustaining occupations in the technical workforce. The goals of this project are to: provide a more accessible method of instruction, remove barriers for existing and potential college students, align students' skills attainment with workplace demands, and increase the knowledge of implementing a competency-based hybrid instructional model for advanced manufacturing courses. NSCC will demonstrate the process of converting two traditional courses to the new model, and partner colleges in the NIC will determine which elements of the model are best suited to adapt within their programs. NSCC will then work with the partners to incorporate the model into specific courses. In addition, NSCC will administer nine, two-day professional development workshops for technical faculty from additional colleges in the state-wide networks of the NIC partners, with the potential to impact ninety colleges. NSCC will continue to mentor faculty on scaling elements of the model into programs at their institutions and will provide assistance with implementation efforts. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2032738 | Advanced Technological Education: Collaborative Outreach and Engagement to Communicate Impacts and Outcomes | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/11/2023 | Rachael Bower | bower@scout.wisc.edu | WI | University of Wisconsin-Madison | Continuing Grant | Virginia Carter | 01/01/2021 | 12/31/2026 | $1,912,542.00 | Edward Almasy | 21 N PARK ST STE 6301 | MADISON | WI | 537.151.218 | 6.082.623.822 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The National Science Foundation's Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program focuses on enhancing technician education in advanced technology fields. It emphasizes education/industry partnerships and supports projects based primarily at two-year institutions of higher education across the country. ATE encourages and supports these institutions to extend their leading roles in educating the skilled technical workforce. The community and collaborations built by this program have had an impressive and ongoing impact on the development of the nation’s skilled technical workforce. The ATE Impacts book showcases this impact by representing the diversity of programs, students, faculty, and industry partners supported and amplified by the ATE program. The need to share information about the impact of technician education is critical as outlined in the National Science Board’s 2019 report, “The Skilled Technical Workforce: Crafting America’s Science & Engineering Enterprise.” The report discusses the need to improve the message about technician education and “communicate the importance of the STW to our nation’s S&E enterprise, individual economic prosperity, national security, and US global competitiveness.” This project will showcase outstanding examples of how technical education and messages about skilled technical careers are changing. It will also help strengthen partnerships, encourage community building, and support outreach and dissemination within and beyond ATE. This project will develop a suite of deliverables designed to collect and share data about the impacts and outcomes of the ATE program, including the centers and projects the program funds and the valuable resources and activities these grantees develop and deploy. The project team will work collaboratively with the ATE community, the American Association of Community Colleges, Vox Television, and a project Advisory Board to help showcase the important role two-year community and technical colleges play in building the skilled technical workforce and provide evidence of the critical U.S. economic need for and impact of technician education, within and beyond ATE. The project will create the following set of deliverables: 1) Three new ATE Impacts print publications (2022, 2024, and 2026 editions), covering ATE centers and projects, their impacts, and the impacts of the whole ATE program; 2) Digital versions of the ATE Impacts editions, in both accessible PDF and interactive flipbook format; 3) Professionally-produced videos that illustrate individuals (student, faculty, industry partner) impacted by ATE, with a corresponding spread in the print and electronic publications; 4) An ATE Impacts Blog that will provide an ongoing series of examples from different segments of the ATE community, increasing the currency and relevance of the publications; 5) Audience- and subject-focused adaptable components to re-frame the ATE Impacts publication and blog content for use by ATE projects and centers and other stakeholders in outreach to specific audience segments; 6) A visual library that organizes the hundreds of photos gathered in the process of creating the ATE Impacts publications and makes them available for use by ATE projects and centers and others for promotional and educational use; 7) An ATE Impacts online portal to provide no-cost access to all of the deliverables. The content produced and managed for all of these deliverables will be offered and distributed under a Creative Commons license, to encourage maximum adoption, reuse, and impact. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2201932 | Amping Up Today’s Electric Drive Automotive Education - AMPED Technology Certification: Advanced Modules in Powered Electric Drive Technology Certification | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/03/2022 | Shannon Mohn | shannon.mohn@minnesota.edu | MN | Minnesota State Community & Techncial College | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 05/15/2022 | 04/30/2025 | $349,652.00 | Olle Gladso, Allan Lineburg | 1414 COLLEGE WAY | FERGUS FALLS | MN | 565.371.009 | 2.187.361.504 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Hybrid and electric vehicles currently represent 10 percent of the total market share of all vehicles on the road in the United States. The past twenty years have seen remarkable growth in this industry with expansion not only in the number of electric vehicles, but also the variety of engine types which include hybrid, fully electric, and plug-in electric. This rapid growth has created a need for trained automotive technicians in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) and Electric Vehicle (EV) platform technologies. Minnesota State Community and Technical College will meet this need by creating Open Educational Resources (OER) and two new stackable certificates that will enable current students, past graduates, and current industry technicians to advance their knowledge and capabilities to diagnose, service, repair, replace, and maintain these technologies. The college will create two new academic certificates and recruit current students and recent graduates from the Automotive Technology program. These certificates represent the kind of specialized training that regional employers have been seeking for their technicians. Minnesota State Community and Technical College will align their current program offerings to address trends in regional training and make them more accessible by creating Open Education Resources. In partnership with the Midwest Teachers of Technical and Industrial Areas (MTTIA), the team will provide training to secondary and post-secondary instructors in Hybrid and Electric Plug-In Technologies. The classes that support these new certificates will be developed at Minnesota State Community and Technical College and will be expanded to include Riverland College as a model for widespread dissemination. Equipment from this program includes a 125-kilowatt capable charging station that will simultaneously support public infrastructure and student training. Community based “Ride and Drive” events will be organized by students as community-based education events that will empower students to become ambassadors for the electric car revolution. An evaluation plan will measure the project’s ability to design and disseminate certificates that meet the needs of industry and provide a path to employment for students. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1836721 | AccessATE: Making Community College Technician Education More Accessible for Everyone | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/23/2021 | Rachael Bower | bower@scout.wisc.edu | WI | University of Wisconsin-Madison | Continuing Grant | Virginia Carter | 09/01/2018 | 08/31/2024 | $2,477,761.00 | Rory Cooper, Donna Lange, Edward Almasy, Sam Catherine Johnston | 21 N PARK ST STE 6301 | MADISON | WI | 537.151.218 | 6.082.623.822 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Research shows that including Universal Design concepts and accessibility standards makes learning resources more usable by those with disabilities and others, including non-native language speakers, low-literacy students, and seniors. Including University Design concepts at the beginning of the development process can increase the effectiveness of websites, curriculum, documents, and other resources. The Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program supports projects and centers that develop curricular materials, professional development materials, summer camps, and other resources for educating the skilled technical workforce. ATE Central archives materials developed by the ATE community and provides a open digital portal for finding and downloading these resources. Having well-designed, accessible resources in the ATE Central archive will enable those who adapt and adopt these materials to reach the broadest possible audience thus broadening the reach of STEM education and opportunities for STEM employment. The AccessATE project will help ATE grantees (and other STEM educators) understand the need for accessibility, particularly as it relates to the deliverables of their ATE projects and centers. It will provide them with support and solutions to meet these accessibility needs and challenges. Project deliverables will include: the AccessATE website, which will provide a platform and central data exchange point; an Accessibility Organization Directory; an Accessibility Tool Directory with a checklist to provide developers with points to consider and tasks to perform to ensure compliance of materials developed; and resources for accessible media creation and for supporting faculty in working with industry partners. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202011 | Increasing Student Retention and Recruitment through Alumni Programs, Speed Networking, and Industry Engagement | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/23/2023 | Linnea Fletcher | linneaf@austincc.edu | TX | Austin Community College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 09/01/2022 | 08/31/2025 | $541,118.00 | Karen Leung, Golnar Afshar, Melissa Robbins, Linnea Fletcher | 6101 HIGHLAND CAMPUS DR | AUSTIN | TX | 787.526.000 | 5.122.237.000 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project will drive community college student retention and recruitment in biotechnology fields by fostering mutually beneficial relationships between students, alumni, industry, and the community. The need for biotechnicians is increasing nationwide, requiring an ever-expanding pool of skilled biotechnicians. This project will focus on activities to develop and test methodologies to directly engage graduates of community college biotechnology programs in alumni networks and activities. These activities will expand awareness of biotechnology career pathways and build direct industry connections with community college biotechnology programs. These connections will be used to recruit and retain the next generation of skilled technicians. Methodologies will be tested and evaluated across three colleges from different regions of the United States: Austin Community College (TX), City College of San Francisco (CA) and Johnston Community College (NC). Over the 3 years of this project, the activities will include building connections between over 90 students and 45 industry professionals through alumni success stories and speed networking, to increase students’ sense of belonging, science identity, and career awareness. The project will document the career paths of the alumni to create career pathways for current students. These direct connections with industry will foster recruitment, retention, and placement of community college students in the biotechnology field. The methodologies and tools developed will be disseminated nationally to community college biotechnology programs and will likely be applicable to other disciplines. The goal of this project is to produce results-oriented methodologies and tools for recruitment and retention that focus on alumni engagement. This will be done through piloting speed networking events, creating “Scientist Spotlights'' and publishing “Alumni Success Stories” across the three colleges with different demographic, socio-economic and industry landscapes. To accomplish this, the project will 1) establish an alumni network to document alumni career pathways for the purpose of educating current and future students, and 2) develop employee and alumni outreach tools to increase alumni and industry engagement creating direct industry interactions between existing and potential community college students. Feedback from faculty and staff from all three colleges will be used to develop and embed these methodologies and tools into curricula. Community college biotechnology, biology, and chemistry students, as well as high school students, will be recruited to participate in the speed networking events to directly interact with alumni industry professionals. These events will provide current and future students relevant and relatable information that will encourage them to join and/or complete biotechnology programs. This will simultaneously provide alumni opportunities to re-engage with their program and give back to their community, creating a sustainable feedback loop for industry engagement with community college biotechnology programs. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2055607 | Dual Credit High School-Community College DNA Sequencing and Genomics Project | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/27/2023 | Joseph Oleniczak | jolenicz@austincc.edu | TX | Austin Community College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 05/15/2021 | 04/30/2024 | $448,382.00 | Kissaou Tchedre | 6101 HIGHLAND CAMPUS DR | AUSTIN | TX | 787.526.000 | 5.122.237.000 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The United States Biotechnology Industry has increasing demand for jobs based on DNA sequencing technology. The U.S. DNA sequencing market is estimated at $2.8 billion dollars for 2020 and on-track to grow to $5 billion by 2027, a compound annual growth rate of 16.6%. Biotechnicians with specialized training to run DNA sequencing instrumentation are needed to fill the jobs in this growing sector. Texas currently has 63 DNA sequencing facilities, 60 of which are located within 250 miles of this workforce education project. To fulfill industry needs for trained technicians in this field, Austin Community College will collaborate with the Austin Independent School District Liberal Arts and Science Academy High School to develop a DNA sequencing and genomics facility. The project will create an industry and research-based dual credit (high school and community college) academic program that focuses on DNA sequencing technology for entry-level biotechnician training. The project is designed to provide equitable access of underrepresented minority students to real-world workforce training. Students will learn laboratory techniques, have research experiences, develop job skills, receive industry-level instrumentation training, and be exposed to industry and academia as career pathways. As a result, the project team expects the project will lay the academic and technical foundation for high school and two-year community college students to enter the biotechnician workforce. The project will provide research-based, hands-on, and real-world workforce experience for two-year community college and dual credit high school and biotechnology students by providing access to industry-level DNA sequencing technology. The project aims to increase the recruitment, retention, and certificate completion rates for traditionally underrepresented minority students in biotechnician training programs by establishing on-campus industry and academia mentored research internships. Project goals are: 1) Instrumentation acquisition of industry-level DNA sequencing technologies to establish a dual credit, high school campus-based DNA sequencing and genomics facility; 2) Modifications and updates to course curricula for the Level-I Certificate in Biotechnology from Austin Community College to include DNA sequencing and genomics technology instrumentation technician competencies and opportunities for authentic student-led research mentored by industry and academic partners; 3) Program development through establishing a DNA sequencing and genomics research-based industry and academic internship mentor network for dual credit high school biotechnology students to increase the recruitment, retention, and certificate completion rates for traditionally underrepresented minority students in STEM biotechnician training programs; and 4) Development of partnerships within the InnovATEBIO National Center member network to support the DNA sequencing and genomics technician training needs of this community and to broadly disseminate the findings of this project. The project will engage biotechnology students in authentic student-driven DNA sequencing research while working with biotechnology industry professionals, high school teachers, community college faculty, and university researchers. Furthermore, the project expects to establish best practices in workforce training in this critical area. It will disseminate project outcomes nationally as a scalable model for other high school and higher education institutions looking to create similar academic programs in DNA sequencing technology technician training. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000799 | Collaborative Research: Identifying and Investigating Pathways and Critical Junctures in Two-Year Information Technology Programs | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/06/2023 | Marcia Mardis | mmardis@fsu.edu | FL | Florida State University | Standard Grant | Connie Della-Piana | 08/01/2020 | 07/31/2025 | $643,131.00 | Faye Jones | 874 TRADITIONS WAY | TALLAHASSEE | FL | 323.060.001 | 8.506.445.260 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This research and development project aims to design and test a method for understanding the pathways students take through college and into careers in information technology. Specifically, the project will gather data about former students, including institutional data (such as grades) and information from surveys and interviews. The data will include information about students who completed the program, who did not complete the program, and who changed programs or transferred to other institutions. These data will be analyzed to identify potential pathways and critical junctions that may lead to student success or other outcomes. The research team from Tallahassee Community College and Florida State University expect that this approach will reveal opportunities and hindrances students face as they pursue credentials in information technology. This project aims to test the potential of integrating institutional data with phenomenological data to model student progression through post-secondary STEM programs, specifically information technology. Framed by Tinto’s model of student attrition and persistence, it will use a mixed methods sequential exploratory design with multiple layers of data collection and analyses that merge and examine institutional data and alumni phenomenological experiential data. It expects that this analysis will identify and verify influencers that support or hinder student success. Quantitative data analyses will consist of descriptive and comparative methods, which will be verified and informed by open coding and thematic analysis of the qualitative data. The systematic investigation of institutional and phenomenological data has the potential to: (1) generate practical knowledge about academic/career pathways in information technology for use by stakeholders; (2) identify and examine relationships among these pathways, students experiences, and psychosocial factors; and (3) add to the analytical methods available to institutional research professionals to document, investigate, and visualize student pathway information using data dashboards. Four Florida community colleges that collectively serve rural and urban student populations (Pensacola State College, Florida State College at Jacksonville, Chipola College, and Gulf Coast State College) will pilot test the efficacy and usefulness of the method for modeling and visualizing their students’ college and career pathways. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2034255 | Manufacturing Talent Development Innovation Laboratory: A Workshop for Manufacturing USA Institute Workforce Development Stakeholders | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 11/02/2023 | Fazleena Badurdeen | badurdeen@engr.uky.edu | KY | University of Kentucky Research Foundation | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 08/01/2020 | 10/31/2024 | $49,999.00 | 500 S LIMESTONE | LEXINGTON | KY | 405.260.001 | 8.592.579.420 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 7556, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The Manufacturing USA Institutes were created to be innovators in technology research and development, thus, supporting integration of novel and advanced technologies into U.S. industries. Additionally, each Manufacturing USA Institute was tasked with an education and workforce development mission. This mission involves alignment of industry, academia, and government to strengthen the U.S. workforce's advanced technical skills in support of U.S. global leadership in advanced manufacturing. This project will organize a conference that brings together eight of the Education and Workforce Development Directors along with regional strategic partners. The aim of this convening will be to establish innovative career and technical education pathways for educating the skilled technical workforce needed as industry implements new technologies. The conference outcomes will inform the career and technical education communities, Manufacturing USA Institutes, and the U.S. Advanced Manufacturing industries of best practices and models for educating the skilled technical workforce. This is a joint project between the Departments of Education and Defense and the National Science Foundation. The overall goal is to assist the Manufacturing USA Institutes to become drivers of regional economic development as they implement best practices and models to educate domestic talent to ensure U.S. manufacturing competitiveness. The conference will bring together region-based teams from eight of the Manufacturing USA Institutes to: 1) identify/help formulate the value proposition for targeted organizations to partner with the institutes for region-specific manufacturing workforce development; 2) identify the skills demanded by the regional manufacturing economies, expected growth in the demand and occupations that can meet the skill requirements; 3) determine the regional operational patterns of the manufacturing workforce demand distribution between large vs. small/midsized enterprises ; 4) determine strategies to involve the entire talent development pipeline; 5) identify additional organizations and agencies to recruit for formal and informal relationships; 6) explore innovative approaches to increase the effectiveness of technician education and training; and 7) establish best practices to utilize regional workforce development resources. Conference outcomes will include action plans from each participating Manufacturing USA Institute aimed at achieving the above objectives. These plans will be disseminated to the entire Manufacturing USA Institute community as well as the career and technical education communities that include both secondary and post-secondary institutions. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2037809 | Exploring the Strategies Used by Two-year Colleges to Support Academic Continuity in STEM Education During the COVID-19 Crisis | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/20/2022 | Kapil Chalil Madathil | kmadath@clemson.edu | SC | Clemson University | Standard Grant | Connie Della-Piana | 10/01/2020 | 09/30/2024 | $483,055.00 | Jonathan Beck, Eliza Gallagher, Rebecca Short | 201 SIKES HALL | CLEMSON | SC | 296.340.001 | 8.646.562.424 | EDU | 741200 | 096Z, 1032, 9178, 9251, SMET | 0,00 | Like other institutions of higher education, two-year institutions in the United States responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by using virtual instruction to provide academic continuity. Many of these institutions turned to the use of Digital Learning Tools, such as e-curricula, e-learning simulations and laboratories, and virtual reality modules. This pivot to online learning is expected to mitigate the disruption in the education of highly skilled professionals for the technical manufacturing workforce. The project team will examine the immediate e-learning response of two-year institutions to the COVID-19 crisis by investigating the use of Digital Learning Tools, specifically the e-curricula/materials and virtual reality simulations and laboratories developed by the NSF-funded Center for Aviation and Automotive Technological Education Using Virtual E-Schools (CA2VES) project. The goal of the project is to better understand the immediate e-learning responses of two-year institutions to the COVID-19 crisis, as well as the impact of these responses. Working closely with the South Carolina Technical College System and the National Center for Autonomous Technologies, the Clemson University-based research team will conduct a sequential exploratory research study that applies the Resilience Engineering Framework and the Technology Acceptance Model to address four research questions: 1) What demands were placed on two-year college educators during the rapid pandemic response? 2) What barriers to adoption and integration of e-learning resources did educators and students experience? 3) What strategies did administrators, educators, and students employ during the rapid transition? 4) What adaptations to e-learning do educators and students anticipate in the immediate future because of the COVID-19 pandemic? The mixed methods study will investigate the demands placed on instructors, students, and administrators to understand the barriers in adopting and integrating e-learning resources into manufacturing programs by conducting field studies. Based on the field studies, the project team will develop and administer a national survey to document and examine the national landscape for strategies employed in the rapid transition to online learning. The research team will systematically analyze and integrate quantitative and qualitative data to inform the development of evidence-based guidelines to strengthen academic continuity and the e-learning ecosystem. They will disseminate research findings to a broad audience of stakeholders to guide effective rapid educational transitions under disruptive conditions. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000773 | Expanding Pathways for Advanced Manufacturing Technicians in West Virginia | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/15/2020 | Adam Bridendolph | ABRIDEND@blueridgectc.edu | WV | Blue Ridge Community & Technical College | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 10/01/2020 | 09/30/2024 | $453,597.00 | Laura Busey, Patricia Irwin | 13650 APPLE HARVEST DR | MARTINSBURG | WV | 254.036.043 | 3.042.604.380 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Blue Ridge Community and Technical College has a unique geographical location spanning rural communities to the west and more suburban areas of Maryland and Virginia to the east. For many years, this location was relatively isolated and faced economic challenges common to much of Appalachia. Recently, manufacturing-related employment in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia is growing rapidly as companies expand operations or open new facilities. Building on an existing partnership with regional industry, this project aims to provide technical education in advanced manufacturing to address industry workforce needs in the region. Specifically, this project will develop a dual credit program in advanced manufacturing, so that high school students can earn both high school and college credits as they pursue advanced manufacturing credentials. The project will also develop a gateway mathematics course to help prepare students for college mathematics. These enhancements in the STEM educational infrastructure and advanced manufacturing pathways are expected to expand technical career opportunities for low income students in the West Virginia eastern panhandle region. The primary objectives of this project are to expand the college’s Advanced Manufacturing Technology program to include high school students and to improve completion, retention, and enrollment of students in the program. Project activities that will be used to achieve these objectives include: 1) implementing Math JumpStart and intensive advising to strengthen specific STEM skills for high school students and young adults; 2) developing new hybrid advanced manufacturing courses to expand pathways for students employed either full- or part-time and in need of specific STEM skills enhancement; and 3) equipping a new lab facility at the Pines Center in Morgan County to enable experiential learning aligned with real-life employment experiences at regional manufacturing partners. Industry will be engaged with the project through regional industry conferences and meetings of the Industry Advisory Committee. Outreach activities to recruit more students will focus on high schools, community organizations, and local government offices. Project outcomes will be evaluated through a formative and summative evaluation design using data about project outcomes from surveys, focus groups, and aggregated college data. A primary public benefit of this project is increased access to technical careers for students from households with generational poverty, thus supporting upward economic mobility. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2300378 | Developing Computational Adversarial Thinking: Bridging Technical Skills Training and Academic Coursework | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/08/2023 | Christian Servin | cservin1@epcc.edu | TX | El Paso County Community College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 07/01/2023 | 06/30/2026 | $349,990.00 | Nadia Karichev | 9050 VISCOUNT BLVD | EL PASO | TX | 799.256.511 | 9.158.316.511 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The national shortage of software developers who lack basic cybersecurity skills is well-documented. This shortage is a result of a divergence between career technical education and traditional academic degree paths. On the one hand, many IT professionals understand the technical aspects of cybersecurity, from installing firewalls to forensics, but require additional software development skills. On the other hand, computer scientists/developers (i.e., those who have pursued standard academic training) understand software development but lack adversarial thinking (AT) skills. The goal of this project is to increase cyber awareness by helping students to develop AT skills. This project will investigate the impact of using AT in introductory computing courses for computer science and non-computer science majors. By infusing AT education in computing programs at the community and technical college level, this project will enhance the first two years of education in computing and increase the number of qualified software developers in the borderland of El Paso, Texas. This project will address the minimal emphasis on AT knowledge and skills in the fundamentals of computer science courses by infusing AT and analytics within the curriculum and developing extracurricular activities to provide community practice through experiential learning. New initiatives include the development of a computer science course for non-majors that will introduce AT in a multidisciplinary environment; the infusion of AT modules in the fundamentals of computer science courses; professional development opportunities for students, instructional assistants, and professionals to learn about AT concepts in computing; and the development of student competitions (also known as Hackathons). This project will provide novel pedagogical teaching based on AT and analytics as an extension of computational thinking. Best practices and content material will be shared in a public repository, accessible to educators worldwide. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2300967 | Pathways for a Process Operations Technology Education Program for the Liquefied Natural Gas Industry | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 01/17/2024 | Nicholas Cram | nicholas.cram@tstc.edu | TX | Texas State Technical College | Standard Grant | Kalyn Owens | 06/01/2023 | 05/31/2026 | $637,016.00 | Erica Griffin, Kathryn Robinson | 3801 CAMPUS DRIVE | WACO | TX | 767.051.607 | 2.548.674.800 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national interest by developing and implementing an updated Process Operations Technology (PRO) program to prepare students for high-demand technical careers in the Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) industry. Targeted occupations include petroleum pump system operator, refinery operator, chemical plant and system operators, refrigeration specialists and gas plant operators. Texas is home to seven LNG export facilities that are in use, under construction, or in the planning stages and will eventually support 70,000 jobs in the region. Importantly, this project will build on prior work to redesign the PRO program into a flexible and accessible statewide model to address the needs of industry and employers in the East Texas region. This approach will provide students with increasingly flexible opportunities and pathways to obtain the necessary training to enter and be successful in the LNG industry. Ultimately, this project intends to contribute to the training of a highly skilled workforce for this rapidly growing industry and serve as a model in the region for how to develop flexible technical education pathways that meet student needs. Texas State Technical College will collaborate with local industry to achieve the primary goal of increasing the quality and number of highly skilled technicians in the LNG industry through the implementation of an innovative and flexible Process Operations Technology (PRO) program. This will be accomplished through the following activities: 1) partnering with industry to undergo a statewide curriculum alignment process of the PRO program courses to standardize curriculum and learning outcomes, 2) upgrading of instructional equipment to provide flexible, and accessible training in an open lab environment, and 3) combining a performance-based online instructional model with an innovative flexible career pathway approach featuring multiple entry/multiple exit (MEME) points. The project team aims to enroll a minimum of one hundred students over the three-year project period of which fifty students will graduate with either an AAS degree or an industry recognized certificate. A formal evaluation will be conducted to assess project activities and outcomes with a focus on contributing to the body of knowledge on flexible technical education pathways for preparing skilled technicians to be successful in the science and engineering technical workforce. As a result, this project has the potential to provide a model for the technical education community for how to transition from the traditional didactic contact hour format to a flexible career pathway format with a stair-step approach that promotes student retention and career-placement success. The team aims to immediately expand the project to other campuses located in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, the Texas Gulf Coast, West Texas, and the Rio Grande Valley through hybrid courses and other targeted dissemination efforts. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2055480 | Building a Career Pathway from High School into the Workforce for Skilled Technicians in Electrical, Industrial, and Process Engineering Technology | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/22/2021 | Kenie Moses | kmoses@susla.edu | LA | Southern University at Shreveport | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 05/01/2021 | 04/30/2025 | $299,799.00 | Barry Hester, Fred Lacy | 3050 DR MARTIN LUTHER KING DR | SHREVEPORT | LA | 711.074.704 | 3.186.709.312 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Engineering and manufacturing industries have a growing demand for workforce-ready technicians. To help fill this need, Southern University at Shreveport intends to provide critical technical education that enables students to develop industry-needed skills. To do so, this project will build an educational pathway that spans from high school to the workforce, and that provides multiple entry points into engineering and manufacturing technician careers. The project will strengthen collaboration among academic and industry stakeholders to decrease time to degree for workforce-ready technicians in Electrical, Industrial, and Process Engineering Technology. The new academic pathway will include dual enrollment options for high school students that can result in a technical certificate and can be applied to two- and four-year degrees in Engineering Technology. This project intends to accelerate students’ academic and technical skills to fill middle-skill jobs, thus preparing skilled STEM graduates to contribute to the nation’s productivity and innovation. In this project, Southern University at Shreveport intends to address the local and national workforce shortage for engineering technicians, the absence of underrepresented populations, and the need to strengthen their collaborative network to support student success. The project will leverage four dual enrollment courses through which high school students will be able to earn a Certificate in Engineering Technology. Certificate completers will be able to transfer their credits as they enter any of three Southern University System colleges in Louisiana. Professional development for high school and community college faculty will allow for course revisions that will further align learning outcomes with employer expectations. Southern University at Shreveport expects to maintain a strong enrollment of students in their Engineering Technology programs by offering a summer bridge activity, internships, and mentorship opportunities. Project outcomes will be shared through regional and national conferences as well as through the Advanced Technical Education Central repository. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2018198 | Broadening Institutional Participation in the NSF Advanced Technological Education Program | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/14/2020 | Kevin Cooper | kcooper@irsc.edu | FL | Indian River State College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 05/15/2020 | 04/30/2025 | $3,610,655.00 | David Brown, Rassoul Dastmozd | 3209 VIRGINIA AVE | FORT PIERCE | FL | 349.815.541 | 7.724.624.703 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The National Science Foundations' Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program has supported many U.S. community colleges to collaborate with industry in developing educational programs for the nation's skilled technical workforce. This project aims to broaden the diversity of institutions supported by the ATE program. Specifically, the project aims to catalyze submissions of ATE proposals from 45 two-year institutions that have not previously or not recently received ATE funding. The project will mentor and support the colleges to generate ideas for projects and to develop the infrastructure, knowledge, and expertise that are needed to submit high-quality proposals to ATE and to other NSF funding programs. By providing access to well-paying careers as skilled technicians, growth of community college STEM programs can help increase social mobility, as well as advance diversity and inclusion in the nation's STEM enterprise. This project aims to encourage the participating community and technical colleges to submit proposals to the ATE program, as a source of funding to innovate and grow STEM programs in advanced technological areas. In this effort, the project will engage the college Presidents and Boards of Trustees, to leverage their influence on the efforts to pursue ATE funding. The project will support capacity building at each participating college, assisting the college to develop the infrastructure needed to submit proposals to NSF and to manage NSF awards. The project team will work with local faculty and staff to help them identify growth opportunities within their institutions and region, and to prepare proposals to support these opportunities. Through its activities, the project team expects to support innovation and growth in technology areas that might otherwise be neglected, thus supporting existing and emerging industry needs for a skilled technical workforce. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1901984 | InnovATEBIO National Biotechnology Education Center | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/27/2023 | Linnea Fletcher | linneaf@austincc.edu | TX | Austin Community College | Standard Grant | R. Corby Hovis | 10/01/2019 | 09/30/2024 | $7,896,901.00 | Thomas Tubon, Russ Read, James Hewlett, David Micklos, Sandra Porter | 6101 HIGHLAND CAMPUS DR | AUSTIN | TX | 787.526.000 | 5.122.237.000 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 7556, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The InnovATEBIO National Biotechnology Education Center will address the need to educate highly skilled technicians for the nation's biotechnology workforce. Toward this goal, InnovATEBIO will provide leadership in biotechnology technician education, including support for development and sharing of best practices in biotechnology workforce development. In addition, the Center will promote local and national economic development of the biotechnology industry and help accelerate innovation in biotechnology and associated fields. The Center will focus on biotechnology technician education across the country, with a specific focus on strengthening the connections between high school and community college biotechnology programs. It will actively reach out to all students, including women and students from economically challenged, underrepresented, first generation college, and/or rural backgrounds. Project activities will foster collaboration and mentoring to accelerate development of community college faculty leadership and promote collaboration with industry. The Center will work with industry to gain recognition for biotechnology programs and the educational institutions that offer these programs, so that the entire biotechnology community sees the merits of educational programs and values them. The evaluation activities of the Center will gather the information needed to understand the present status of biotechnology education and the future trends in the field. To serve the national biotechnology community, InnovATEBIO will build a diverse network of educators, students, alumni, and industry partners, including incubators, trade organizations, and professional societies. These partners will work synergistically to build or improve technician education programs so that the programs meet the needs of students, institutions, the biotechnology industry, and the communities that support them. Through its outreach activities, the Center will increase knowledge and awareness of the biotechnology field across all sectors. A major activity of InnovATEBIO will be developing supply chain hubs that engage high school and community college students to produce and use the products necessary for an excellent hands-on biotechnology education. Another activity will develop open educational resources that will be available at no cost to educators around the country. Training and mentoring of faculty will ensure these resources are used effectively and broadly. Through these activities, InnovATEBIO will achieve the following goals: (1) develop a collaborative infrastructure that supports innovation, and promptly addresses the changing needs of the biotechnology community; (2) coordinate and leverage outputs from ATE-funded biotechnology projects; (3) identify opportunities to generate partnerships and collaborations that accelerate innovation in biotechnology education; (4) monitor and address emerging biotechnology industry and technician workforce trends; and (5) develop a regional outreach and mentoring infrastructure to broadly engage underserved populations in biotechnology labs and related emerging technologies. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202092 | A Collaborative Cybersecurity Analysis Certification Program | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/07/2022 | Matthew Gonzalez | matthewgonzalez@ucwv.edu | WV | University of Charleston | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 09/01/2022 | 08/31/2025 | $216,189.00 | John Barnette | 2300 MACCORKLE AVE SE | CHARLESTON | WV | 253.041.045 | 3.043.574.800 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | To meet workforce demands crucial to the Nation’s security and sustained economic development, this project will develop an educational and career pipeline for the regional and national cybersecurity workforce. Three West Virginia educational institutions: BridgeValley Community and Technical College, the Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College, and the University of Charleston, will work together to develop and launch a four-course, two-semester Security Analysis (SA) Certificate program. The program will be offered virtually and in-person and will target veterans, military-connected adult learners, and high school students from West Virginia’s rural and economically depressed southern counties. The goals of the project include: (1) building a sustainable educational and career pipeline for critically needed cyber specialists, and (2) growing a capable and trained workforce of cyber specialists with security abilities and skills vital to national security within West Virginia and across the country. The three institutions share relationships with regional hiring organizations and have been independently attentive to industry workforce needs. Combining efforts and streamlining recruiting and co-curricular activities will improve each institution’s cybersecurity and information technology academic offerings, and will create a pipeline across state, regional, and national sectors. In addition to the ATE community, the project team will share best practices and outcomes across technical, industrial, and military networks. The project team will work with the state’s First2 Network, an NSF INCLUDES program focused on increasing STEM academic offerings to first-generation students, and TechConnect West Virginia, a statewide organization promoting innovative research and workforce growth by partnering with businesses and regional stakeholders. Evaluation of the project consists of a constructive and collaborative adaptation of the “Input, Outputs, and Outcome” model. The evaluation will provide an outside, independent perspective on the effectiveness of the project and SA Certificate program. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1956274 | Increasing Student Enrollment, Education, and Employment in Chemical Technology | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/13/2020 | Tracy Holbrook | tholbrook@cfcc.edu | NC | Cape Fear Community College | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 05/15/2020 | 04/30/2024 | $470,415.00 | 411 N FRONT ST | WILMINGTON | NC | 284.013.910 | 9.103.627.000 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Chemical technicians have vital roles in the manufacture and improvement of many consumer products, ranging from shampoos, cereal, and engine oil, to new medicines. They work in industrial facilities such as chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing plants, environmental laboratories, forensic chemistry labs, and the food and beverage industry. These technicians are typically trained in chemical technology programs. Despite the essential roles of chemical technicians in the national workforce, many people are unaware of either the career possibilities in chemical technology or the chemical technology education programs across the nation. This project plans to strengthen the Colleges’ Associate of Applied Science in Chemical Technology program so that it is more visible and accessible to students, including students from groups that are underrepresented in STEM, veterans, and students with General Education Development credentials. The project also intends to educate local employers, high school teachers, and high school students about the chemical technology field and its opportunities. To achieve these goals, the project plans to develop new partnerships and collaborations, prepare educational materials and approaches that explain the roles of chemical technicians in science and society, increase interest in Associate of Applied Science degrees, and clarify the need for more skilled technical workers. Expected outcomes include an increase in STEM teacher awareness of the chemical technology field and educational pathways, a larger number of students who have experiences in the chemical technology laboratory and its career paths, and expanded hiring of graduates with Associate of Applied Science in Chemical Technology graduates. This project aims to advance the recruitment efforts of the chemical technology program, to incorporate STEM teaching practices that maximize student learning in this advanced technology trade, and to educate the public about this high-demand advanced technology field. Activities supported by the project will focus on serving potential students and career influencers, such as teachers, faculty, counselors, and administrators. Project activities include: (1) implementing a summer STEM teacher academy to provide educators with experiences in chemical laboratory sciences and the career possibilities for chemical technology graduates; (2) hosting an annual high school student academy where students can use advanced analytical equipment and learn about the chemical technology profession; (3) establishing a new work-based learning agreement that will allow Cape Fear Community College’s Chemical Technology laboratory to serve as an on-boarding facility for employers, thus fast-tracking student employment after graduation; and (4) hiring a liaison who will focus on student recruitment, student retention, and employer awareness throughout the state of North Carolina. These activities are expected to support the project plan of recruitment, enrollment, employment of students into the chemical technology workforce. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 1955139 | Water and Environmental Technology Education for Rural Small Water Systems | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 11/09/2022 | James Nurmi | jamesn@clackamas.edu | OR | Clackamas Community College | Standard Grant | Keith Sverdrup | 07/01/2020 | 06/30/2024 | $285,489.00 | Jeff Ennenga, Abe Fouhy | 19600 MOLALLA AVE | OREGON CITY | OR | 970.458.980 | 5.036.576.958 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Access to clean water is uniquely crucial for health and economic prosperity of all human communities. Efficient production of enough potable water for an increasing population requires technicians with specialized knowledge and skills. Well over 90% of US public water systems serve fewer than 10,000 people and are classified by the Environmental Protection Agency as Rural Small Water Systems. Because of retirements and use of new technologies, the rural water industry has a growing need for new technicians who are skilled in these new technologies. Filling this need is complicated by chronic challenges in providing equitable education and training opportunities to rural residents. This project will address the need for Rural Small Water Systems technicians by providing an educational model that is designed to serve a rural population. Specifically, this project plans to develop online instructional modules to educate rural water technicians who have the knowledge and skills required by a modernizing industry. Through distance learning strategies, the project will also enable practicing rural technicians to build or update their skills. The rural small water system curriculum will cover the spectrum of knowledge and skills needed to ensure the proper installation, inspection, maintenance, repair, management, and operation of successful small public water systems. The project will develop 20 online instructional modules that address advanced knowledge and skills not currently fully covered in the existing Water and Environmental Technology program. These modules will be integrated into six current Water and Environmental courses and fully online versions of the courses will be developed. These changes are expected to better serve students who live and work beyond commuting reach, as well as working technicians who seek additional education from rural locations. The modules will include video presentations, technical documents, and virtual field experiences. This work will be done in consultation with industry partners, the Advanced Technology Environmental Education Center, and the Regional Center for Nuclear Education and Training, thus leveraging existing knowledge and resources that include expertise in online and virtual education. All modules will be available nationwide to other educational programs and to industries for training purposes. Representatives of the region’s water industries have agreed to work with the project personnel to ensure that the modules address their needs for technical knowledge and skills. It is expected that this online module-based training platform can serve as a model for other programs interested in reaching rural students and meeting rural needs. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2301204 | Success In Mathematics through Project-based Learning Experiences | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 11/02/2023 | Tim Haynes | thaynes@indycc.edu | KS | Independence Community College | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 10/01/2023 | 09/30/2026 | $233,905.00 | Allen Shockley, Brian Southworth | 1057 W COLLEGE AVE | INDEPENDENCE | KS | 673.018.556 | 3.163.314.100 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | A growing number of American industries have voiced a need for a large pool of skilled technicians to fill available and emerging jobs in a variety of economic sectors. Community Colleges are uniquely suited to align with regional industries to train the skilled technical workforce. Many career and technical education (CTE) courses require pre-requisite mathematics courses that have been a barrier for students. There is a well-documented fear of mathematics that has been shown to keep otherwise capable students from pursuing degrees and certificates in CTE programs. Independence Community College (ICC) will use an evidence-based, hands-on approach that will leverage the capabilities of a 3D fabrication lab to provide context for CTE specific mathematics courses. Through active learning strategies, the team will encourage students to embrace relevant connections between mathematical concepts and skills that are essential in fields like advanced manufacturing. Independence Community College will establish a Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT) to further guide and contextualize mathematics content to address the needs of regional employers. Over the three-year period, ICC expects to increase success rates in mathematics courses, and persistence rates in CTE programs. Two parallel strategies that inform this project are: 1) the establishment of a BILT, and 2) utilization of an on-campus Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) certified fabrication laboratory to contextualize mathematics instruction using active learning strategies. In addition to curriculum guidance, the BILT will augment CTE programs with mock interviews, guest lectures, and other personalized interactions. The ICC fabrication laboratory will make use of their digital fabrication equipment, design software, and studio space to add context to traditional mathematics instruction for students in CTE programs. The ICC Fab Lab is a member of the International Fab Lab network, originally initiated by MIT. The Fab Lab manager at ICC will work with ICC’s mathematics instructors to develop curricula that aligns with skills desired by regional industry, and the natural curiosity of students. Successful practices from this project will be disseminated throughout the state, and beyond through the International Fab Lab network. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2054990 | Establishing a Hub to Support Education of Biomanufacturing Technicians in Cell Therapy and Immunotherapy | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/15/2022 | Louise Petruzzella | lpetruzzella2@shoreline.edu | WA | Shoreline Community College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 05/15/2021 | 04/30/2025 | $426,886.00 | Thomas Hamilton, Naida Chalupny | 16101 GREENWOOD AVE N | SHORELINE | WA | 981.335.667 | 2.065.464.717 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Recent innovations have enabled development of new therapies that reengineer the body’s immune system. These therapies include medical treatments with bioengineered cells (cell therapy) and medical treatments with drugs or other molecules that alter immune system function (immunotherapy). With the rapid development of these therapies, the U.S. biopharmaceutical industry has made major advancements toward curing some of society’s most devastating cancers and diseases. Manufacture of these therapies requires large numbers of skilled biomanufacturing technicians. Yet, due to the relative novelty of the relevant manufacturing processes, there are few community college training programs that focus on biomanufacturing of cell/immunotherapies. As a result, the U.S. has a significant workforce shortage for biomanufacturing technicians with these skills. With this award, Shoreline Community College proposes to develop a Cell/Immunotherapy Hub, with the goal of increasing the number of skilled biomanufacturing technicians in this sector. These technicians will help fill regional and national workforce shortages in the rapidly expanding field of cell/immunotherapy production. This workforce is essential for maintaining national health, security, and economic growth. The project team will build on knowledge generated from its past initiatives to advance the groundbreaking innovations in cell and immunotherapies. The project has three goals: 1) develop comprehensive labor market and skills-gap analysis of cell/immunotherapy technicians on a national level; 2) develop best-practices for outreach and pipeline development to include people from underrepresented groups and high school students in these careers; and 3) become a knowledge-source and catalyst for other community colleges to develop cell/immunotherapy technician education programs and curriculum. These efforts will contribute to a diverse biomanufacturing workforce equipped with the knowledge and expertise to meet the demands of the cell/immunotherapy biomanufacturing industry. The project will deliver high school teacher workshops to ensure that youth are aware of the technologies and related career opportunities. It intends to produce outreach and recruitment materials focused on individuals from groups that have been disproportionally impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The project will disseminate findings to high schools, community colleges, and industry stakeholders nationally. Not only will this work improve the skills and advancement opportunities for technicians in the biomanufacturing industry, but it has the potential to accelerate the competitiveness of the rapidly growing U.S. cell/immunotherapy sector and the production of curative medicines for deadly diseases. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2201439 | Educating Autonomous Vehicle Technicians | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/26/2023 | Olle Gladso | olle.gladso@riverland.edu | MN | Minnesota Riverland Technical College (Austin Campus) | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 05/15/2022 | 04/30/2025 | $348,486.00 | JACK LONGRESS, Shannon Mohn, Scott Swelland, Genaro Duarte | 1900 8TH AVE NW | AUSTIN | MN | 559.121.473 | 5.074.330.364 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Riverland Community College (RCC) in Minnesota is the home of an Automotive Service Excellence Education Foundation with an accredited Automotive Service Technology Program that has served the region for several decades. To meet the need for automotive technicians with appropriate skills in driver assistance and autonomous vehicles, RCC will improve outcomes for students as they complete their academic programs and enter the workforce. This program will graduate Automotive Technicians with Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) and Autonomous Vehicle (AV) expertise. The project will leverage a recently renovated space that includes a 30,000 square foot building. The project will provide professional development, procure essential equipment, modify existing courses, and add new curriculum that will advance the skills of current and future automotive technicians with an Autonomous Vehicle Technician Advanced Certificate. Over the course of four semesters students will participate in training that will cover essential topics in AV and ADAS repair and maintenance. Utilizing new and existing relationships, the project will establish an Advisory Board that will ensure the transferability of skills between the classroom and the workplace. Instructors will develop and adapt curriculum relevant to ADAS and AV in cooperation with academic partners and collaborating automotive ATE projects and Centers across the country. This project will make the program more adaptable and responsive to rapidly evolving industry needs and will have more appeal to technologically advanced students. Through targeted outreach, the project will engage under-served populations to promote awareness and increase the diversity of the automotive technology workforce. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2055344 | Emerging Cloud Hub Opportunities (ECHO) | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 01/10/2023 | Norge Pena Perez | npenaper@mdc.edu | FL | Miami Dade College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 05/01/2021 | 04/30/2025 | $599,181.00 | Elodie Billionniere, Zhiqi Zhang, Ernesto Lee, Mindy Knowles | 245 NE 4TH ST BLDG 3000 | MIAMI | FL | 331.322.206 | 3.052.373.910 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The goal of this project is to address local and regional workforce needs by increasing the number of certified advanced cloud computing technicians from the region. Cloud computing is a rapidly growing field that continues to change the nature of the information technology industry. Cloud-based solutions allow businesses to scale computing services to fit their needs and the needs of their users, while saving thousands of dollars on computing infrastructure costs and maintenance. As more businesses transition to cloud-based computing solutions, there is a critical need for an advanced cloud-computing workforce. To meet these needs, the project team will develop a new College Credit Certificate with advanced technical certifications in cloud-based technology. This project will serve a population of students who are predominantly low-income and minoritized. As a result, it has the potential to increase the number of certified cloud computing technicians from underrepresented groups. This project will enhance advanced cloud and multi-cloud technology education by providing faculty with professional development opportunities that include obtaining cloud certifications from prominent Cloud platforms, creating a new advanced college-credit certificate with advanced technical certifications for students and working technicians, and encouraging collaboration through the virtual networking summit Cloud on Demand Series. In this project, Miami Dade College will partner with leading cloud solutions providers such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and IBM Cloud to provide access, technical support, and training to faculty and students. The project aims to advance and share knowledge about student success and upskilling of STEM students at Hispanic-serving institutions. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1902437 | Mobile Additive Manufacturing Platform for 21st Century STEM Workforce Enhancement | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/25/2019 | Eric Wooldridge | eric.wooldridge@kctcs.edu | KY | Kentucky Community & Technical College System | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 10/01/2019 | 09/30/2024 | $588,340.00 | Ismail Fidan, Elaine Kohrman | 300 N MAIN ST | VERSAILLES | KY | 403.831.245 | 8.592.563.397 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Additive manufacturing (3D printing) has become an increasingly common manufacturing production method. As a result, industries in eastern Kentucky and Tennessee have begun to shift their production to additive manufacturing. However, this region has a shortage in the skilled technicians needed to meet the resulting workforce demands. Also, manufacturers and potential workers in rural and underserved areas in this region might benefit from increased awareness of the advantages that additive manufacturing can provide. In this project, Somerset Community College (Kentucky) and Tennessee Technological University will work together to help address these workforce and education needs. Specifically, this project aims to help educate a new generation of qualified employees for the region's manufacturing workforce. To achieve this goal, the project partners will update the curriculum for an existing certificate in additive manufacturing to include advanced concepts and design methods for 3D printing. A mobile equipment platform for additive manufacturing will also be developed. This mobile additive manufacturing platform will enable learning activities in additive manufacturing to be brought to high schools, community colleges, and workplaces across the region. Through these efforts, the project aims to help the regional population and companies to become more familiar with additive manufacturing, and to create a generalizable approach that can be adapted by other rural communities. The project will also provide pathways for more community college students and workers to obtain credentials in additive manufacturing. The overarching goal of the project is to enhance workforce development opportunities in additive manufacturing for high school students, community college students, incumbent workers, and manufacturers in underserved regions of Kentucky and Tennessee. Two courses will be developed to include advancements in powder-based printer and metal printer applications. These courses will be integrated into the existing curriculum for the 3D Printing Technician-Level 1 certificate at the institutions. These courses will cover topics such as improved product topology, metal sintering production, advanced composite materials, and generative design concepts and techniques. Customized curriculum on these topics will also be developed and offered in workshops for high school students and incumbent workers. A mobile additive manufacturing platform will be designed to provide hands-on learning experiences using high-grade industrial materials and state-of-the-art 3D printing equipment. The use of this transportable equipment will enable students and incumbent workers across the region to directly interact with a full range of production techniques and capabilities. The project team will study the effectiveness of this mobile educational delivery method in achieving desired learning objectives and benchmark the results against traditional educational approaches. The project materials, best practices, and results will be shared on the project website, through Advanced Technological Education Centers, and at regional and national venues. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2054801 | Improving Technician Training in Automation Technologies for Advanced Manufacturing | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 10/24/2022 | Kevin Beamish | kevin.beamish@fscj.edu | FL | Florida State College at Jacksonville | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 04/15/2021 | 03/31/2025 | $437,579.00 | Christopher Lee | 501 WEST STATE STREET | JACKSONVILLE | FL | 322.023.099 | 9.046.323.327 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Recent advances in automation technologies are creating new employment opportunities for technicians in advanced manufacturing. To maintain a competitive advantage, many manufacturers are implementing these new technologies to create Industry 4.0 smart factories. Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) play a central role in this new automation architecture and require extensive training to implement and maintain. To meet industry needs in Northeastern Florida, Florida State College at Jacksonville will develop a new curriculum that focuses on PLCs and related automation technologies. To do so, the project will create a new track in an existing engineering technology program that will enable students to earn three national certifications in automation. Given regional demographics, this project also provides an opportunity to broaden participation of women and minorities in the advanced manufacturing workforce. For example, to increase participation in academic pathways leading to technical careers in advanced manufacturing, the project will develop a dual enrollment program in mechatronics at a local high school. In addition, it will offer hands-on learning experiences using advanced manufacturing technologies for high school students and provide professional development for high school teachers. The goal of this project is to increase the number of skilled technicians who can implement and maintain PLCs, robotics, and mechatronics systems. To achieve this goal, the project will: 1) implement a new, four-course PLC program track to enable students to earn national PLC industry credentials; 2) establish a new automation education lab for students including Augmented/Virtual Reality (AR/VR) learning software and PLC/automation hardware and software; 3) offer hands-on learning experiences using AR/VR software, robot literacy activities, and advanced manufacturing technologies for high school students; and 4) provide professional development for secondary and postsecondary instructors. The impact of the project on student demographics will be assessed by analyzing institutional data at the beginning and end of the project. Findings will be disseminated through national and regional venues such as the Florida Advanced Technological Education Center, the First Coast Manufacturing Association, the Florida College System, and the Northeast Florida STEM HUB. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2055309 | A Collaborative Approach to Work-Based Learning in Biotechnology: Building Inclusive Lab Environments | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/21/2021 | James Lewis | jlewis.ccsf@gmail.com | CA | City College of San Francisco | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 05/15/2021 | 12/31/2024 | $275,596.00 | Karen Leung | 50 FRIDA KAHLO WAY SH118 | SAN FRANCISCO | CA | 941.121.821 | 4.152.393.000 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | There is a renewed sense of urgency to develop a more diverse workforce in STEM-related fields. This project focuses on community college students from groups that are not yet equitably represented in STEM. These communities have also been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Most workforce interventions to prepare students for technical positions have been based on the premise that the students simply need targeted skill training and tips on behavioral norms to be successful in these workplace cultures. This “student deficit” model puts the burden on the newcomer to navigate a work environment that is often inherently biased against people of color, women, and individuals from groups that are underrepresented in the sciences. However, as leading-edge organizations are recognizing the value of diversity, they are also realizing that they have a role to play in establishing an inclusive workplace culture. This project aims to foster the professional development of students, faculty, industry managers, and academic researchers in inclusive workplace practices. The project expects that these practices can seed true cultural change and prepare a more diverse, inclusive, and productive United States biotechnology workforce. This project at City College of San Francisco is a collaboration with the Office of Career and Professional Development at the University of California, San Francisco. Its overall goal is to build more inclusive workplace environments for community college students pursuing biotechnology education and careers. The project plans to address issues of diversity in the scientific workforce by 1) teaching industry managers and academic researchers practical ways to supervise, mentor and train future scientists inclusively and effectively, and 2) helping community college students and their instructors navigate the scientific workplace to identify inclusive workplaces and navigate barriers to inclusivity. It builds on prior work that has led to the development of a published framework for inclusive workplace practices in research laboratories, a comprehensive inclusive academic mentor and intern training, and a guided internship program that includes formative assessments and coaching. In collaboration with the California Life Sciences Institute, an organization representing hundreds of biotechnology companies, the project will invest significant resources in developing new frameworks, tools, and curriculum tailored to the needs of the biotechnology industry. Additionally, the project seeks to disseminate the trainings to other community colleges and academic research institutions. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1902474 | DeafTEC Resource Center | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/08/2019 | Donna Lange | dalndp@rit.edu | NY | Rochester Institute of Tech | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 08/01/2019 | 07/31/2024 | $1,649,928.00 | Denise Kavin, Keith Mousley | 1 LOMB MEMORIAL DR | ROCHESTER | NY | 146.235.603 | 5.854.757.987 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is the landmark civil rights legislation that prohibits discrimination and ensures equal opportunity and access for persons with disabilities. Although progress has been made, people with disabilities continue to be employed at rates much lower than the rest of the population. This lower employment rate is especially true of Americans who are deaf/hard of hearing (deaf/hh). Data from 2016 shows that approximately 54% of deaf/hh individuals age 25-64 participated in the labor force, compared to approximately 78% of hearing individuals. College graduation can provide major economic benefits for deaf/hh individuals who earn 2.6 times more than non-college graduates. Being employed in STEM provides an even greater benefit, since deaf/hh individuals in STEM occupations earn 34% more than their counterparts in non-STEM fields. The ATE Technological Education Center for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students, DeafTEC, works to increase the access of deaf/hh individuals to career information, to a technical education, and to gainful employment. DeafTEC is housed at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) within the Rochester Institute of Technology. DeafTEC will transition to an ATE Resource Center that will use and build upon the exemplary materials and network developed as the DeafTEC National Center. The DeafTEC Resource Center will: (1) leverage partnerships to broaden professional development opportunities on-site and online for high school teachers, community college faculty, and employers to improve access to learning and technician employment for deaf/hh students; (2) expand, enhance, and broadly disseminate DeafTEC's innovative online resources and curricula related to technical education and technician careers for deaf/hh students, including military veteran students with hearing loss; and (3) collaborate with and provide mentoring for prospective PIs and current ATE projects and centers on creating inclusive environments for deaf/hh students, including military veteran students with hearing loss. DeafTEC will broaden participation in STEM technician careers for deaf/hh individuals by providing resources that they and their teachers, counselors, employers, and co-workers can used to support success both in the classroom and on the job. The value of DeafTEC Center's resources on universal design, developmental math, and writing across the STEM curriculum extend beyond the deaf/hh community, with potential benefit to all STEM students who need additional resources and support to succeed. This project is funded by the NSF Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2331453 | Collaborative Research: Resource Collaborative for Immersive Technologies (RECITE) | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/15/2023 | Kapil Chalil Madathil | kmadath@clemson.edu | SC | Clemson University | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 10/01/2023 | 09/30/2026 | $1,454,932.00 | Sudeep Hegde | 201 SIKES HALL | CLEMSON | SC | 296.340.001 | 8.646.562.424 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Extended reality (XR) technologies are being rapidly integrated into industry and society, yet their integration into technician education lags. These technologies, which include 360° photography and videography (360), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), and virtual reality (VR), have tremendous potential to enhance student learning and are poised to revolutionize the educational experience. This project will create an innovative ecosystem supporting XR technology utilization in technician education, foster new collaborations, develop community standards, and enhance technician workforce pathways to ensure national industry competitiveness. The project will improve STEM technician education through the accelerated integration of XR technologies into technician education programs. The goals of the project are: 1) Assess XR technology adoption and attitudes in NSF ATE program domains and create implementation and dissemination resources for two-year colleges; 2) Develop and implement XR technology faculty professional development for direct instruction; 3) Develop an XR technology website and products repository for ATE projects and Open Educational Resources using XR technology; and 4) Grow and broaden XR implementation by connecting high schools, academia, and industry. It is expected that the project’s findings will contribute to the development of best practices and inform the design of effective XR experiences for technician students, provide evidence-based recommendations on the use of XR technologies in technician education programs, establish design principles for XR simulations, aiming to create inclusive and accessible experiences for all users, including those with disabilities, varied learning styles, and diverse cultural backgrounds, and offer designers best practices to ensure these technologies benefit and impact all learners effectively. The project will fill critical gaps in the current understanding of how to effectively integrate XR technologies into technical education. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2300117 | Building an Academic Pathway for Advanced Air Mobility Aircraft Maintenance Technicians | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/08/2023 | Andrew Shepherd | andrew.shepherd@sinclair.edu | OH | Sinclair Community College | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 10/01/2023 | 09/30/2026 | $650,000.00 | Joseph Riehle, Joshua Bohun, David Miller, Douglas Hammon | 444 W 3RD ST # 12 | DAYTON | OH | 454.021.453 | 9.375.124.573 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national interest by training the next generation of aircraft maintenance technicians to service and maintain Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) aircraft, thus safeguarding the nation’s position at the forefront of the global aerospace industry. The aerospace industry is shifting toward increased reliance on semi- or fully autonomous electric or hybrid aircraft, which will soon be used more frequently and in expanded roles. At the same time, upcoming additions and changes to federal regulations will require that these new aircraft types are regularly serviced to ensure their airworthiness and safety of operations in the National Airspace System (NAS). To support the domestic growth of the industry and to keep the expanding fleet of UAS and AAM aircraft performing at its full potential while remaining in compliance with federal regulations, the nation will require a sufficient number of aviation maintenance technicians. These technicians will need to have the skills to maintain these aircraft and to diagnose and repair any problems with inherent advanced technologies including sensors, avionics, communications, electric propulsion, and battery systems. This project will help address this need by enabling access to training and resources to develop these skill sets for both incumbent aviation maintenance workers and individuals who are new to the aviation field. This project will develop educational pathways by which a diverse pool of technicians will be trained to maintain and repair UAS and AAM aircraft. It will also advance a shared understanding of the skills and competencies needed to fill such roles and embed these skills into a post-secondary short-term technical certificate curriculum. The development of this curriculum will be undertaken in coordination with partners having regional and national reach, validated by industry representatives, and widely disseminated and replicated at colleges across the country. These efforts will be key to addressing the projected workforce shortage of technicians capable of servicing these new types of aircraft. Training workshops will be developed for current aviation maintenance workers exploring the innovations in UAS and AAM and orienting them to the skills needed to service these aircraft. Additionally, to develop the recruitment pipeline for future UAS and AAM maintenance technicians, the project will develop high school STEM content and train-the-teacher modules. Further, the project will conduct workshops to provide high school teachers with innovative curriculum, multimedia, and learning activities introducing the AAM paradigm, the components of UAS technologies, and opportunities for aviation maintenance technicians. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2331452 | Collaborative Research: Resource Collaborative for Immersive Technologies (RECITE) | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/15/2023 | Eric Wooldridge | eric.wooldridge@kctcs.edu | KY | Kentucky Community & Technical College System | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 10/01/2023 | 09/30/2026 | $383,081.00 | Elaine Kohrman | 300 N MAIN ST | VERSAILLES | KY | 403.831.245 | 8.592.563.397 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Extended reality (XR) technologies are being rapidly integrated into industry and society, yet their integration into technician education lags. These technologies, which include 360° photography and videography (360), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), and virtual reality (VR), have tremendous potential to enhance student learning and are poised to revolutionize the educational experience. This project will create an innovative ecosystem supporting XR technology utilization in technician education, foster new collaborations, develop community standards, and enhance technician workforce pathways to ensure national industry competitiveness. The project will improve STEM technician education through the accelerated integration of XR technologies into technician education programs. The goals of the project are: 1) Assess XR technology adoption and attitudes in NSF ATE program domains and create implementation and dissemination resources for two-year colleges; 2) Develop and implement XR technology faculty professional development for direct instruction; 3) Develop an XR technology website and products repository for ATE projects and Open Educational Resources using XR technology; and 4) Grow and broaden XR implementation by connecting high schools, academia, and industry. It is expected that the project’s findings will contribute to the development of best practices and inform the design of effective XR experiences for technician students, provide evidence-based recommendations on the use of XR technologies in technician education programs, establish design principles for XR simulations, aiming to create inclusive and accessible experiences for all users, including those with disabilities, varied learning styles, and diverse cultural backgrounds, and offer designers best practices to ensure these technologies benefit and impact all learners effectively. The project will fill critical gaps in the current understanding of how to effectively integrate XR technologies into technical education. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2055582 | Establishing Veteran Career Training for Advanced Manufacturing Careers | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/21/2021 | Timothy Cordova | timothym.cordova@kctcs.edu | KY | Kentucky Community & Technical College System | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 05/01/2021 | 04/30/2024 | $300,000.00 | Heidi Hasty, Nolan Massaroni, Brent DOTY | 300 N MAIN ST | VERSAILLES | KY | 403.831.245 | 8.592.563.397 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, Kentucky region has a robust advanced manufacturing industry that is increasingly using automation and robotics. This industry now has more than 400 annual openings for Manufacturing Engineers, and it takes an average of 40 days to fill these positions with a qualified candidate. This project intends to increase the pool of qualified candidates for these and related positions. To do so, Elizabethtown Community and Technical College will partner with the U.S. Army Garrison - Fort Knox to provide educational opportunities in Advanced Manufacturing to soldiers transitioning to civilian life. These opportunities will include the high-demand areas of Automation, Robotics, Industrial Maintenance, and Electrical Technology. The college will use flexible course options to meet the needs of transitioning soldiers so that they can use their post-service time to obtain industry-recognized, stackable credentials, including academic certificates and associate degrees. The result is expected to be a new career pathway that will expand advanced manufacturing education to more students. In addition, by redesigning their Advanced Manufacturing courses to closely align with the skills needed in high-demand industries in the region, the project can benefit soldiers reentering civilian life. This project at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College will focus on serving transitioning military personnel and will gain a better understanding of veteran culture and the necessary services needed to promote student success. Student services will be combined with portable, relevant, affordable education in high-demand areas in Advanced Manufacturing. The college intends to shorten the time to a credential through flexible course options that include online, hybrid, and face to face instruction, combined with increased acceptance of experiential credit from military transcripts. The goal of the project is that at least 90% of the students in each cohort will be placed in industry or retained for graduation with an Associate degree. The academic and service model developed by the project will be shared among the 16 colleges in the Kentucky Community and Technical College System. The program will also disseminate their model and findings nationally, to assist other colleges that want to serve growing veteran populations that would benefit from similar academic and career support. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000776 | Collaborative Research: Preparing the Workforce for Industry 4.0's Intelligent Industrial Robotics | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/07/2020 | Lyn Potter | lyn.potter@chattanoogastate.edu | TN | Chattanooga State Community College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 07/01/2020 | 06/30/2024 | $166,769.00 | Jerry Roberts | 4501 AMNICOLA HWY | CHATTANOOGA | TN | 374.061.018 | 4.236.974.455 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | According to the International Federation of Robotics, nearly 75% of the global market for next-generation industrial robotics is in China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. To remain competitive, U.S. industries need to rapidly accelerate the use of intelligent robotics. As a result, the nation needs to train highly skilled technicians who can program, use, maintain, and repair intelligent industrial robots. This collaborative project will address the nation’s shortfall of qualified technicians in intelligent industrial robotics. It intends to do so by establishing a collaboration between academic institutions and major manufacturers in the eastern and central regions of Tennessee and Alabama. Together these partners will define the necessary skillset for the next-generation industrial robotics technical workforce. They will also develop a curriculum that will allow students to learn those skills. This project will result in one of the first programs in the nation for workforce training in intelligent robotics and artificial intelligence technologies. This effort will thus support U.S. businesses and industries to rapidly and effectively incorporate next-generation robotics in their workplace. The project has the following specific aims: 1) develop intelligent robotics curricular modules; 2) implement train-the-trainer workshops for educators; 3) identify skill sets needed for handling the next-generation robotics; 4) develop a knowledge base of next-generation robotics for secondary and post-secondary educators; and 5) increase public awareness of next-generation robotics. By using a collaboration among four academic institutions in the eastern and central regions of Tennessee and Alabama, and involving major manufacturers in the region, the project expects to deliver outcomes that will be sustainable and can be replicated or adapted at other institutions. This project intends to develop one of the first programs in the nation for workforce training at community and technical colleges in intelligent robotics and artificial intelligence technologies. Since community and technical college supply a significant percentage of the industrial workforce, this project has the potential to help U.S. businesses and industries rapidly and effectively incorporate next-generation robotics in their workplace. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2201678 | Broadening Participation in the Automation Technician Workforce | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/19/2022 | Ana Guzman | aguzman3@mdc.edu | FL | Miami Dade College | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 08/01/2022 | 07/31/2025 | $370,033.00 | Carlos Genatios | 245 NE 4TH ST BLDG 3000 | MIAMI | FL | 331.322.206 | 3.052.373.910 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The demand for technicians who can implement, maintain, and troubleshoot robotics systems is growing as manufacturers adopt new automation technologies in their manufacturing facilities to improve their competitiveness. Broadening participation in this field requires new pathways that engage students from traditionally underrepresented groups in active learning experiences. Miami Dade College provides technical education for a diverse student population, many of whom are first generation and low-income students. In addition, given the regional demographics, there is an opportunity to broaden participation in the automation technician workforce by providing a pathway for students to obtain nationally recognized certifications. This project will develop a new pathway to help students learn fundamental skills and provide an entry point to further technical education in robotics, automation, electrical engineering, electronics engineering, mechanical engineering, programming, and information technologies. A professional development program will provide robotics training for college faculty and high school teachers. The project team will identify the role that hands-on robotics experiences have on increasing recruitment and retention of students from underrepresented groups in technical education. Using best practices based on lessons learned from the project, the project team will develop a workshop on successful strategies to recruit and retain female students in technical education programs. The goal of this project is to increase the number of students from underrepresented groups who have the necessary technical skills to enter the automation technician workforce. To achieve this goal, the project team will develop a new robotics certificate program, train high school teachers to teach courses in the certificate program, and recruit students from underrepresented groups to participate in a summer robotics camp. To earn a certificate, students will take four courses including introduction to robotics, algebra, electrical fundamentals, and digital circuits. Two of the courses will be offered for high school students who are dual enrolled. The project team will collaborate with the college’s industrial advisory committee to ensure that these courses align with industry credential requirements. The certificate program will provide students with hands-on training for programming and operating industrial robots. Faculty and subject matter experts will provide training on robotics for college faculty and high school teachers. At the summer camps, high school students will learn soft-skills training such as teamwork, writing reports, giving presentations, and problem-solving. Students will also have the opportunity to receive training on industrial equipment to obtain industry certifications. The project evaluation will assess the impact of the project activities on the enrollment of students from underrepresented groups in the certificate program. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2201982 | Creating Relevant, Effective, and Accessible Technical Education for Electrical Skilled Trades | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/14/2022 | Michael Holewinski | mholewinski@terra.edu | OH | Terra State Community College | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 06/15/2022 | 05/31/2025 | $349,535.00 | Scott Krohn, James Mumaw, Ronald King, Jeffery Hamilton | 2830 NAPOLEON RD | FREMONT | OH | 434.209.814 | 4.195.592.301 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | An Ohio community needs assessment with 240 respondents showed 21% of manufacturers in Northwest Ohio have unfilled skilled positions, due to a regional skills gap. This challenge has highlighted the importance of skilled Electrical Maintenance Technicians to Ohio industries. This project will collaborate with industry partners, aligning the curriculum of a Programmable Logic Control (PLC) certificate to meet their current and future needs. This will facilitate and expedite both upskilling and employment for students at Terra State Community College. Over the three years of the project, 110 students will complete the PLC Certificate, providing them an advanced understanding of Industrial Electricity and employment in this high-demand field. A Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT) will guide this project to define, align and embed key competencies into the certificate. Faculty associated with the project will benefit from professional development, capitalizing on new concepts and technologies to enhance and implement a competency-based hybrid classroom model. This structure will utilize mobile access to online learning modules, a new assessment model, and competency-based outcomes. Each of these concepts will combine, creating an environment where improved student learning occurs. This flexible curriculum provides greater opportunities for students struggling to balance family and work responsibilities by providing online learning with open lab access. On a broad scale, this project has the potential to improve the diversity of the industry by providing increased access for all students, including underserved populations (e.g., women, minorities, and veterans), as they pursue high-demand, family-sustaining occupations in the technical workforce. The goal of the project is to better prepare students to enter the STEM workforce with relevant classwork and industry experience. Approximately 110 students are expected to complete this certificate over three years. Between four to six faculty will be trained in Competency-Based Education (CBE) during summer learning experiences. The project will create a series of critical skills assessments to ensure success in the introductory courses, by providing students the requisite technical abilities. Students completing ten electrical courses (and four Gen Ed courses) will qualify for the PLC Certificate which includes two industry credentials. The Business and Industry Leadership Team will demonstrate the scope of skills and knowledge essential to skilled Electrical Maintenance Technicians in manufacturing. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2055061 | Hybrid Curriculum for Upskilling Photonics Technicians in Advanced Optics and Quantum Research Enabled Technologies | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/15/2023 | Moamer Hasanovic | mhasanov@irsc.edu | FL | Indian River State College | Standard Grant | Nasser Alaraje | 06/01/2021 | 05/31/2025 | $531,087.00 | Alexei Glebov, James Pearson, Chrys Panayiotou | 3209 VIRGINIA AVE | FORT PIERCE | FL | 349.815.541 | 7.724.624.703 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 7203, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | A significant gap exists between the state of quantum science and its practical uses in industry. Part of the gap results from the lack of the advanced technical workforce needed to implement quantum technologies. The people best poised to enter the new quantum technological workforce are incumbent photonics technicians. Their current qualifications provide a foundation on which to build the new quantum-related competencies. This project aims to produce a freely available curriculum that will enable photonics technicians to acquire new quantum-related competencies. This curriculum will contain a three-course sequence with freely accessible textbooks, lab manuals, and interactive online content. Availability of the courses via an open-access educational platform will reduce geographical barriers between colleges, students, and industry. The proposed platform can also promote inclusion and diversity in the high-tech quantum workforce by increasing access to education in quantum technologies. The proposed quantum technology curriculum is expected to help U.S. businesses maintain global leadership in advanced laser and quantum technologies. This project will pioneer the introduction of quantum science into advanced technological education. It will do so by developing, testing, and disseminating a three-course hybrid curriculum in quantum-enabled technologies. The project will begin with an assessment of the industry demand for quantum-related skills, continue with curriculum and course development, and end with establishment of a sustainable learning platform. The three courses will be designed to meet the highest level of Quality Matters certification. The curriculum will be promoted by academic and industry collaborators and validated through data collected via the learning platform in real-time as students interact with the course material. The open-access learning platform will make the entire educational content accessible and transferrable to other institutions. Through these efforts, this project will contribute to the new quantum STEM workforce development needed to propel quantum technology forward. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2332856 | A New Approach to Evaluate Student Learning Outcomes Resulting From Participation in Remotely Operated Vehicle Competitions | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 08/30/2023 | Jill Zande | jzande@marinetech.org | DC | MARINE TECHNOLOGY SOCIETY, INC. | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 02/01/2023 | 09/30/2024 | $140,698.00 | 1 THOMAS CIR NW STE 700 | WASHINGTON | DC | 200.055.800 | 7.038.705.272 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | There is a growing national demand for students with the content knowledge and skills needed to enter college level technician education programs and the skilled technical workforce. Robotics competitions are popular venues for engaging students in STEM disciplines. Such competitions can connect students, mentors, and institutions to a variety of successful and engaging technology-based programs. The Marine Advanced Technology Education Center (MATE) has supported the Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) Competition since 2001. The goals of the ROV competition include sparking student interest in STEM, helping them develop 21st Century workplace skills, and enabling them to envision themselves on STEM career pathways. This project will support the ability of participating students to identify the knowledge and skills they need to gain through this activity, to see clearly the areas where they need to improve, and to use this knowledge to their advantage as they continue their education and/or prepare to enter the workforce. The project focus includes high school, community college, and college/university students who participate in national or international ROV competitions. This project builds upon and extends findings obtained using comprehensive post-competition surveys that support the value of the ROV competitions for participating students, and is aligned with the goals of the NSF ATE program. In addition to the MATE Center at Monterey Peninsula College, the project brings together the State University of New York College at Buffalo, and the technical resources available through the Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College. This project builds on a successful approach for evaluating of undergraduate research developed at SUNY Buffalo State. This approach, Evaluate Undergraduate Research (EvaluateUR), assesses desirable student outcomes, including both content knowledge and workplace skills, such as communication skills, creativity, autonomy, an ability to overcome obstacles, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. EvaluateUR also helps students develop metacognition skills, which in turn promote student understanding of their academic strengths and weaknesses. The project will adapt EvaluateUR to serve students participating in MATE's regional and international ROV competitions, support faculty advisors as they mentor students who are designing and building ROVs, and provide reliable feedback to MATE about the academic value of the competitions. The following objectives will be supported: 1) Ensure that all students involved in the competitions know at the outset of their participation what specific knowledge and skills they should be mastering to prepare for additional education and/or the workplace; 2) Measure more precisely how much growth each student participate has demonstrated toward achieving such mastery; 3) Accomplish these goals in a way that strengthens student metacognitive abilities; and 4) Use data from all institutions involved in the competition to create a database of reliable, statistically validated findings showing student growth on specific knowledge and skills. It is also anticipated that other robotics competitions, such as FIRST, VEX, Botball, and the Association of Unmanned Vehicle System International's suite of land, air, and sea programs, represent potential users of this methodology. Dissemination of project results will include these robotics communities as well as other national associations and the NSF ATE community. This project is funded by the NSF Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2202081 | A Collaborative Cybersecurity Analysis Certification Program | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 08/21/2022 | Bob Hayton | bob.hayton@bridgevalley.edu | WV | BRIDGEVALLEY COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 09/01/2022 | 08/31/2025 | $157,741.00 | 2001 UNION CARBIDE DR | SOUTH CHARLESTON | WV | 253.032.735 | 3.047.346.611 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | To meet workforce demands crucial to the Nation’s security and sustained economic development, this project will develop an educational and career pipeline for the regional and national cybersecurity workforce. Three West Virginia educational institutions: BridgeValley Community and Technical College, the Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College, and the University of Charleston, will work together to develop and launch a four-course, two-semester Security Analysis (SA) Certificate program. The program will be offered virtually and in-person and will target veterans, military-connected adult learners, and high school students from West Virginia’s rural and economically depressed southern counties. The goals of the project include: (1) building a sustainable educational and career pipeline for critically needed cyber specialists, and (2) growing a capable and trained workforce of cyber specialists with security abilities and skills vital to national security within West Virginia and across the country. The three institutions share relationships with regional hiring organizations and have been independently attentive to industry workforce needs. Combining efforts and streamlining recruiting and co-curricular activities will improve each institution’s cybersecurity and information technology academic offerings, and will create a pipeline across state, regional, and national sectors. In addition to the ATE community, the project team will share best practices and outcomes across technical, industrial, and military networks. The project team will work with the state’s First2 Network, an NSF INCLUDES program focused on increasing STEM academic offerings to first-generation students, and TechConnect West Virginia, a statewide organization promoting innovative research and workforce growth by partnering with businesses and regional stakeholders. Evaluation of the project consists of a constructive and collaborative adaptation of the “Input, Outputs, and Outcome” model. The evaluation will provide an outside, independent perspective on the effectiveness of the project and SA Certificate program. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2202206 | Technical Workforce Immersive Teaching and Learning Resources | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 12/01/2023 | David Anderson | david.anderson@sctcc.edu | MN | St. Cloud Technical College | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 08/15/2022 | 07/31/2025 | $350,000.00 | Drake Sondreal, Matthew Boudinot, Mary Jordan, Caitlin Hickcox, robert Jung | 1540 NORTHWAY DR | SAINT CLOUD | MN | 563.031.240 | 3.203.085.026 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national interest by improving technician education at two-year colleges through expanding immersive technology use in the classroom. Immersive technologies include 360° photography and videography, augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), and virtual reality (VR). By bridging the gap between industrial and societal use and academic integration of immersive technologies, the Technical Workforce Immersive Teaching and Learning Resource project will flatten the immersive technology implementation learning curve. This project will provide two-year college faculty opportunities to bring innovative, evidence-based adult-learning practices into technician education through professional development opportunities where they can develop immersive curricula for their classrooms. Technician students engaged with immersive technologies in the classroom will be better prepared to adapt to a rapidly changing workplace. The goal of this three-year project is to provide professional development opportunities related to immersive technology curricula to two-year college faculty. These technologies provide students with active learning environments where they can be immersed in the content and construct new knowledge. This project will develop and deploy faculty resources including two-week immersive technology summer bootcamps, immersive learning community networks, and content development support. This bold approach represents a necessary first effort to extend evidence-based immersive learning tools. Faculty at two-year colleges will explore immersive technologies specific to their disciplines and construct experiences to use in their classrooms and laboratories. Content developed through this project will contribute to a repository of open educational resources for instruction using immersive technologies. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202051 | Addressing Student Skills Gaps in Water Treatment Operator Education Utilizing Virtual Reality Enabled Curriculum Resources | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/21/2022 | Tanju Karanfil | tkaranf@clemson.edu | SC | Clemson University | Standard Grant | Keith Sverdrup | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $299,591.00 | Kapil Chalil Madathil | 201 SIKES HALL | CLEMSON | SC | 296.340.001 | 8.646.562.424 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Water operators are frontline environmental health and safety workers who perform the essential service of ensuring the nation's citizens have access to safe water sources. It is estimated that 30-50% of the nation's water operators will retire within five years and only 5% of operators are under age 25. This project will address the critical infrastructure need for licensed water technicians by expanding the quality and capacity of training available for this field. In alignment with the mission of the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program, this project will advance the delivery of technician education by creating high-quality, cost-effective, technology-based online resources for water operator technology. These new virtual resources will supplement the existing high-quality training offered by the South Carolina Environmental Training Center at Central Carolina Technical College (CCTC) with virtual reality (VR) modules developed collaboratively with Clemson University as a tool to enrich curriculum components identified as the greatest barriers to water operator licensure. This project also benefits operators in rural environments who have less access to professional development and training. Availability of virtual labs will further enable women, veterans, persons from groups underrepresented in the field, and persons with disabilities to obtain certifications. Unlike immersive VR, these systems require no additional equipment as they are designed to run simulations on a standard laptop using a keyboard and mouse. Project outcomes include increasing: 1) the number of water operators prepared for the transition from learning to workforce, 2) recruitment and mentoring material to attract people from underrepresented groups to water treatment technology; and 3) the assessment of the use of these technologies with diverse groups of students in different educational settings. This work will contribute to the NSF's Big Ideas, including "The Future of Work at the Human-Technology Frontier" and “Growing Convergent Research” by conducting fundamental research investigating the benefits and risks of integrating virtual labs in educational settings for water treatment education. The goals of this project are to: 1) Design, integrate, and develop VR enabled curriculum resources for water treatment training to address workforce preparedness and close the skills gap based on current and future workplace needs. 2) Implement the developed resources for online and hybrid approach, conduct rigorous evidence-based assessment of these modules, and provide the content to the ATE community. 3) Recruit and retain students including women, veterans, and persons from groups historically underrepresented in advanced-technology fields. 4) Create professional development resources and conduct workshops for water technology educators. The project will provide alternatives for place-bound and capacity-constrained water treatment programs via technology resources. Virtual labs will allow students access to realistic lab experiences in highly engaging VR environments that will address the most prevalent educational barriers to licensure. Key stakeholders from Association of Boards of Certification, community partners, NSF ATE centers, two-year partner institutions, and industry will guide the content development to ensure its relevancy. Evaluation and assessment will be led by an external evaluator who will provide both formative and summative evaluation of the implementation of the virtual resources in CCTC's existing curriculum utilizing Kirkpatrick's four-level model. Both the pre- and post-surveys will utilize the following validated constructs: perceived learning outcomes, engagement, usability, and satisfaction and perception. The community of educators in water treatment technology, along with the broader technician education community, will receive implementation information on the modules created. Conferences for dissemination include an annual symposium hosted by CCTC, water treatment conferences, Technology Education Conferences, the NSF ATE Principal Investigators conference, and other professional association conferences. The findings will also be disseminated as journal papers, webinars, and presentations at professional development workshops. All materials developed will be distributed through ATE Central, CCTC's learning management system, and the EducateWorkforce portal hosted by Clemson University. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2331451 | Collaborative Research: Resource Collaborative for Immersive Technologies (RECITE) | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/15/2023 | David Anderson | david.anderson@sctcc.edu | MN | St. Cloud State University | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 10/01/2023 | 09/30/2026 | $1,887,239.00 | Mark Gill, Alan Srock | 720 4TH AVE S | SAINT CLOUD | MN | 563.014.442 | 3.203.084.932 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Extended reality (XR) technologies are being rapidly integrated into industry and society, yet their integration into technician education lags. These technologies, which include 360° photography and videography (360), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), and virtual reality (VR), have tremendous potential to enhance student learning and are poised to revolutionize the educational experience. This project will create an innovative ecosystem supporting XR technology utilization in technician education, foster new collaborations, develop community standards, and enhance technician workforce pathways to ensure national industry competitiveness. The project will improve STEM technician education through the accelerated integration of XR technologies into technician education programs. The goals of the project are: 1) Assess XR technology adoption and attitudes in NSF ATE program domains and create implementation and dissemination resources for two-year colleges; 2) Develop and implement XR technology faculty professional development for direct instruction; 3) Develop an XR technology website and products repository for ATE projects and Open Educational Resources using XR technology; and 4) Grow and broaden XR implementation by connecting high schools, academia, and industry. It is expected that the project’s findings will contribute to the development of best practices and inform the design of effective XR experiences for technician students, provide evidence-based recommendations on the use of XR technologies in technician education programs, establish design principles for XR simulations, aiming to create inclusive and accessible experiences for all users, including those with disabilities, varied learning styles, and diverse cultural backgrounds, and offer designers best practices to ensure these technologies benefit and impact all learners effectively. The project will fill critical gaps in the current understanding of how to effectively integrate XR technologies into technical education. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2055728 | Expanding Precision Agriculture Education and Certification to Secondary Students | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 08/04/2022 | Derrick Baker | dbaker@parkland.edu | IL | Parkland College | Standard Grant | Keith Sverdrup | 07/01/2021 | 06/30/2024 | $581,377.00 | Amanda Briggs, Amanda Briggs, Nicholas Eisenmenger | 2400 W BRADLEY AVE | CHAMPAIGN | IL | 618.211.806 | 2.173.532.167 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | With this award, Parkland College intends to build on the success of two prior NSF projects in Precision Agriculture and Unmanned Aircraft Systems to develop a pathway for secondary students to earn a college credential while gaining industry experience. In coordination with industry leaders, community partners, and secondary education organizations, the project will create apprenticeship opportunities and stackable certificates to prepare secondary students for jobs in precision agriculture and adjacent sectors. The stackable certificates will combine coursework in Precision Agriculture and Unmanned Aircraft Systems and be designed specifically for high school students. Participants will complete this curriculum while obtaining industry experience through apprenticeships with industry partners. The project will focus on increasing the diversity of the agriculture workforce by increasing involvement of female and minority secondary students. Food security and agricultural exports are a major part of the US economy. Thus, improving training opportunities in agriculture is essential to continuing the strong presence of US agriculture on the world stage. The goals of the project are to establish a new Early College and Career Academy Program; establish work-based learning opportunities with regional employers; and increase participation of traditionally underrepresented students in agriculture. The precision agriculture sector continues to modernize and the importance of well-trained students is becoming increasingly critical. Many precision agriculture companies struggle to fill open positions as the workforce ages out and the younger generation is drawn away from careers in agriculture. Creating new pathways to encourage secondary students to explore careers as technicians in precision agriculture will ensure the availability of a robust workforce. Project participants will be well prepared to enter and advance in the growing precision agriculture industry. By developing credentials and apprenticeship opportunities for secondary students the project will be educating future technicians in line with industry needs. Furthermore, the project's focus on increasing the number of women and minorities in precision agriculture will strengthen and diversify an important American industry. The deliverables and best practices developed through the project will be disseminated through coordination with multiple industry partners and a statewide secondary education organization. Additionally, the PI and Co-PI will attend and present at conferences relevant to agriculture education, agribusiness, and unmanned aircraft systems conferences throughout the grant period. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000563 | Preparing Cybersecurity Technicians with the Technical and Entrepreneurial Skills Required to Work as Independent Contractors | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/13/2020 | Skip Berry | skip.berry@rcc.edu | CA | Riverside Community College District/Riverside City College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 07/01/2020 | 06/30/2024 | $299,974.00 | Don Wilcoxson | 4800 MAGNOLIA AVE | RIVERSIDE | CA | 925.061.242 | 9.512.228.755 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Across the nation, thousands of high-wage technician positions are available in cyber defense fields. Filling these positions would greatly increase the ability of businesses to prevent cyber breaches and to remediate them when they occur. Many businesses hire contractors to fill this workforce need. Clearly, these contractors must have knowledge and skills in cyber defense. However, to be successful independent entrepreneurs or serve as entrepreneurs within consulting firms, they also need business knowledge and skills. This project aims to prepare cyber defense technicians with both technical and business skills. To do so, it will create a cyber defense technician certificate program that integrates entrepreneurial skills with cybersecurity skills to train Cyberpreneur specialists. The Cyberpreneur program will include both new and existing courses to provide technical and business training. Through focused recruiting and retention activities, the project also intends to increase diversity within the cyber defense workforce. Individuals who complete the Cyberpreneur program will help to address cyber defense workforce needs within the Inland Empire region of Southern California and elsewhere in the country. This project will develop a certificate program that teaches theory and enables students to develop technical expertise in cyber defense, auditing of systems, incident response, remediation of vulnerabilities, and the use of artificial intelligence tools. Students will also complete coursework in entrepreneurship, finance, and accounting. A Business and Industry Leadership Team will guide curriculum development and provide advice regarding curriculum modifications and experiential learning requirements. The project includes outreach activities such as presentations at local high schools, participation in career fairs, and advertising in media outlets that reach large underrepresented communities. Best practices for recruiting and retention of students from underrepresented groups, including those developed by the National Center for Women in Technology, will be leveraged to increase diversity in cyber defense education programs and the workforce. An external evaluator and the project leadership team will conduct assessments to establish benchmarks for increasing inclusion within the program. The program will leverage existing NSF ATE Center websites (including the National Center for Systems Security and Information Assurance, National CyberWatch, and the National Convergence Technology Center) to promote new content modules and support the dissemination of project-related information. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1902551 | Integrating Software and Machine-Lab Instruction | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/16/2023 | BRIAN MAITLAND | MAITLAND.BRIAN@PTCOLLEGE.EDU | PA | Pittsburgh Technical Institute | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 07/01/2019 | 06/30/2024 | $297,712.00 | Lauren Zito, Kasandra Otey, Mark Malecki | 1111 MCKEE RD | OAKDALE | PA | 150.713.211 | 4.128.095.263 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The Integrating Software and Machine-Lab Instruction project will address the increasing local, regional, and national demand for workers in the manufacturing sector, specifically the need for manufacturing and civil engineering technicians and CNC machine tool programmers. Many of the efforts in higher education that contribute to the skilled manufacturing workforce focus on preparing engineers, with less attention paid to educating the technicians who facilitate the work of engineers. This project will fill that gap by establishing a pathway for high school students to continue a technical education after graduation. The project will address the curricular disconnect between high school and college manufacturing classes, the need for software-based training for high school students, and the need for manufacturing workers to be trained in software-based skills relevant to manufacturing environments. The project will also establish a model for collaboration between high schools and community colleges, whereby faculty at the latter offer college courses on-site at the former. The project management team will promote that collaboration so that other institutions might consider similar partnerships. The goals of the project are to increase the number of students who matriculate from high school into the computer-aided drafting program, prepare students for the evolving technical workforce, and model how industrial partners contribute to the learning process. Toward these ends, Pittsburgh Technical College (PTC) will partner with Montour High School in the Pittsburgh area. The project will enhance the ability of Montour to deliver technical education to students by providing trained PTC instructors who will mentor Montour students toward completion of extracurricular, manufacturing-based projects as part of an after-school program and extend the existing partnership between PTC and Montour to allow PTC faculty to offer software design courses for concurrent credit to both Montour and PTC students in the state-of-the-art manufacturing laboratories on-site at Montour High School. PTC faculty will also organize and offer workshops for high school teachers in the Pittsburgh area to develop skills working with manufacturing software (such as Inventor and SolidWorks). Additionally, this project will provide professional development training to enable PTC faculty to integrate additional lab-based instruction into PTC courses, support the revision of existing curricula to incorporate the use of new machinery, strengthen partnerships with industry by enhancing the existing CAD Advisory Board and increasing internship opportunities for PTC students, and support the implementation of an annual workforce needs assessment for the Pittsburgh area. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2140289 | Creating an Industry Recognized Energy Storage Certification Credential | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 08/23/2021 | Kenneth Walz | kwalz@madisoncollege.edu | WI | Madison Area Technical College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 10/01/2021 | 09/30/2024 | $744,987.00 | Shawn OBrien, Nicholas Matthes, Joel Shoemaker | 1701 WRIGHT ST | MADISON | WI | 537.042.599 | 6.082.466.676 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Renewable Energy is one of the fastest growing industries in the U.S. and the Department of Labor has found that solar and wind technicians are the two fastest growing occupations in the nation. The U.S. Energy Information Administration has projected that 81% of all new electrical capacity installed in 2021 will be from renewable resources, primarily in the forms of solar, wind, and battery energy storage systems. The lattermost technology is especially important, because most community college energy technology programs do not currently address energy storage, and there are no commonly accepted standards of education or training for technicians working with this technology. In this project, the ATE CREATE Energy Center is partnering with the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) and the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) to create a new industry recognized Energy Storage Certification credential. This project will build upon the draft Job Task Analysis previously developed by CREATE and MREA and will apply it as the framework to develop and launch a new Certification in Energy Storage Technology. The process will involve a comprehensive industry survey to validate a Job Task Analysis specific to the energy storage sector, organization of a committee of energy storage subject matter experts to develop certification criteria and to write questions for a comprehensive certification exam, and psychometric data analysis to ensure the rigor and accuracy of exam questions and cutoff scores. The proposed Energy Storage Certification will be ANSI accredited and will become the uniform standards of practice for the residential and small commercial renewable energy industry. This will also form the backbone for curricula to be developed by CREATE, MREA and other education providers to prepare students to earn the new Energy Storage Certification, which will be administered by NABCEP. This project will introduce two new industry organizations and two new industry based Co-PIs to the NSF ATE Community, thus strengthening the connection between academia and industry to provide a skilled technical workforce for the energy sector. In addition the project team will develop energy storage certification exams in both English and Spanish, making an important contribution to advance equity in the clean energy sector. Although the proposed Energy Storage Certification developed in this project will target the residential and commercial solar sectors, many aspects of the Job Task Analysis and the industry standards that are identified in the certification will also be relevant to electric vehicles. It is possible that this effort could lead to a parallel future certification initiative for the transportation sector. By creating a skilled and credentialed workforce, this project may help to facilitate an easier marketplace entry for U.S. firms working on future storage technologies such as lithium polymer batteries, metal-air batteries, flow batteries and fuel cells. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2410621 | Establishing an Environmental and Natural Resources Technology Center | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 01/17/2024 | Andrew McMahan | amcmahan@cccc.edu | NC | Central Carolina Community College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 01/01/2024 | 09/30/2026 | $6,386,914.00 | 1105 KELLY DR | SANFORD | NC | 273.309.840 | 9.197.755.401 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Environmental Technologies (ET) is a career field that applies math, science, technology, economics, engineering, law and communication to manage, protect and sustain natural resources and to ensure human health and safety. Environmental technicians are a part of homeland security in the protection of our country’s air, water and soil and an important part of the major environmental issues of global warming and water pollution. ET will also reshape pedagogy and hands-on delivery of learning in the post-COVID “new normal,” as well as become part of the solution for health and safety issues in the workplace following any other infectious disease pandemic. ET jobs cannot be outsourced and survive economic downturn. Major industries that employ environmental technicians include engineering services, local and state government, consulting services, public health agencies, manufacturing and remediation services, and there are immediate needs for Environmental technicians across all of these sectors. The Environmental and Natural Resources Technology Center will synthesize the cross-disciplinary efforts of ET-related sectors and collaborate with industries, government and public agencies, professional organizations, 2- and 4-year colleges, and high schools to define and disseminate the critical knowledge and skills required to provide leadership in ET education and support the environmental advanced technology industry. To achieve this mission, the Center will pursue several objectives. First is to create a Leadership Network to support the development and sharing of best practices in ET workforce development. Second is to establish collaborations between existing and new ATE projects in ET fields to mentor prospective PIs and broaden the impact of ATE. Third is to provide models and leadership for collaborations among secondary, 2- and 4-year institutions, business and industry, economic development agencies and government. Fourth is to promote ET careers while also addressing the need to educate highly skilled technicians and to provide faculty professional development. Fifth is to develop institutionalization of Center functions to sustain activities in the post-award period. The Center will actively reach out to all learners, including women, those from minorities who are underrepresented in their participation in STEM, those facing economically challenging circumstances, first generation students, and those from Tribal and/or rural backgrounds. The Center's planned deliverables include DACUM charts with occupational competencies; a Defining ET Report; a Best Practices Guide for Recruiting, Retaining, and Completing Students in ET Fields targeting URM, female, military, and indigenous students; a set of interactive career websites; and AVR learning modules. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2202070 | Incorporating a course-based research experience in high school and community college courses in Southeast Nebraska | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/22/2022 | Misty Wehling | mwehling@southeast.edu | NE | Southeast Community College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $617,232.00 | Tracy Niday, Gabrielle Johnson | 301 S 68TH STREET PL | LINCOLN | NE | 685.102.449 | 4.023.233.410 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Centered around an accessible and generally well-loved companion animal, dogs, this project will increase scientific literacy and engagement with science and technology by high school and college students and their teachers. A summer workshop for biology and agriculture teachers will focus on the content and training in laboratory techniques to implement the canine course-based research experience. Canine (K-9) kits containing all the supplies and equipment needed for the activity will be available for teachers to check out and use in their classrooms. To directly connect biotechnology to the student’s lives, students will collect DNA samples from their own pets as they engaged in the course-based research project aimed to examine the role a dog’s genes play in its social behavior. This project provides a model for supporting high school teachers, including those in resource-limited areas, as they incorporate new engaging curricula. It also serves as a model for partnering with industry and other organizations to increase awareness, knowledge, and skills related to biotechnology careers important to developing a competitive STEM workforce. This project will extend the capacity building and infrastructure established over the past five years that has led to Southeast Community College (SCC) offering three stackable credentials in biotechnology. Within the context of biotechnology, authentic research experiences developed in collaboration with industry have the potential to attract high school student interest in this high-growth field. This project will leverage existing partnerships with Nebraska’s regional bioscience industry and educational associations to expand implementation of such a research experience, offering insight into the rules of life in dogs. Ultimately, it is expected that outreach activities targeted to high school and SCC students will foster an interest in biotechnician careers in the region and greater Nebraska. Graduates from SCC’s biotechnology program will be prepared to work in a regulated environment and fill the need for middle-skilled technicians, critical to the Nebraska and global economy. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1901847 | A Community College and Industry Partnership to Produce a Highly Qualified Cybersecurity Workforce | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 10/04/2023 | Nina Amey | campbell.teched@gmail.com | CO | Arapahoe Community College | Standard Grant | R. Corby Hovis | 07/15/2019 | 06/30/2024 | $299,933.00 | Connie Strain, Mark Snyder, Krystal Conrad, Cameron Ryan, Wendy Muench | 5900 S SANTA FE DR | LITTLETON | CO | 801.201.801 | 3.037.975.701 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Keeping computers and information systems secure is a major challenge. Business, industry, and government need well-prepared technicians who can prevent, detect, and investigate cybersecurity breaches. The growth of cyber-threats has created a need for many more workers who have appropriate, specific knowledge and skills. Nationwide, employer surveys indicate that only a small percentage of universities and colleges fully prepare graduates for cybersecurity jobs. Colorado is a major hub for cybersecurity jobs, with over 9,000 open cybersecurity positions in the Denver Metro and Colorado Springs areas, which are served by the college. Over 1,200 of these jobs can be filled by individuals who have an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree. This project will prepare well-qualified cybersecurity professionals and information security analysts to benefit the regional workforce. The project will create and implement a responsive AAS cybersecurity program aligned with business needs and Federal standards. The approach will focus on integrating experiential and project-based learning to provide students with real-world experiences, to create seamless continuity from classroom to workforce, and to equip students with 21st-century employability skills. The college intends to achieve a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense designation. This designation, along with mapping the curriculum to the Federal standards, will equip students with the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to protect and defend the nation's infrastructure. The project will also focus on increasing the participation of women in cybersecurity. The project has three goals: (1) to address the unmet demand for cybersecurity technicians in the region served by the college; (2) to enhance gender diversity in cybersecurity by recruiting more female students into the program (the aim is for at least 20% of the students to be women); and (3) to improve retention and persistence in the attainment of an AAS degree in cybersecurity. The project will adopt, adapt, and evaluate materials and methods developed through the Colorado Community College System, the National CyberWatch Center, and other NSF Advanced Technological Education projects. It will also develop a new course in Security Risk Management. Collaboration with a regional Business and Industry Leadership Team will ensure that the project can create a robust curriculum that provides seamless continuity from the classroom to the workplace and meets industry standards. In addition, collaboration with a subject matter expert on diversity and organizational change, along with partnerships with high schools, will facilitate the recruitment, retention, and completion of women in the college's cybersecurity program. By using distance education and remote-access labs, the project will reach beyond Colorado. The new courses that are developed will be added to the CCCS database and will be available for all 13 colleges in the system and other colleges across the nation. The best practices that are discovered will be disseminated nationally through the National CyberWatch Center, ATE Central, the Community College Cyber Summit, and the National Convergence Technology Center, as well as through national conferences that focus on cybersecurity and experiential education. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program, which focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202182 | Developing New Academic Pathways for the Advanced Manufacturing Technician Workforce | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/07/2022 | Amanda Stoecklein | astoecklein1@sfccmo.edu | MO | State Fair Community College | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 06/15/2022 | 05/31/2025 | $571,769.00 | Daniel So | 3201 W 16TH ST | SEDALIA | MO | 653.012.188 | 6.605.967.379 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Advanced manufacturing technician programs provide pathways for students to pursue technical careers in manufacturing companies that are adopting new automation and robotics technologies. The demand for manufacturing technicians in the central Missouri region continues to grow. However, the supply of qualified technicians with skills in advanced manufacturing technologies has not kept pace with this demand. This project addresses the need to increase the number of students entering and successfully completing technician degree and certificate programs in advanced manufacturing. In collaboration with regional industry, the project team will develop a foundational course in advanced manufacturing and revise existing courses in multiple technology degree programs. Students will have the opportunity to obtain nationally recognized certifications. The project will provide rural high school students in the region with new technical education opportunities including new advanced manufacturing courses that can be taken at high schools and hands-on training with new advanced manufacturing equipment. Workshops and mentoring for secondary school teachers will be provided so that teachers can integrate advanced manufacturing concepts in their high school courses. Students from rural areas in central Missouri will have a new pathway to help them pursue a technical career in manufacturing that improves their economic situation. The goal of this project is to increase the number of students in advanced manufacturing technician pathways to meet the demand for skilled technicians in regional industry. This project will: (1) enhance educational certificates and technician degrees that lead to advanced manufacturing technician careers, (2) engage secondary students in activities to raise awareness of technician career opportunities, (3) build capacity for offering dual enrollment courses by training high school teachers, and (4) encourage persistence and completion of educational certificates in advanced manufacturing. Regional industry advisors will provide guidance on which industry certifications are needed by students and which Industry 4.0 concepts and skills should be integrated in the technician degree programs. The project will provide creative hands-on learning opportunities such as summer camps for secondary students to engage them in technical careers. High school teachers will receive training and certifications through workshops that include hands-on training with advanced manufacturing technologies. Dual enrollment courses will be offered by high school teachers to help secondary students enter advanced manufacturing technician pathways. Using institutional data and student surveys, the project team will assess the impact of the project activities on student completion of certifications and the number of students who enter the technician workforce. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2201630 | Expanding Advanced Renewable Energy Technician Education in a Technical College | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 02/01/2024 | Justin Barrett | justin.barrett@gotoltc.edu | WI | Lakeshore Technical College | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $336,650.00 | Ryan Skabroud | 1290 NORTH AVE | CLEVELAND | WI | 530.151.412 | 9.209.631.362 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The state of Wisconsin is diversifying its energy portfolio with the addition of wind and solar power generation, while some fossil fuel plants are retired. Lakeshore Technical College (LTC) is the only technical college provider of wind energy education in the state, and this project will transform individuals to strengthen their communities through innovative and accessible learning. Through the Advanced Renewable Energy Technician Education project, LTC will address the skills gaps and unmet demand for renewable energy technicians in Wisconsin. Working with a Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT) they will identify opportunities to implement training in solar and/or energy storage that would augment an existing wind energy program. The strategy of including additional credentials in other energy dependent trainings, such as HVAC, will increase the number of students that are prepared to interact with the growing and evolving renewable energy sector. The goals of the program are to (1) establish a renewable energy BILT to address entry level employment skills and workforce gaps that can be addressed by LTC, (2) develop solar energy instructional labs and provide professional development for faculty to support enhanced renewable energy offerings, and (3) develop learner-focused and culturally responsive curriculum to attract and produce renewable energy technicians that are representative of the diversity of LTC’s service area. The BILT will work with LTC to conduct a gap analysis and determine the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for solar and energy storage technicians. When changes are made, an external evaluator will assess industry satisfaction and student learning within the renewable energy educational offerings. Faculty professional development will take place through various trainings that will prepare instructors to integrate new laboratory equipment into their courses. To increase enrollment and awareness of the revised program, LTC will offer teacher training workshops to prepare high school faculty to teach renewable energy and prepare students to transfer into LTC’s program. An external evaluator will measure the progress towards their goals. LTC will disseminate their findings through regional and national meetings, in collaboration with the ATE CREATE Energy Center which includes more than 900 faculty nationwide. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202142 | Design Enhancement Through Advanced Integrative Learning | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 11/20/2023 | Mahmood Lahroodi | mlahroodi@cvtc.edu | WI | Chippewa Valley Technical College | Standard Grant | Nasser Alaraje | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $554,550.00 | Paul Girolamo, Mahmood Lahroodi, Joe Vydrzal, Hans Mikelson | 620 W CLAIREMONT AVE | EAU CLAIRE | WI | 547.016.120 | 7.158.336.419 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA) is a critical part of the product development cycle in any manufacturing field. The idea behind DFMA is to design parts in a way that allows them to be easily manufactured. If an individual is designing parts with no understanding of what will be required to produce those parts, product flaws and costly redesigns can arise. Focusing on design optimization reduces the cost of manufacturing and is therefore critical to any manufacturing company. Regional stakeholders indicated the need for employees with experience in DFMA. To help regional stakeholders’ need for employees with knowledge of DFMA, Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC) will work with industry partners to develop Project Based Learning (PBL) activities that will provide secondary and post-secondary students opportunities to solve real-life DFMA problems. The project will leverage the CVTC Prototype Lab, developed through a previous NSF Advanced Technological Education award, to provide students and community members a space to take their designs from concept to reality. Increasing opportunities to experience the complex field of manufacturing through hands-on, contextualized problems will lead to increased enrollment in related post-secondary programs and subsequent entry into high-demand, high-skilled manufacturing careers. The goals of this project are to: (1) prepare technicians for manufacturing and engineering through applied education of DFMA processes and concepts, and (2) increase the capacity of rural secondary teachers to provide instruction in DFMA. Through completion of PBL activities and design workshops, students will demonstrate mastery of core competencies related to DFMA. PBL activities will be developed with direct assistance from industry partners and incorporated into various courses throughout the Mechanical Design Technology and Manufacturing Engineering Technologist programs. PBL activities will focus on a variety of topics, including simple machines, tool design, mechanisms, robotic tools, and surface design. During capstone experiences, post-secondary students will engage directly with industry partners as they respond to real-world business problems related to DFMA. Introduction at the secondary level will involve incorporation of PBL activities into several courses and a regional design competition. Specific professional development and mentoring geared toward high school faculty will benefit future students for years to come. The project will include evaluation by an external expert. Results of this evaluation could inform other institutions about effective approaches to recruiting and educating technicians for DFMA jobs. In addition, via an interactive website, project partners and community members will be kept apprised of project progress and success. This website will also provide a place for other institutions to access the PBL activities developed. The CVTC Prototype Lab will continue to provide a space to inspire makers and entrepreneurs from the community to turn their ideas into new products, creating a culture of innovation and invention in the Chippewa Valley. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000595 | Multiple Academic Pathways for Mechatronics Technicians | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/10/2023 | Christopher Sargent | sargentc@lssc.edu | FL | Lake-Sumter State College | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 06/01/2020 | 05/31/2024 | $529,073.00 | Alberto Luma | 9501 US HIGHWAY 441 | LEESBURG | FL | 347.883.950 | 3.527.873.747 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project addresses a national need for skilled technicians in the advanced manufacturing field of mechatronics. Technicians in this field implement and maintain integrated systems of mechanical devices, electronics, and software that are used to control manufacturing systems. To help meet industry demand for mechatronics technicians, this project will develop multiple academic pathways for students to pursue mechatronics education. Pathways will be developed to will serve incumbent workers in need of upskilling, students enrolled in a degree program, and adult learners who have some college credits. The academic programs will include an integrated employability skills curriculum, adapted from the Necessary Skills Now Network, an ATE Coordination Network. This approach will be designed to support student success on the job. The goal of this project is to close the manufacturing skills gap, particularly in the central Florida region. Best practices of the Florida Curriculum Frameworks in Engineering Technology will be adapted to create stackable micro-credential programs in mechatronics, with each credential requiring less than 12 credit hours. The integration of soft skills into the mechatronics program will help ensure that the students have the skills needed for long term success on the job and advancement in their careers. The project will upgrade equipment in mechatronics labs so that students can be trained on systems that they will encounter in the workplace. In addition to needing well-trained mechatronics technicians, industry also has a critical need for a greater number of these skilled technicians. To this end, the project’s recruiting activities will include a focus on adult students who could complete one or more of the training pathways and perform well in mechatronics technician positions. Such individuals can broaden participation in the mechatronics workforce. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2100108 | Industry 4.0 Curriculum Development and Occupation-Based Learning Outcomes In Automation | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 08/30/2023 | Ronald Zitek | rzitek@lorainccc.edu | OH | Lorain County Community College | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 10/01/2021 | 09/30/2024 | $599,315.00 | Johnathan Alexander, Amy Howell | 1005 N ABBE RD | ELYRIA | OH | 440.351.613 | 4.403.655.222 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national interest by continuing to improve and scale Industry 4.0 curricula and expand training sites to grow the nation’s future-ready workforce. The project seeks to address two fundamental issues. One is the need for replicable and scalable Industry 4.0 curricula that can be continuously updated to keep pace with rapid innovations in target industries. Two is the need to strengthen and coordinate partnerships with industry to increase work-based learning and workforce supply. The potential benefits of the project are: customizable curricula that are equity-informed and scalable; a progressively diverse pipeline of skilled workers; and expanded opportunities for upskilling the current workforce to increase their retention in high-demand Industry 4.0 jobs. The project will create and extend synergistic activities that address gaps in post-secondary education, educator preparation, and regional and statewide workforce needs. Several objectives frame the project's efforts. First is to expand career pathways in Industry 4.0 by translating research and evidence-based projects to the development and implementation of technician education and educator preparation. Second is to continuously improve and align career pathways to Industry 4.0 so technicians have the real time, state-of-the industry tools required to successfully complete career preparation and be work ready. And finally, to formalize a model site that has the potential to scale collaborations and support other community college partners within the state or nationwide, and also to engage career training centers, manufacturing sector partnerships, and Manufacturing USA initiatives. The scope of the project includes development of industry-aligned curricular and training resources that will expand access to technological education in advanced manufacturing, educator professional development activities, and creation of an advanced compendium of open-access, peer-authenticated resources for STEM and Industry 4.0 educators. Products will be developed in formats that allow for online and virtual delivery and rapid dissemination to students, educators, workforce training professionals, and employers. The project will result in benefits to students by accelerating progress toward industry-validated credentials. The project will also benefit educators and industry by facilitating and expanding academic-industry partnerships to build and strengthen connections across Ohio’s advanced manufacturing supply chain. The project will achieve broader impact by leveraging opportunities to scale and disseminate through the Ohio TechNet consortium of community colleges and universities, and it will utilize methods and approaches that enhance equitable access and engagement for underrepresented women and minorities. This expanded collaboration has the potential to lead to a future automation network among Ohio’s institutions of higher education and post-secondary career-technical centers that could engage more deeply with employers seeking an Industry 4.0-skilled and “future-ready” workforce. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000862 | Expanding Technical Career Pathways in Manufacturing for High School Students | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/10/2022 | Jonathan Barnes | jonathan.barnes@slcc.edu | UT | Salt Lake Community College | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 07/01/2020 | 06/30/2024 | $584,943.00 | Craig Caldwell, Jean Bower, Joel Clarkson, Korin Holden | 4600 S REDWOOD RD | SALT LAKE CITY | UT | 841.233.145 | 8.019.574.209 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Engineering technology programs create pathways for students to pursue technical careers in manufacturing companies. Industry demand for skilled manufacturing technicians continues to grow nationally and even more so in the Salt Lake City, Utah region. The number of students enrolled in the Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) engineering technology program has not kept pace with the increased demand for technicians in the region. Given regional demographics, there is also an opportunity to broaden participation of women and minorities in the manufacturing workforce. Regional middle and high schools that serve a diverse population have tried several approaches to increase the awareness of students about and better prepare them for the technical trades. SLCC will collaborate in this effort with the local school district to increase the number of skilled technicians in the region. The project will do so by building upon a existing, successful model and by offering an engineering technology certificate program for high school students. Upon graduation from high school, students will be prepared to enter the workforce directly or to earn an Associate of Applied Science in Engineering Technology from SLCC after one additional year of study. Given the diverse student population participating in the certificate program, this project will help broaden participation of underrepresented students in the technical workforce. The Jordan School District, within the Salt Lake City, Utah metropolitan area, has demonstrated success with the nationally available Prefreshman Engineering Program (PREP). PREP includes three years of voluntary, yet extensive, summer programming designed to improve middle school students’ understanding of STEM content and make them aware of locally available technical careers. The Jordan School District PREP program draws from a diverse population of students and has had high retention rates across multiple years of cohorts. The goal of this project is to increase the number and diversity of students in the engineering technology program at SLCC, and to support their success and entry into workforce, thus addressing regional industry needs. This project will: (1) add an additional year of PREP at Jordan School District to extend the program into high school; (2) provide early connections between PREP students with SLCC engineering resources; and (3) provide high school students with on-site education at SLCC leading to a certificate in engineering technology, as a one-year waypoint toward a full two-year degree by the time they graduate from high school. The certificate program and the two-year degree program will be based on a competency-based learning strategy, which will free students from traditional scheduling constraints and lead to greater engagement with faculty. Using institutional data and student surveys, the project will assess the effects of the extended PREP program components on student persistence and program completion. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000242 | Improving the Biotechnology Internship Experience to Better Prepare Student Technicians for the Modern Workforce | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/07/2020 | Susan Ingersoll | singersoll@valenciacollege.edu | FL | Valencia Community College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 10/01/2020 | 09/30/2024 | $293,976.00 | Anitza San Miguel, Dheeraj Verma | 1800 S KIRKMAN RD | ORLANDO | FL | 32.811 | 4.075.822.909 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national need for a highly skilled technical workforce by improving biotechnology student education. The biotechnology industry in Florida is expanding, with growth that is more than twice the national average. The College intends to expand its biotechnology program to meet this growing need. Specifically, the project plans to improve biotechnology education by updating and revitalizing the current biotechnology internship experience. Internships offer students critical learning and workforce experiences, helping them to develop essential employability skills. This project plans to improve students’ learning through internships by increasing the number of internship opportunities, improving the biotechnology curriculum to better align with the needs of industry partners, enhancing the internship experience with an online interactive resource, and developing a biotechnology network to match students with future employers. This combination of cultivating industry partners, integrating technical skills and essential workplace skills, and community building is expected to increase the impact of biotechnology internships, including helping student successfully transition into a biotechnology career. This project is designed to provide biotechnology employers with highly educated and skilled technicians, thus enabling newly hired technicians to be rapidly productive on the job. The objectives of the project are to: 1) expand biotechnology internship opportunities for students by expanding the number of current internship partners; 2) amplify biotechnology essential skills training for students by developing an internship curriculum that includes essential workforce skills; 3) enhance the student experience by developing online modules to deliver internship information and develop student skills; 4) expand the biotechnology community by creating and hosting a one-day symposium that convenes high school students, biotechnology undergraduates, and industry partners. Additional goals are to increase diversity in the biotechnology industry through outreach and partnership with the local area high schools that have diverse student populations. Resources developed by the project will be shared through the NSF ATE network. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2300800 | Expanding Hands-On Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Experience for Diverse Student Populations | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/18/2023 | Terri Quenzer | tquenzer@miracosta.edu | CA | MiraCosta College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 10/01/2023 | 09/30/2026 | $649,986.00 | Ying-Tsu Loh, Emily Quach | 1 BARNARD DR | OCEANSIDE | CA | 920.563.820 | 7.607.956.809 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to promote awareness of Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing career pathways for diverse, underrepresented community college and high school students. The BioSCOPE (Bioscience Supply Chain Operations Projects for Education) model provides students with project-based activities to learn about biomanufacturing and gain hands-on, industry-relevant skills by producing laboratory reagents and consumables compliant with industry quality standards and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). Products are typically components of laboratory kits that are packaged and distributed to high schools for use by biology and biotechnology students. This is important because connections established between community colleges and high schools create awareness and pathways for students from high schools to enter community college bioscience courses and programs. The project provides students with hands-on experience that prepares them for entry-level employment in livable-wage jobs with upward mobility. Fear of science is a barrier for many students, including those who are underserved and underrepresented in their participation in the pursuit of such careers, as many falsely believe a career in life sciences requires an advanced degree. BioSCOPE removes this barrier and helps students that like to work with their hands by giving them experience that introduces them to opportunities for a rewarding career in life sciences. These student populations benefit by entering rewarding, high-paying careers, and industry benefits by gaining an inclusive, diverse, and skilled workforce. This project is a collaboration between the Bioscience Workforce Development Hub at MiraCosta College, the Bay Area Bioscience Education Community (BABEC), and Laney College, and includes partners throughout California from community colleges, the Bioscience industry, state industry trade associations, workforce development organizations, and related NSF ATE project PIs. The project specifically aims to train community college biotechnology faculty to equitably implement BioSCOPE activities, create a pipeline for enrollment in biotechnology at community colleges by increasing awareness and providing hands-on experience in biotechnology through doing BioSCOPE activities, and provide mentorship to prepare diverse, underrepresented community college students for careers in Biomanufacturing. These students are often not aware of Biotech or of the accessible high-wage careers Biotech can provide that suit their interests, talents, and skills. The project personnel aim to learn if the project builds awareness of Biotech, whether it bolsters a pipeline of students into community college Biotech programs, and how it impacts students getting industry internships and jobs. Participating community college faculty will be surveyed to track the frequency of BioSCOPE activities implemented, the number of students that participate in BioSCOPE, who continues on to industry internships or jobs, and the number of students that enroll in community college Biotech courses from partner high schools. By expanding knowledge and understanding of Biotech and Biomanufacturing among a diverse population of historically underserved students, the project aims to prepare them for growth and innovation within an industry that provides solutions for many global challenges that impact both health and environmental issues. The findings of this work will be disseminated in California and nationally through websites, social media, in-person and virtual trainings, state and national presentations at conferences and industry advisory meetings. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202184 | Product Design Incubator: Fostering an Entrepreneurial Mindset Through Interdisciplinary Product Design | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/26/2022 | Richard Sewell | rsewell@nvcc.edu | VA | Northern Virginia Community College | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $649,791.00 | Cameisha Chin, Paula Ford | 8333 LITTLE RIVER TPKE | ANNANDALE | VA | 220.033.743 | 7.033.233.000 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national interest by improving the communication, collaboration and critical thinking skills of technicians in training through entrepreneurial product design training. Employers in the information and engineering technology (IET) sector report that the employee talent pool lacks these skills that are demanded by the modern workplace. Traditional IET programs do not foster these skills, instead focusing on the acquisition of technical knowledge. A promising method to teach these skills is product design – a holistic set of methodologies that applies engineering, entrepreneurship, and creative skills to the development of new products or services. As an interdisciplinary collaborative process, product design functions as a microcosm of the workplace, aiding in the development of skills required by regional employers. Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA)’s Product Design Incubator (PDI) is an interdisciplinary project designed to train groups of community college students through a product design challenge. The PDI curriculum will integrate introductory entrepreneurship education and training (EET) and design thinking to guide students from initial ideation through the prototyping and pitch processes. PDI will be situated at NOVA’s Fab Lab and will incorporate NOVA faculty, regional entrepreneurs and IET professionals to support student products. PDI will increase contact between students and industry professionals, foster interdisciplinary collaboration between NOVA students and staff, and increase the supply of IET workers with industry-required collaboration, communication, and critical thinking skills. PDI’s primary goal is to improve skill development through product design instruction. PDI has 4 components: 1) a series of entrepreneurship workshops focused on learning entrepreneurship skills through a series of product design exercises; 2) a four-week summer product design internship during which student groups will work with an interdisciplinary group of faculty, regional entrepreneurs and the Fab Lab staff to prototype, test, and refine their idea; 3) an industry-centered pitch event for student groups to present their ideas to regional entrepreneurs and professionals who will provide feedback on student product prototypes; and 4) a follow-up academic year mentoring plan to help students develop their summer work into a portfolio, focus their career interests, or continue to develop their idea into an actionable business. Throughout the product duration, PDI will provide product design instruction to 60 students. During year 1, PDI will use an advisory cohort structure of 12 students, who will provide formative feedback on the program. During years 2 and 3, cohorts will expand to 24 students. PDI will advance the understanding of the efficacy of product design centered EET in improving communication and collaboration skills, fostering an entrepreneurial mindset and improving interdisciplinary knowledge. Results from NOVA PDI will provide insights into the integration of EET into technician education to strengthen critical skills. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2100330 | Pilot Program to Prepare Adults who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing for Skilled Technical Positions in Information Technology | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/21/2021 | Donna Lange | dalndp@rit.edu | NY | Rochester Institute of Tech | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 05/01/2021 | 04/30/2025 | $470,069.00 | Brian Trager, james mallory | 1 LOMB MEMORIAL DR | ROCHESTER | NY | 146.235.603 | 5.854.757.987 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Deafness creates communication barriers resulting in significant and unique learning needs. For example, adults who are deaf or hard-of-hearing (deaf/hh) often experience frustration and struggle with comprehending technical content when attending traditional professional development supported by sign language interpreters. These learners reported difficulties with the pace of instruction and communication with their instructors and peers. Out of class situations, such as breaks or lunch time, were described as awkward because they needed an interpreter to socialize. This indirect communication environment often left these learners feeling isolated, like “second class citizens,” and questioning their own competence and ability to learn technical content. There are extremely limited opportunities for technical professional development for deaf adults that are delivered by experienced instructors using American Sign Language (ASL). The goal of this project is to provide professional development that will improve the employment of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community as Information Technology support technicians. This project will be carried out by a partnership that includes CompTIA, the world’s leading provider of vendor-neutral IT certifications and the DeafTEC Resource Center, housed at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) within the Rochester Institute of Technology. This professional development, referred to as the DeafTEC Ready program, will be offered in a direct communication environment in which all instructors and learners know ASL, allowing everyone to communicate freely. By participating in the DeafTEC Ready program, learners who are deaf/hh will learn technical skills such as repairing and maintaining computer equipment, networks, and operating systems, as well as key workplace skills such as professional communication and problem solving. After completing their training, the learners will sit for CompTIA A+ certification exams, the industry standard for launching a career in IT. Upon successful certification, these individuals will receive direct job placement assistance from CompTIA’s career services staff. Certified individuals will also receive credit for three courses in NTID’s Applied Computer Technology associate degree programs. These courses can be used toward an associate degree at NTID or at other colleges across the country that accept the credit. The project will help meet industry’s need for computer support technicians and for a more diverse workforce by increasing participation of deaf/hh individuals in highly skilled technician careers. This increased participation can also increase acceptance of deaf/hh individuals within these workplaces and beyond. The project will increase access to CompTIA training materials and exams by reducing language barriers that will not only help deaf/hh test-takers but other English language learners. Thus, the project can help people from different communities obtain CompTIA A+ certification and enter the IT workforce. The DeafTEC Ready program will also help employers develop the sensitivity and skills to create an inclusive workplace where not only deaf/hh employees but all employees can succeed. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2229983 | Microelectronics and Nanomanufacturing Partnership for Veterans | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 02/27/2024 | Osama Awadelkarim | ooa1@psu.edu | PA | Pennsylvania State Univ University Park | Continuing Grant | Virginia Carter | 09/01/2022 | 08/31/2026 | $4,401,855.00 | Richard Vaughn, Juan Gonzalez-Gonzalez, Seung Paik, Anthony Fontes | 201 OLD MAIN | UNIVERSITY PARK | PA | 168.021.503 | 8.148.651.372 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 106Z, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The United States (U.S.) has been experiencing a semiconductor chip shortage due in part to the pandemic. This shortage has impacted businesses and industry, including automotive, consumer electronics, data science, and cybersecurity to name a few. Efforts are underway to support semiconductor and microelectronics technologies in the U.S., which will require a prepared and diverse skilled technical workforce to support these critical economic engines. A strong nanomanufacturing workforce will enable the U.S. to be competitive in the global economy and will support the U.S. leadership in microelectronics and semiconductor technologies. This project led by the Center for Nanotechnology Education and Utilization at Pennsylvania State University will support members of the U.S. military, veterans, and family members to gain the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) to move into the semiconductor and microelectronics workforce. Many of these individuals have relevant experience with military technology as members of teams responsible for building mechanical, electrical and communication systems. Veterans without direct military technology experiences also have skills such as teamwork and project management skills that industry recognizes as needed skills within their workforce. This project will provide educational opportunities for military personnel, veterans, and family members to gain the KSAs needed to enter the nanomanufacturing workforce. Members of the collaborative include 2-yr and 4-yr institutions, microelectronics companies, and the Global SEMI Trade Association. The project will leverage a successful pilot that involved the U.S. Navy, Tidewater Community College and Norfolk State University, which will be adapted and scaled to involve additional academic institutions and branches of the military. The project will: (1) adapt and implement the content of the pilot and offer a Microelectronics and Nanomanufacturing Certificate Program (MNP) supported by community and technical colleges and universities, (2) continually assess and adjust the content in consultation with industry for skillset needs, (3) work to secure the endorsement of the MNP by departments of veteran services for different military branches, and (4) elevate the role of community and technical college faculty in the delivery of the MNP minimizing the dependence on the research universities. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202130 | Career Accelerator Cybersecurity Program | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/27/2022 | Christopher George | c0245396@actx.edu | TX | Amarillo College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $240,392.00 | 2011 S WASHINGTON ST | AMARILLO | TX | 791.092.414 | 8.063.455.548 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project will address a critical need for workforce-ready cybersecurity technicians in the Texas Panhandle. The cybersecurity industry has entered a danger zone in which (1) cybercrime is becoming increasingly sophisticated, (2) the systems and devices that need security are becoming ever more complex and interconnected, and (3) the cybersecurity workforce is experiencing an unprecedented shortage of qualified technicians. These issues highlight the need for programs with focused curricula that enable students to quickly obtain the fundamental skills and certifications considered essential by the cybersecurity industry. To address this need, Amarillo College (AC) will create a Cybersecurity Career Accelerator Program that will target two-year IHE students, adult learners, and underrepresented minorities. Creating a diverse pipeline of trained professionals in this field of study is not only important in the private sector but is also a matter of national security. This project will leverage existing curricula, materials, and resources that will adapted to a nimble, 10-week, module-based program that will provide students with the skills needed to gain entry-level employment in the cybersecurity industry. AC will partner with a team of public partners in education, workforce development, economic development, and industry to seek input into the curriculum development process and stay abreast of industry trends. The program will provide students with an accelerated pathway to employment anywhere in the region, state, or country. The program will engage area middle- and high schoolers to encourage pursuit of careers in computer information systems (CIS) through a CIS Summer camp and Success 360. The project will provide a model for accelerated pathways to gainful employment in high-demand sectors and can be replicated for other industry certifications. Project results, lessons learned, and new materials developed will be shared with the cybersecurity and ATE communities, thereby contributing to the cybersecurity education knowledge base. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2200761 | Improving Technician Training in Industry 4.0 technologies Using Competency-Based Education | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/27/2023 | Sheri Plain | sheri.plain@kctcs.edu | KY | Kentucky Community & Technical College System | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 05/01/2022 | 04/30/2025 | $556,314.00 | Jason Simon, Leslie Ashton, Katie Vincent | 300 N MAIN ST | VERSAILLES | KY | 403.831.245 | 8.592.563.397 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Technician education programs that include competency-based education in Industry 4.0 technologies can provide entry points for students into technical careers at advanced manufacturing companies. There is a recognized need for more skilled technicians that can implement and maintain these technologies in manufacturing facilities. This project will develop and pilot a new competency-based educational approach that supports greater access to technician training and improves postsecondary student learning in emerging Industry 4.0 technologies. This should result in a pipeline of highly skilled, next generation manufacturing technicians. This will also address the growing worker shortage in manufacturing, which will help ensure future economic health for Kentucky, as well as the nation. This project will include model practices to recruit and retain students from traditionally underrepresented groups in manufacturing education programs. Competency-based education components will help prepare students for the technician workforce by engaging learners and improving the learning process. The project will increase partnerships between academia, industry, and other stakeholders to ensure that the competency-based education is aligned with the needs of industry. The goal of this project is to develop a competency-based educational approach to help current and future manufacturing technicians learn new skills in Industry 4.0 technologies. Additionally, the project will encourage students from underserved groups to consider manufacturing as a career choice and provide students with personalized support so that they have a successful learning experience and transition to the workforce. The project team will redesign seven existing advanced manufacturing courses that fulfill the academic requirements for six, credit-bearing, industry-recognized certificates and two national certifications. The courses will be restructured to focus on helping students learn content, related skills, and competencies followed by assessments to determine if they have achieved specific learning objectives. These competencies will focus on the technical areas of fluid power, maintaining industrial equipment, circuits, electrical motor controls, industrial robotics and robotics maintenance, and programmable logic controllers. The project will recruit incumbent manufacturing technicians and/or dislocated and underemployed workers as well as students from underserved groups to earn industry credentials. The effectiveness of the competency-based education will be assessed using student and industry survey data. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2247297 | Towards a Competency-Based High School Dual Credit Pathway for Advanced Manufacturing Technicians | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/16/2023 | Jeffrey Grunewald | jeffrey.grunewald@gotoltc.edu | WI | Lakeshore Technical College | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 06/01/2023 | 05/31/2026 | $649,910.00 | Mark Lorier | 1290 NORTH AVE | CLEVELAND | WI | 530.151.412 | 9.209.631.362 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Training in advanced manufacturing technologies helps prepare students for technician positions that are in high demand in industry. Regional manufacturers in northeast Wisconsin are interested in new academic pathways for technicians to meet this growing demand in the region. Competency-based education (CBE) addresses industry technician needs by preparing skilled students to enter the workforce with less difficulty than traditional credit-based instructional delivery modes. Lakeshore Technical College has been a state-wide leader in the implementation of CBE for technical education programs. CBE is an instructional model in which students, learning at their own pace, demonstrate that they have achieved a high level of competency for a specific set of skills that are valued by industry. This project will develop and implement a dual enrollment program for high school students at a new charter school to help students achieve competencies with maintenance, Industry 4.0, and welding technologies. Professional development for high school teachers will provide an opportunity for teachers to earn industry-recognized certifications for training students in advanced manufacturing technologies. Recruiting activities for high school students in the region will provide opportunities for students to learn about technician careers, work-based learning programs, and advanced manufacturing technologies. The project should be of interest to the technical education community as it will advance knowledge about how to implement CBE in technical education and how mastery of concepts can be used for high school students. The overall goal of this project is to address the critical demand in the region for skilled advanced manufacturing technicians by pursuing three objectives. First is to create a CBE dual enrollment program in advanced manufacturing in consultation with a Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT). Second is to train instructors in the use of advanced manufacturing technologies with CBE. Third is to recruit high school students to increase the pipeline of technicians with an emphasis on students from underrepresented groups. The BILT will review and evaluate the advanced manufacturing curriculum to ensure that the competencies within the maintenance, Industry 4.0, and welding pathways represent the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for advanced manufacturing technician positions. Community college faculty will serve as mentors for charter school instructors and serve as a class resource during instruction until charter school instructors complete required certifications and are able to independently deliver all coursework in each educational pathway. Recruitment activities for high school students will include an annual marketing plan, bootcamps, and events in collaboration with regional organizations to help students understand the career opportunities in advanced manufacturing. The impact of the project on student engagement in the program will be assessed using institutional data, online surveys, and focus groups. The CBE model and project results will be shared and disseminated through the Wisconsin Resource Center for charter schools, ATE Central, and the ATE PI Conference. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202134 | Collaborative Research: Revolutionizing Electric Vehicle Education | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/08/2023 | Kapil Chalil Madathil | kmadath@clemson.edu | SC | Clemson University | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 05/15/2022 | 04/30/2025 | $1,017,893.00 | 201 SIKES HALL | CLEMSON | SC | 296.340.001 | 8.646.562.424 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The United States is facing an unprecedented need for a new generation of technological talent to respond to international competition for an automotive workforce with diverse, up-to-date skill sets driven by electric vehicles (EV), autonomous vehicles (AV), and the cybersecurity associated with software-driven vehicles. The internal combustion engine is being phased out and replaced by electricity, setting the stage for an increased demand for autonomous and EV technologies. This changing technological climate and the resultant concurrent global competition necessitate transformation at every level of automotive development – from EV designers to EV technicians. The demand for skilled EV manufacturing and service industry technicians is substantial and is predicted to increase at a rate where demand outpaces quantity. Workers aging out of the workforce, the lack of advanced STEM skills for those currently in the workforce, and increased economic expansion are contributing factors to this deficit. Collaboration among educators and employers must occur to advance the understanding of workforce challenges and opportunities. To meet the need, a faculty-driven consortium of two-year Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs), other ATE projects and centers, and industry will collaborate to address the next generation cross-disciplinary workforce needs of the Electric Vehicle (EV) manufacturing and service industry through an innovative hybrid virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) education approach. The consortium project partners include: Volvo, Daimler, BMW, Proterra, Bosch, Duke Energy, Michelin, the Upstate SC Alliance, the South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership, the South Carolina Technical College System, the National Center for Autonomous Technologies, the National Cybersecurity Training and Education Center, the Regional Center for Nuclear Education, and the Northwest Engineering and Vehicle Technology Exchange. The project goals will address current and future EV manufacturing and service industry needs for both two-year college students and incumbent workers. Goal 1: Identify current and future education and workforce needs required by the migration of the transportation industry from traditional fuels to battery-powered electric vehicles. Goal 2: Create, deploy, and assess an innovative, creative, and informed cross- disciplinary EV manufacturing and service industry technician education hybrid curricula incorporating classroom, virtual, and experiential learning. Strategies will be implemented to support participation and persistence in EV manufacturing and service technician education for students including those who are rural, veterans, and those historically underserved in STEM career pathways. Goal 3: Develop and/or strengthen partnerships with consortium members, ATE projects and centers, and industry to leverage and share expertise and best practices for maximum impact and sustainability within and across fields and institutions. Goal 4: Provide professional development addressing the new EV curricula to ensure widespread use, dissemination, and faculty leadership development. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2055324 | Supporting Instructors to Embed Design Thinking in Digital Fabrication Courses | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/21/2021 | Josh Labrie | jlabrie@nvcc.edu | VA | Northern Virginia Community College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 09/01/2021 | 08/31/2024 | $299,897.00 | Richard Sewell, Mohamed BELGHITH | 8333 LITTLE RIVER TPKE | ANNANDALE | VA | 220.033.743 | 7.033.233.000 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Manufacturing and engineering industries face a looming gap in skilled workers, with an estimated 2.4M positions projected to go unfilled by 2025. This project aims to help fill this gap by improving the preparation of the needed technical workforce. To do so, it will establish a Professional Learning program in design thinking pedagogy for secondary and postsecondary educators. The curriculum will focus on design thinking projects that involve digital fabrication techniques, including 3D printing, laser engraving, and Computer Numerical Control milling. The Professional Learning program is expected to improve the educator' teaching practices and enable them to update existing curricula and lesson plans to better align with industry relevant skills and techniques. The project also intends to create a community of practice around design thinking in digital fabrication that will build a beneficial network among secondary teachers, community college faculty, makerspace educators, and regional employers. It is expected that the project will support 36 secondary and postsecondary educators who will teach more than 3,000 K-12 and undergraduate students in the northern Virginia region. These students will have greater interest in and be better prepared for technical careers in manufacturing and engineering. The overarching goal of the project is to use Professional Learning to move digital fabrication instruction beyond the reproduction of simple objects. Instead, the project will train educators to use pedagogy and cognitive strategies to embed design thinking into their digital fabrication lessons and courses. As a result, students will learn to use design thinking to build complex, useful objects. The project’s specific aims include to: (1) create a professional learning institute; (2) host digital fabrication summer camps at NOVA and the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington; (3) host a semiannual design and digital fabrication challenge; and (4) establish an online resource library of projects and lesson plans created and refined by educators in the community of practice. The project is expected to advance: understanding of the pedagogies that help to develop student interest in manufacturing and engineering; the capacity for Professional Learning to facilitate integration of design thinking into classrooms and makerspaces; and the extent to which a capstone design challenge may foster sustainable change in instructional practices. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2301149 | Center: DeafTEC Resource Center Renewal Grant | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/02/2023 | Donna Lange | dalndp@rit.edu | NY | Rochester Institute of Tech | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 08/01/2023 | 07/31/2026 | $1,649,965.00 | Linda Bryant, Keith Mousley, Brian Trager | 1 LOMB MEMORIAL DR | ROCHESTER | NY | 146.235.603 | 5.854.757.987 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Although progress has been made, people with disabilities continue to be employed at rates much lower than the rest of the population. This lower employment rate is especially true of Americans who are deaf or hard of hearing (D/HH). The most recent available data from 2019 shows 44% of deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HH) people have opted out of the labor force, at more than double the rate for the general population (21%). College graduation can provide major economic benefits for D/HH individuals who have the potential to earn 67% more than non-college graduates. Being employed in STEM provides an even greater benefit, since D/HH individuals in STEM occupations earn 24% more than their peers in non-STEM fields. The ATE Technological Education Center for D/HH Students, DeafTEC, works to increase the access of D/HH individuals to career information, to technician education, and to gainful employment. The goal of DeafTEC is to increase the number of D/HH individuals in highly skilled technician jobs in which there continues to be underrepresentation and underutilization of these individuals in the workplace. The DeafTEC Resource Center will continue to build on and utilize the exemplary materials and network that have been developed as well as achieve sustainability and institutionalization of our key functions. The Center will: (1) leverage partnerships to broaden professional development opportunities onsite and online for high school teachers, community college faculty, and employers to improve access to learning and technician employment for D/HH students; (2) expand, enhance, and broadly distribute DeafTEC’s innovative online resources available through its website that serves as a national resources for teaching D/HH students and military student veterans with hearing loss in technician education programs; and (3) collaborate with PIs of current ATE projects and centers on creating inclusive environments for D/HH students and student veterans with hearing loss. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2348519 | NavigATE | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 02/21/2024 | Gregory Kepner | gkepner@hccfl.edu | FL | Hillsborough Community College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 03/01/2024 | 02/28/2027 | $601,075.00 | Imelda Cossette | 4115 N LOIS AVE | TAMPA | FL | 336.147.824 | 8.132.537.005 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to significantly help broaden the outreach and visibility of the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) community and program. The ATE Impacts Book will be disseminated along with other relevant ATE documents to showcase the cumulative impact of ATE projects and centers and to help educators, decision makers, students, industry partners, and other key stakeholders learn more about the valuable work being done through ATE funding. While individual projects and centers may reach out to their own audiences, the goal of the project,NavigATE, is to help establish a long-standing brand and raise visibility for the ATE program at a national and regional level. ATE Centers and projects have limited budgets and staff to share their materials and NavigATE will significantly broaden their reach and help support their dissemination efforts. The project will improve the skills and knowledge of technicians and technical educators by (1) increasing awareness of the abundant resources available from NSF ATE grantees; (2) foster collaborative activities among centers and projects to reach more individual educators and students, community colleges, and employers; (3) enhance decision makers, staff and faculty knowledge of the NSF ATE program; and (4) facilitate networking and partnerships between educators, industry, other stakeholders and those within and beyond the ATE community. The NavigATE project will focus on providing opportunities for interaction and collaboration in conjunction with mentoring projects, high-quality materials, and resources to support and enhance rigor, relevance, and cross-curriculum content knowledge, technical skills, abilities and pedagogy in advanced technology fields. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2301137 | Collaborative Research: Development of a Nanofabrication Lab Manual Featuring a Suite of Low-Cost Experiments to Enable Hands-On Training at Community and Technical Colleges | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/15/2023 | Zachary Gray | zrg102@psu.edu | PA | Pennsylvania State Univ University Park | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 10/01/2023 | 09/30/2026 | $543,440.00 | Ishfaq Ahmed, Osama Awadelkarim | 201 OLD MAIN | UNIVERSITY PARK | PA | 168.021.503 | 8.148.651.372 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Semiconductors in the form of integrated circuits (ICs), or chips, are an integral part of our technology-driven world. The need for chips has risen sharply while the supply has fallen short of the demand worldwide. Before the end of the last century the United States (US) led the world in chipmaking. However, the US now provides less than 10% of the world need, and the leadership of chip supply is dominated by other countries. Semiconductor products are critical to our economic and national security and rank the fifth largest US export sector providing approximately 250,000 jobs in the United States. This project will explore an innovative way to increase the chipmaking workforce numbers required to meet this national need by eliminating the expensive and complex infrastructure (e.g., cleanrooms, fabrication equipment) traditionally required to train and educate individuals in this area. This project will develop a lab manual featuring low-cost experiments that closely represent the methods used in the chipmaking industry. The manual will feature experiments for students to demonstrate their learning in a hands-on fashion. The lessons in the manual will specifically be designed to be transferrable to any community college (CC) seeking to offer degree tracks in micro and nanotechnology (i.e., chipmaking) to dynamically meet the local industry demand. Instructor guides will include student assessment rubrics to measure learning outcomes. After development, partnering CC’s will review the manual and evaluate the experiments. The manual will be further optimized and evaluated before widespread dissemination through national conferences and professional development activities. This manual will be used as both an outreach tool and a training resource to help cultivate and develop the workforce required to fill the US chipmaking sector. This project, in response to the Enhancing Engineering Technology and Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Technician Education Dear Colleague Letter (22-120), is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2301140 | Collaborative Research: Development of a Nanofabrication Lab Manual Featuring a Suite of Low-Cost Experiments to Enable Hands-On Training at Community and Technical Colleges | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/15/2023 | Robert Collins | r.w.collins2@sunyocc.edu | NY | SUNY Onondaga Community College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 10/01/2023 | 09/30/2026 | $36,152.00 | 4585 W SENECA TPKE | SYRACUSE | NY | 132.154.580 | 3.154.982.581 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Semiconductors in the form of integrated circuits (ICs), or chips, are an integral part of our technology-driven world. The need for chips has risen sharply while the supply has fallen short of the demand worldwide. Before the end of the last century the United States (US) led the world in chipmaking. However, the US now provides less than 10% of the world need, and the leadership of chip supply is dominated by other countries. Semiconductor products are critical to our economic and national security and rank the fifth largest US export sector providing approximately 250,000 jobs in the United States. This project will explore an innovative way to increase the chipmaking workforce numbers required to meet this national need by eliminating the expensive and complex infrastructure (e.g., cleanrooms, fabrication equipment) traditionally required to train and educate individuals in this area. This project will develop a lab manual featuring low-cost experiments that closely represent the methods used in the chipmaking industry. The manual will feature experiments for students to demonstrate their learning in a hands-on fashion. The lessons in the manual will specifically be designed to be transferrable to any community college (CC) seeking to offer degree tracks in micro and nanotechnology (i.e., chipmaking) to dynamically meet the local industry demand. Instructor guides will include student assessment rubrics to measure learning outcomes. After development, partnering CC’s will review the manual and evaluate the experiments. The manual will be further optimized and evaluated before widespread dissemination through national conferences and professional development activities. This manual will be used as both an outreach tool and a training resource to help cultivate and develop the workforce required to fill the US chipmaking sector. This project, in response to the Enhancing Engineering Technology and Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Technician Education Dear Colleague Letter (22-120), is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2301139 | Collaborative Research: Development of a Nanofabrication Lab Manual Featuring a Suite of Low-Cost Experiments to Enable Hands-On Training at Community and Technical Colleges | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/15/2023 | Junhua Xin | amy.xin@bc3.edu | PA | Butler County Community College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 10/01/2023 | 09/30/2026 | $28,130.00 | 107 COLLEGE DR | BUTLER | PA | 160.023.807 | 7.242.878.711 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Semiconductors in the form of integrated circuits (ICs), or chips, are an integral part of our technology-driven world. The need for chips has risen sharply while the supply has fallen short of the demand worldwide. Before the end of the last century the United States (US) led the world in chipmaking. However, the US now provides less than 10% of the world need, and the leadership of chip supply is dominated by other countries. Semiconductor products are critical to our economic and national security and rank the fifth largest US export sector providing approximately 250,000 jobs in the United States. This project will explore an innovative way to increase the chipmaking workforce numbers required to meet this national need by eliminating the expensive and complex infrastructure (e.g., cleanrooms, fabrication equipment) traditionally required to train and educate individuals in this area. This project will develop a lab manual featuring low-cost experiments that closely represent the methods used in the chipmaking industry. The manual will feature experiments for students to demonstrate their learning in a hands-on fashion. The lessons in the manual will specifically be designed to be transferrable to any community college (CC) seeking to offer degree tracks in micro and nanotechnology (i.e., chipmaking) to dynamically meet the local industry demand. Instructor guides will include student assessment rubrics to measure learning outcomes. After development, partnering CC’s will review the manual and evaluate the experiments. The manual will be further optimized and evaluated before widespread dissemination through national conferences and professional development activities. This manual will be used as both an outreach tool and a training resource to help cultivate and develop the workforce required to fill the US chipmaking sector. This project, in response to the Enhancing Engineering Technology and Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Technician Education Dear Colleague Letter (22-120), is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 1821721 | Increasing Retention of Veterans in Engineering and Science Through Student Engagement | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/08/2020 | Armando Rivera-Figueroa | riveraa2@lacitycollege.edu | CA | East Los Angeles College | Standard Grant | Thomas Kim | 10/01/2018 | 09/30/2024 | $1,676,028.00 | Djuradj Babic, Gerard Wong | 1301 AVENIDA CESAR CHAVEZ | MONTEREY PARK | CA | 917.546.001 | 3.233.883.782 | EDU | 741200 | 8209, 9178 | 0,00 | Project SERVES (Success, Engagement & Retention of Veterans in Engineering and Science) aims to provide participating student veterans with the skills needed for successful careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Almost half of undergraduate student veterans enroll in a community college after separation from service. However, veterans are considerably under-represented in STEM. In this project, East Los Angeles College (an HSI community college) and the University of California Los Angeles (a research university) will collaborate to offer a coordinated series of classroom performance interventions, internships, and counseling that focus on understanding and meeting veterans' needs. By evaluating effective practices to increase engagement and retention of student veterans, this project has the potential to model a way for other postsecondary institutions to meet the needs of student veterans and their transition into civilian STEM careers. Project SERVES is designed to broaden participation of veterans in STEM careers. The project will use three assessments, developed by the Center for Community College Student Engagement, to track multiple benchmarks of student engagement. Many veterans possess unique strengths as potential college students, including commitment, strong work ethic, discipline, accountability, and teamwork. Veterans may also have undergone highly specialized technical training in a Military Occupational Specialty. However, veterans face challenges that may be compounded when they encounter traditional STEM education. Research indicates that confidence levels, curriculum overload, STEM faculty teaching styles, and inadequate advising/counseling are responsible for poor retention of STEM students, including veterans. SERVES will pilot and disseminate results of their research, which will assess the effectiveness of STEM student engagement strategies. This program may provide a replicable model for increasing the success of community college?s in recruiting and retaining student veterans in STEM disciplines. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2201455 | Recruitment and Training Support for Diverse Populations in Mechanical and Architectural Manufacturing Technologies (RTS-MT) | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/21/2022 | Mark Malecki | malecki.mark@ptcollege.edu | PA | Pittsburgh Technical Institute | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 08/01/2022 | 07/31/2025 | $649,954.00 | Kasandra Otey, Stephen Matheny, Lauren Zito | 1111 MCKEE RD | OAKDALE | PA | 150.713.211 | 4.128.095.263 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Nationally, manufacturers struggle to fill middle-skills jobs that require some level of technical training, applied skills, licensing, or certification. Through the year 2030, there are an estimated 2.1 million manufacturing jobs that will be unfilled, which could cost the U.S. economy up to $1 trillion. Even though women represent almost half of the national workforce, less than one third of manufacturing professionals are women. The goal of this project is to develop an educational pipeline that will prepare a diverse population of students qualified to fill middle-skill manufacturing jobs. This goal will be accomplished using sector partnerships and career pathways and expanding Pittsburgh Technical College’s (PTC) Mechanical Engineering Technologies (MET) program and improving PTC’s Architectural Engineering Technology (AET) program to meet the growing workforce demand. This project will build upon prior experience gained working on the Integrating Software and Machine-Lab Instruction (ISMI) project that has enhanced the ability of high schools to deliver MET education. PTC will address the national and regional need for filling middle-skill positions by implementing the following goals and objectives (1) increase the number of non-traditional (women), diverse, and military veteran students to both MET and AET; (2) modify the architectural curriculum to include more focus on design principles; (3) provide mentoring and instruction to high school students and faculty; (4) provide professional development training and equipment for PTC faculty; and (5) expand dual enrollment programs at secondary schools. The primary audiences affected by these activities will be secondary school students and teachers, two-year college students and instructors at PTC, and non-traditional and military veteran populations. Project evaluation will be based on the identification of formative outcomes through the application of project management techniques, and summative outcomes of project activities through the application of a logic model to identify the key evaluation questions, data sources and connections to the project’s broader impacts of building a strong manufacturing sector and strengthening the regional economy. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2300824 | Improving Students’ Advanced Manufacturing Skills with Mastery Learning | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/13/2023 | Kenneth Welborn | kwelborn@pvcc.edu | VA | Piedmont Virginia Community College | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 06/01/2023 | 05/31/2026 | $520,281.00 | Scott Kordella | 501 COLLEGE DR | CHARLOTTESVILLE | VA | 229.027.589 | 4.349.773.900 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Mastery learning provides students with an opportunity to learn new skills at their own pace. Given sufficient time and instructional support, students can demonstrate a high level of achievement for a set of skills. Industry demand for skilled technicians in advanced manufacturing continues to grow as manufacturers adopt new technologies to improve productivity and product quality. This project will implement mastery learning in a core set of courses to address industry’s need for advanced manufacturing technicians who have the necessary foundational skills and hands-on experience to be successful in the technician workforce. A dual enrollment program based on mastery learning for regional high school students will provide a pathway for students into the advanced manufacturing program. The project team will assess the impact of mastery learning on student learning outcomes and the effectiveness of recruiting activities for high school students. Project results will be disseminated regionally through the state’s community college system to instructors in other manufacturing programs. Lessons learned from implementing mastery learning will be presented at national conferences focused on technical education. Regional manufacturers recently collaborated on identifying foundational skills for students in an existing advanced manufacturing program at Piedmont Virginia Community College. The goals of this project are to: 1) improve student learning outcomes for foundational skills in advanced manufacturing; 2) increase the number of graduates from the advanced manufacturing program; and 3) help students understand the workplace environment at regional manufacturers. Mastery learning will be implemented in six core courses using a flipped classroom approach with hands-on learning for advanced manufacturing technologies. Courses will be structured as a sequence of modules that students complete at their own pace. Each module builds on the content of previous modules while introducing more advanced concepts. Students must achieve the learning objectives for a module before moving to the next module. This project will provide professional development for high school teachers to implement the modules in four dual enrollment courses. The project team will partner with existing clubs, organizations, and programs to develop recruiting activities that will focus on broadening participation in the advanced manufacturing program. Students will have opportunities to engage with regional industry through structured activities such as site visits and job shadowing so that students can learn about workplace practices. Project results will provide insights for the technical education community on the effectiveness of mastery learning in advanced manufacturing programs. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202117 | Improving Technician Training in Battery Technology | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/29/2022 | Robert Wechsler | robert.wechsler@fscj.edu | FL | Florida State College at Jacksonville | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 06/01/2022 | 05/31/2025 | $378,987.00 | Samuel Fischer, Paul Soar | 501 WEST STATE STREET | JACKSONVILLE | FL | 322.023.099 | 9.046.323.327 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Companies and their customers are transitioning to the use of electric vehicles that are powered by battery technologies. Technician education needs to keep pace with this trend to help support the infrastructure that will manufacture and maintain these vehicles. Technicians will need to understand the technology of battery packs, how to use diagnostic tools to identify failures, and how to maintain battery packs. The project team will collaborate with industry professionals to identify the knowledge and skills that technicians will need to be successful in the electric vehicle technician workforce. New instructional materials will be developed to integrate the new knowledge and skills in automotive technology and aviation technology degree programs. The project will build on best practices from previous ATE projects to recruit and retain students from underrepresented groups to broaden participation in the technician workforce. A new lab facility will be developed in which students can learn to perform hands-on vehicle repairs related to specific course content and how to use diagnostic technology to identify battery problems. The goal of this project is to address industry needs for technician education on battery technologies for electric vehicles. A Business and Industry Leadership Team will guide the job skills analysis for automotive and aviation technicians. The results will be used to develop and revise curricula for the automotive and aviation technology degree programs. The project team will develop a new battery technology credit course tied to a relevant industry credential from the national automotive credentialing organization (Automotive Service Excellence L3 – Light Duty Hybrid /Electric Vehicle Specialist). Battery technology module content will be developed for an existing Basic Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Drone Training course that prepares students for FAA certification and Aviation Science credit courses. A new course will be developed that focuses on Aviation and UAS battery technology. The project team will create a new lab facility to provide students with hands-on learning using electric/hybrid vehicle diagnostic trainers, lithium battery packs and chargers, hydrogen car kits, electric drones, and buildable electric vehicle kits. Hands-on mobile mini-labs focused on electric vehicle and UAS technologies will be developed to provide secondary school curricula for students and professional development for teachers. Using institutional data, the project will assess the effectiveness of recruitment and retention efforts in broadening participation in the technician degree programs. Evaluation findings, program models, curricula and data will be shared through open access online repositories, discipline-specific publications and conferences, and technician education peer networks. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1939219 | Development and Implementation of a Semiconductor Workforce Certificate Program Based on a Unified Advanced Manufacturing Competency Model | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/09/2022 | Robert Geer | rgeer@albany.edu | NY | SUNY Polytechnic Institute | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 10/01/2019 | 09/30/2024 | $7,207,573.00 | Robert Weinman, Michael Russo, Abraham Michelen | 257 FULLER RD | ALBANY | NY | 122.033.613 | 5.184.378.689 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Based on a 2018 survey, the global industry standards association for the electronics manufacturing industry (SEMI, semi.org) discovered that more than 85% of corporate respondents identified a lack of a qualified workforce as a top strategic challenge. With rapid growth in areas such as the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, autonomous vehicles, smart medical devices, and 5G, the need for a skilled technical workforce will only increase. Addressing this need requires an integrated approach to attract students to STEM careers and to provide the education and career pathways that link students, education programs, and employers as an ecosystem rather than as individual parts. To address this need, this project will develop and pilot an industry-wide Semiconductor Workforce Certification Program based on an innovative Unified Competency Model that leverages the U. S. Department of Labor competency model. A multi-level, Semiconductor Technician Certificate will be developed and offered by SEMI as part of its strategic 'SEMI Works' initiative. This program will be developed by SEMI and the Northeast Advanced Technological Education Center (NEATEC) and piloted at 16 technician education programs at two-year and four-year colleges, technical high school programs, and with newly transitioned veterans at Fort Drum, NY. The pilot program will then be expanded to Oregon and North Carolina. It is estimated that, by the conclusion of the project, nearly 400 students will have earned a SEMI Semiconductor Technician Certification. The approach is expected to create a new, intrinsically flexible and updateable competency model applicable to a wide range of technician skillsets. The project will develop: 1) a Unified Advanced Manufacturing Competency Model and a Semiconductor Manufacturing Sub-Sector Competency Model, transforming the existing U. S. Department of Labor-ETA Advanced Manufacturing Competency model by adding a proficiency and relevance scale (0-4) for each competency; 2) a SEMI Certification model for technician education programs; and 3) a Proficiency-driven Academic Alignment Program that will review partner technician education programs and translate course and program learning outcomes to a Competency Profile format for skill gap/match analysis with SEMI Technician certification programs. This effort will create a transferrable academic review and alignment process for any U.S. academic institution to obtain a SEMI Semiconductor Workforce Certification for its technician education programs. Project outcomes will include the first-ever industry-wide semiconductor technician certification program, and an automated web-based SEMI Certification portal that will be maintained and updated by SEMI. The portal will build, sustain, compare, and update the Unified Advanced Manufacturing Competency Model for certified academic programs and provide an automated pathway for certification updates. The portal will also provide tools that guide workforce strategies for employers, technician education programs, and individual job seekers. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2055646 | Expanding the Engineering Technician Pipeline for Industry 4.0 | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/01/2022 | Matt Richards | mrichards38@cscc.edu | OH | Columbus State Community College | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 05/01/2021 | 04/30/2025 | $397,014.00 | Mark Gerko | 550 E SPRING ST | COLUMBUS | OH | 432.151.722 | 6.142.872.639 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Automation of manufacturing using smart technology has been called the fourth industrial revolution or Industry 4.0. This automation is making major changes to the workplace as manufacturers deploy a host of connected devices to support smart manufacturing. As a result, new educational programs are needed to prepare the skilled technicians who can implement and maintain these new technologies. In central Ohio, employers have expressed a need for highly skilled engineering technicians to support their Industry 4.0 efforts. One such effort is implementation of collaborative robots or cobots, which were developed to interact with workers and other digital devices in a shared workspace. The increased demand for cobots in industry creates a need for raising students’ awareness of technical careers and for developing new skills training opportunities. This project will build on an existing outreach model to help high school students and high school teachers learn about Industry 4.0 technologies through a project-based learning approach. In addition, it will develop collaborative robotics courses, implement a new collaborative robotics lab facility, and create an Industry 4.0 certificate. Overall, the project efforts are expected to increase the number of Industry 4.0-ready technicians. The goal of this project is to increase the number of skilled engineering technicians who can implement and maintain Industry 4.0 technologies. This project will build on existing learning resources for Industry 4.0 and develop new courses for collaborative robotics. To support these changes in the engineering technology course offerings, a new collaborative robotics lab will be established for hands-on training. With input from industry partners, the project will expand opportunities for incumbent workers by developing an Industry 4.0 certificate program. Recruitment efforts will bring high school students and teachers from four schools in the region to the College for three Manufacturing Summer Institutes each year, where students and teachers will learn about Industry 4.0 technologies in two separate tracks. The institutes will help prepare secondary students for technical education programs and help teachers design curricula that include Industry 4.0 technologies. The project will be evaluated through a mixed methods approach, using content analysis and descriptive statistics to assess project deliverables and outcomes. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2201621 | Building the Cell Therapy and Flow Cytometry Workforce | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/18/2022 | Savita Prabhakar | sprabhakar@frederick.edu | MD | Frederick Community College | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $349,911.00 | Valerie Cousins | 7932 OPOSSUMTOWN PIKE | FREDERICK | MD | 217.022.964 | 3.018.462.458 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Recent innovations in personalized medicine have spurred rapid growth in the regional biopharmaceutical industry and an increased demand for skilled technicians. Working closely with industry leaders, this project from Frederick Community College will create a specialized curriculum to meet the needs of the regional biotechnology workforce. Over the three-year project, 25 students will gain specialized skills in cell therapy and flow cytometry as part of an associate’s degree, certificate, letter of recognition, or Registered Apprenticeship pathway. The overall enrollment in the Frederick Community College biotechnology program is anticipated to increase by 50%. The project will establish a new advisory team comprised of business and industry leaders to guide the development of a new Cell Therapy and Flow Cytometry course. Faculty will receive training, a flow cytometer will be purchased, and the instrument will be used in the delivery of hands-on instruction. A recruitment specialist will be hired to develop and implement a comprehensive recruitment plan. The project has the potential to broaden participation in the STEM workforce by making affordable, relevant, industry-validated biotechnology technician education accessible to local students, many of whom represent underserved populations. The project has two overarching goals: 1) to meet the growing industry need for technicians with cell therapy and flow cytometry skills, and 2) to increase enrollment of traditional and non-traditional students in the Frederick Community College biotechnology program. The project will develop a new Cell Therapy and Flow Cytometry course that will align with workforce requirements of regional industry partners. This course will provide hands-on instruction in cell therapy and flow cytometry techniques and will be required for all biotechnology program pathways. The project will also develop and execute a comprehensive recruitment plan to increase awareness among local high school students, generate interest among undergraduate students, and appeal to job seekers and workers who wish to expand their skill sets. Faculty will receive training on using flow cytometers to expand their knowledge of cell therapy techniques and procure one to provide hands-on instruction. To ensure the curriculum is aligned with industry needs, the project will engage a new Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT) to provide subject matter expertise, input, guidance and feedback on course development and implementation. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000831 | A Collaborative Approach to Expanding Nondestructive Testing Education within a Welding Program | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/16/2020 | Michael Nau | mnau@pct.edu | PA | Pennsylvania College of Technology | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 05/01/2020 | 04/30/2024 | $599,816.00 | James Colton, Bradley Webb | 1 COLLEGE AVE | WILLIAMSPORT | PA | 177.015.778 | 5.703.263.761 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to address the growing unmet need for skilled technicians in nondestructive testing. Nondestructive testing is used to test the safety of structures, vehicles, or vessels using technologies such as ultrasound and X-ray analysis. Nondestructive testing technicians help U.S. vessel, vehicle, pipeline, and infrastructure industries meet quality and safety assurance requirements, thus preventing injury or loss of life. The shortage of workers in nondestructive testing results from both high industry demand and a shortage of training programs. Consequently, the project proposes to develop a new Associate of Applied Science degree program and two specialized certificate programs in nondestructive testing. This curriculum has the potential to increase the capacity of educational institutions to provide classroom training leading to American Society for Nondestructive Testing Level II certification. Activities will also be developed that promote diversity in high technology careers by focusing recruitment efforts on high school students and incumbent workers from groups that are not yet well represented in this employment sector. Innovative aspects of the curriculum will include: (1) a focus on weld testing, with an integration of nondestructive testing and welding curricular content in the AAS degree program; and (2) alignment with American Society for Nondestructive Testing certification standards to ensure the highest quality of preparation for graduates. The project’s objectives are to: (1) develop curricula for radiographic testing and ultrasonic testing certificates that lead to fulfillment of American Society for Nondestructive Testing Level II classroom requirements; (2) to align the two certificates and the associate’s degree program to create flexible academic pathways for students; (3) to enhance student learning with new equipment for teaching radiographic testing and phased array ultrasonic testing; and (4) to recruit and enroll high school students and incumbent workers in the new pathways to earning nondestructive testing credentials. A research study will add new knowledge regarding the effectiveness of the recruitment activities, including activities introduced in a summer camp and in a dual enrollment welding curriculum. The project evaluation will examine the effectiveness and impact of industry relationships, curriculum development, use of new equipment, and recruitment activities, with regard to the intended learning outcomes and alignment with the needs of students and employers. This project can provide a model for career and educational pathways in nondestructive testing that other colleges may replicate or adapt. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1947516 | Community College Innovation Challenge Relaunch, 2020-2022 | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 11/08/2019 | Ellen Hause | ehause@aacc.nche.edu | DC | American Association of Community Colleges | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 11/01/2019 | 10/31/2024 | $1,896,810.00 | STE 410 | WASHINGTON | DC | 20.036 | 2.027.280.200 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The U.S. workforce is rapidly changing. The new world of work will require workers to acquire vital employability skills as well as engaging in life-long learning to keep technological skills current. In its 2019 report "Charting a Course for Success: America's Strategy for STEM Education" the National Science and Technology Council of the White House discusses the need for entrepreneurial education and opportunities to meet changing workforce demands. To respond to these needs, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) will cultivate innovation and entrepreneurship and support undergraduate research experiences for community college students by leading the re-launch of the Community College Innovation Challenge (CCIC). AACC successfully partnered with the National Science Foundation to host the 2015-2018 CCIC competitions and has worked to re-envision and strengthen this offering to garner greater numbers of student team applications, provide professional and leadership development opportunities for students and for faculty, and to raise awareness of the valuable contributions of community colleges in STEM innovation. The proposed activities will enable community college students to discover and demonstrate their capacity to use STEM to make a difference in the world. CCIC participation will prepare students with workplace skills; offer potential pathways to student retention, completion, and employment; and provide an opportunity to create STEM-based products and services of potential benefit to society. The CCIC contributes to enabling the U.S. to remain a global leader in STEM literacy, innovation, and employment by nurturing student/faculty collaborations on UREs and providing a venue for leadership development and technical assistance. The CCIC is also expected to have an impact on promoting the value and national significance of community college leadership in STEM innovation, entrepreneurship, and meeting the rising demand for a highly-skilled U.S. workforce. The AACC proposes to: 1. Develop a national request for applications and launch an annual Community College Innovation Challenge in 2020, 2021, and 2022. Teams of 2-4 community college students, working alongside a faculty mentor, will be asked to craft innovative STEM-based solutions for real world problems that are aligned with NSF's Ten Big Ideas. 2. Create and implement a strategic dissemination and outreach plan designed to reach greater numbers of community college students and faculty to raise awareness and encourage submissions. 3. Host three CCIC Boot Camps in 2020, 2021, and 2022 to convene the 10-13 finalist teams selected each year through a national application process. The Boot Camp is a four-day event, modeled on NSF's Innovation Corps (I-Corps) model, designed to provide hands-on opportunities for the teams to learn communication, business, and entrepreneurial strategies to further their STEM innovations. The Boot Camp features a high-profile poster session on Capitol Hill, and a final presentation to a panel of judges in a "Shark Tank" format to determine the first and second place winning teams. 4. Leverage collaborations with experienced professionals from NSF's I-Corps program; strategic communication and social change agencies; and the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship on the development of the Boot Camp agenda, resources, and materials. 5. Disseminate nationally information on the CCIC winners and the significant role of community colleges in leading undergraduate research, STEM innovation, and entrepreneurship efforts. These activities will advance the knowledge and understanding of various STEM technician education fields and technologies and their role in ideation and innovation. The CCIC will enrich and support students in learning vital employability skills; cultivate STEM innovations that translate knowledge into action; and provide professional and leadership development opportunities for student and faculty teams. In addition, CCIC information and resources to support community college UREs and entrepreneurial education will be disseminated on a national level. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2300457 | The Hostos Technical Education in Cybersecurity (H-TEC) Project | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 08/17/2023 | Nieves Angulo | nangulo@hostos.cuny.edu | NY | CUNY Hostos Community College | Standard Grant | R. Corby Hovis | 10/01/2023 | 09/30/2026 | $650,000.00 | Moise Koffi, Amy Ramson | 500 GRAND CONCOURSE # B463 | BRONX | NY | 104.515.323 | 7.186.642.744 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178 | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national interest by producing more qualified technicians to meet workforce demands in cybersecurity. Keeping computers and information systems secure is a critical need and a major challenge in business, industry, and government. The growth of cyber-threats has created a need for many more workers who have the knowledge and skills to protect both existing and emerging technologies. To meet the need for well-trained, certified cybersecurity technicians in the New York City area, the Hostos Technical Education in Cybersecurity (H-TEC) project will create an online cybersecurity program leading to industry certifications aligned with federal standards. This innovative curriculum will take a holistic approach, incorporating peer mentoring, regulatory compliance, a law enforcement perspective, and experiential and project-based learning. Because the project is based at a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) with a supermajority of minority students, it also has potential to increase the diversity of the cybersecurity workforce while improving social mobility for the students. The project has two goals: (1) Develop an online, state-of-the-art cybersecurity program, which includes modules that lead to industry certifications and integrate concepts of regulatory and law enforcement compliance and the development of communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. (2) Build a pipeline from neighboring high schools and the college's Continuing Education and Workforce Division to recruit minority students into the program and help diversify the cybersecurity workforce in the New York City area. Seven key activities will frame the project team's efforts. First, is to develop seven online cybersecurity courses that make use of existing high-quality materials and resources available through the ATE centers for cybersecurity education. Second, is to create four learning modules, in collaboration with industry partners, to teach content and hands-on skills that lead to industry certifications. Third, is to embed experiential learning and project-based learning into the new cybersecurity courses in collaboration with industry partners. Fourth and fifth, entail offering workshops on the new courses and modules to faculty and peer leaders and offering workshops and informational sessions to guidance counselors at local high schools, high school juniors and seniors, students just entering the college, and the college's Career Services Office staff. Sixth, is leveraging the well-established Proyecto Access program, which provides year-round enrichment courses, tutorial services, and project-based learning to high-achieving yet economically disadvantaged high school students in STEM disciplines. Seventh, and finally, is to create a pathway to the cybersecurity program for incumbent workers by awarding credit for prior learning to Continuing Education students who complete the CompTIA A+ certification. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program, which focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2332393 | Advancing STEM Technician Education & Innovation: The Community College Leadership Role | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/13/2023 | Ellen Hause | ehause@aacc.nche.edu | DC | American Association of Community Colleges | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 12/01/2023 | 11/30/2026 | $7,478,103.00 | STE 410 | WASHINGTON | DC | 20.036 | 2.027.280.200 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Community and technical colleges have long been leaders and innovators in STEM reform and improvement efforts in the United States. As community-based institutions, they are uniquely positioned to keep pace with advances in technology to offer technician education programs that meet growing and evolving workforce needs. By providing affordable and accessible entry points into higher education and enrolling nearly 40 percent of all U.S. undergraduate students, community colleges represent a significant national pathway to meeting the growing and diverse needs of a global workforce critical to our nation’s competitiveness and future economic growth. As workplace and employer skill demands evolve, it is imperative that community colleges continue to engage in efforts to cultivate students’ ability to learn new skills, such as analytical and creative thinking, as they become increasingly essential. This project features activities designed to broaden the impact of community college leadership in advancing STEM technician education; encourage greater numbers of community colleges to develop or strengthen ATE-related programs; create and support venues for developing and nurturing STEM professional and leadership development opportunities for two-year college administrators, faculty, and students; cultivate innovation and entrepreneurship; support institutional STEM capacity building; and raise awareness of the resources and contributions of community colleges working in STEM technician education. Project activities include: 1) Hosting three national ATE Principal Investigators’ Conferences to provide professional and leadership development for the ATE community, 2) Launching a national application to select cohorts of the MentorLinks activity to enable community colleges to develop new or strengthen existing STEM technician education programs, 3) Leading the Community College Innovation Challenge (CCIC) to foster the development of students’ innovation and entrepreneurship skills through a national team pitch competition and summer Boot Camp modeled on NSF’s Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program, and 4) Developing an ATE Future Leaders Fellows pilot to: (a) enable 12 community college STEM professionals to participate in the AACC Roueche Future Leaders Institute or AACC Future Presidents Institute; (b) contribute to a national dialogue on STEM capacity building and creating a grant culture in support of ATE awards; and (c) raise awareness of the STEM education landscape to help shape the practice and competencies of community college leadership. The project will also conduct national outreach on the role and resources of community colleges in the ATE program and evaluate all grant activities to ensure the activities meet the needs of the two-year community and technical college community. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 1838419 | Strengthening and Supporting the Community College Leadership Role in Advancing STEM Technician Education | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 08/23/2022 | Ellen Hause | ehause@aacc.nche.edu | DC | American Association of Community Colleges | Continuing Grant | Virginia Carter | 08/01/2019 | 07/31/2024 | $4,999,982.00 | STE 410 | WASHINGTON | DC | 20.036 | 2.027.280.200 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program focuses on educating a skilled technical workforce to keep the United States advanced technological industries globally competitive, and has supported this goal for the past 25 years. A critical partner in this effort has been and continues to be the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), which provides a direct link between the program and US community and technical colleges. The AACC has supported community college leaders to make the connections needed to build and sustain STEM programs. The AACC has also mentored faculty and catalyzed new collaborations that have strengthened technician education programs across the nation. This project will continue this work by supporting the networking and professional enrichment provided by the ATE Principal Investigator (PI) Conferences and the MentorLinks program. It will also create a new program for senior leaders of community and technical colleges, to enhance understanding of advanced technological education and nationally expand its implementation. In this project, the AACC aims to: broaden the impact of community college leadership in advancing STEM technician education; encourage greater numbers of community colleges to develop and/or to strengthen existing ATE-related programs; create and support venues for STEM professional and leadership development; support STEM capacity building through direct engagement with community college presidents and senior administrators; and disseminate the value, resources, and accomplishments of the ATE program. Project activities include organizing four ATE PI Conferences and expanding the AACC's successful MentorLinks program to enable 20 community colleges to develop new or strengthen existing STEM technician education programs. It will also develop and implement an ATE Administrative Leadership Engagement program, designed to provide peer-to-peer professional development for community college presidents and senior administrators, to raise awareness of and support for the implementation of ATE awards and STEM capacity building. This Administrative Leadership Program will offer: (1) ATE Presidents' Breakfast Discussion Roundtables at the AACC's annual convention; (2) A workshop for community college presidents with resulting proceedings report, held in conjunction with the 2020 ATE Conference focused on identifying and sharing promising strategies to support the successful implementation of ATE awards on their campuses; (3) A webinar series targeting topics relevant to administrators, as identified through the workshop and roundtables; The project will also disseminate ATE program resources, information, and opportunities through the project website, feature articles, presentations, conference proceedings, and the use of social media; evaluate project activities including two ATE focus groups designed to strengthen the annual ATE Conference; and publish research findings on AACC's MentorLinks program resulting from a 2018-2019 longitudinal study covering the program's impact over a period of 14 years. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 1902075 | Increasing the Number of Workforce-ready Engineering Technicians in Southeastern Pennsylvania | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 02/26/2024 | Christine Delahanty | christine.delahanty@bucks.edu | PA | Bucks County Community College | Standard Grant | Nasser Alaraje | 09/01/2019 | 06/30/2024 | $391,101.00 | Tracy Timby, Susan Herring, Vladimir Genis | 275 SWAMP RD | NEWTOWN | PA | 189.404.106 | 2.159.688.000 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to contribute to the national need for a skilled STEM workforce by increasing the number of well-trained engineering technicians. To recruit more students into the Engineering Technology program, the project will develop articulation agreements with the College's Center for Workforce Development. Through this articulation, credits toward an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Engineering Technology will be granted for specific certifications obtained through the Center for Workforce Development. In addition, the project will award certifications, digital badges, or college credits for other prior learning, including knowledge and skills gained from military training. The project intends to strengthen the Engineering Technology curriculum by including a new course on manufacturing technology, requiring business courses that emphasize entrepreneurship, and developing practical experiences such as job-shadowing and internships. The project will also support a collaboration between Bucks County Community College and Drexel University to strengthen the education of both engineering technicians and engineering technologists. It is expected that the improved Engineering Technology curriculum and the innovative connection between certifications and an associate degree will increase the number of engineering technicians who can meet the needs of local and regional employers. The project aims to develop robust collaborations between four Bucks County Community College programs or departments: The Engineering Technology program, the Business Studies Department, the Center for Workforce Development (which awards several engineering-relevant certifications), and the Industry Advisory Board (which advises the College on issues related to industry needs and trends). Through this collaboration, the project aims to modernize the Engineering Technology curriculum to increase the emphasis on soft skills training and career exploration, and to develop associated certifications and/or other credentials. As part of this modernization, a credit-bearing manufacturing course with an updated laboratory component will be developed. The project plans to offer opportunities that help students explore engineering technician career options, including a formalized job shadowing program. It is expected that the project will contribute to the national need for a highly-trained STEM workforce by increasing the number of students who pursue engineering technician careers, and by better preparing these technicians to be successful on the job. It also has the potential to create a model for how to successfully link certification programs to credit-bearing programs. Such a model might be implemented by other colleges and universities. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2327682 | Work-Based Biotechnology Education from High School to Community College | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 02/21/2024 | Golnar Afshar | golnar.afshar@mail.ccsf.edu | CA | BAY AREA BIOSCIENCE EDUCATION COMMUNITY | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 05/01/2023 | 07/31/2025 | $315,445.00 | Ying-Tsu Loh, Michael Fuller | 1019 EDWARDS RD | BURLINGAME | CA | 940.102.318 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Biotechnology and related life sciences are among the fastest-growing industries in the nation, with a high demand for entry-level workers holding two-year or four-year college degrees. Because of the high density of biotechnology industries and research laboratories in the San Francisco Bay area, this region has high demand for biotechnology workers. However, the region has a shortage of trained entry-level biotechnology workers. Moreover, few individuals from African American and Hispanic communities pursue careers in biotechnology. Thus, a compelling need exists for opening new career paths in biotechnology for students from these communities, which have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. To address this need, the project will support the City College of San Francisco’s Biotechnology program to work with local high schools to spark the interest of high school students in biotechnology. Students will have access to hands-on activities, field trips, and real-work experiences that include paid internships. These actions are designed to broaden participation of underrepresented groups in biotechnology and increase the capacity for biotechnology workforce development. The goal of this project is to address the biotechnology workforce shortage and lack of diversity by strengthening the pipeline of high school students from communities that are underrepresented in STEM into biotechnology studies at a community college. To accomplish this goal, the biotechnology faculty at City College of San Francisco will collaborate with teachers at local high schools with higher populations of the targeted students. High school students will visit the college during field trips and participate in carefully planned hands-on activities. In addition, high school students will gain valuable laboratory work skills during a paid summer internship. These students will receive training in leadership and peer mentoring skills and will be given the opportunity to work as classroom teaching assistants. The students will learn about careers in biotechnology and educational opportunities at the College. Lastly, under supervision of the faculty, City College of San Francisco students will develop outreach and instructional videos to supplement the instructional material for the College’s biotechnology courses and strengthen the high school student learning experience. The videos will be disseminated freely to high school and other educators. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2055722 | Improving Technician Skills in Advanced Manufacturing with a Low-Cost Virtual Reality Platform | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/21/2021 | Eric Wooldridge | eric.wooldridge@kctcs.edu | KY | Kentucky Community & Technical College System | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 05/01/2021 | 04/30/2025 | $575,546.00 | Ismail Fidan, Imelda Cossette | 300 N MAIN ST | VERSAILLES | KY | 403.831.245 | 8.592.563.397 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Virtual reality applications have shown promise in providing effective training for technicians. The technology can replace the need for expensive hardware used in hands-on training. However, virtual reality applications are also expensive, creating a barrier to adoption by community and technical colleges. The potential impact of virtual reality on student learning in advanced manufacturing technician programs is noteworthy, given the wide variety of devices and information that technicians need to understand to perform their tasks. This project will develop, implement, and assess a low-cost platform for developing virtual reality modules that can be adopted and customized by community colleges, including those with limited resources. By removing the barrier to the widespread use of virtual reality in technician education, this project aims to improve student learning in technical education programs. The project intends to create a network of more than 30 community and technical colleges that will be capable of creating, collaborating on, and sharing effective and customizable low-cost virtual reality educational materials for advanced manufacturing technicians. The goal of this project is to improve student learning by increasing the accessibility of virtual reality training applications for students in advanced manufacturing technician programs. To test the effectiveness of the platform, the project will develop four virtual reality modules on blueprint reading, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, basic work area safety, and quality control. The effectiveness of the modules in improving student learning will be assessed using pre- and post-tests for incumbent manufacturing technicians and student technicians. The project team will then train faculty to develop and implement their own customized modules and contribute to an online library of all the resulting virtual reality modules. As a result of this project, a consortium of community and technical college educators will be trained to use the virtual reality applications in their classes. The resources and instructional materials produced during this project will be made available via the project’s website so that academic institutions and manufacturers can access and use the resources for training purposes. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000568 | Developing Pathways to Engineering Technology Careers | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/02/2020 | eugene mahmoud | emahmoud@mtsac.edu | CA | Mount San Antonio College | Standard Grant | Nasser Alaraje | 08/01/2020 | 07/31/2024 | $594,293.00 | Martin Mason, Brandon Saller, Carolyn Robinson | 1100 N GRAND AVE | WALNUT | CA | 917.891.341 | 9.092.745.417 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | To help meet an increased demand for engineering technicians in the Los Angeles, California region, this project will create multiple academic pathways to obtain engineering technician skills and credentials. These pathways include programs for associate degrees or certificates in software, civil, mechanical, or electrical and computer engineering technology. A summer bridge program will assist high school students in making a successful transition from high school to the new engineering technology programs. The core courses of the academic pathways will use project-based learning to engage students in challenging technical problems and provide opportunities for students to work on their projects in the college’s new makerspace facility. The primary goals of this project are to: (1) to help students develop workplace-relevant skills by integrating project-based learning into the curriculum; (2) provide student support services to successfully orient, retain, and matriculate students from underserved populations: (3) create multiple pathways from college to career, via certificate and degree programs in engineering technology, and (4) support academic transfer to four year programs. An on-campus summer bridge program will engage incoming students in engineering projects, provide access to real-world engineering tools and the college’s makerspace, and provide experiential learning in laboratory activities. This project will study the effects of student participation in project-based learning and the summer bridge program on student retention and completion rates in the degree and certificate programs. Disaggregation of the data will be used to understand the impacts on underserved student populations. Lessons learned about best practices for makerspace-facilitated project-based learning will be disseminated to other community colleges through the American Society for Engineering Education conference and the High Impact Technology Exchange Conference. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1955010 | Advancing Mechatronics Education to Include Industry 4.0 Concepts and Skills | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 11/20/2023 | Joshua Whittington | joshua.whittington@wiregrass.edu | GA | Wiregrass Georgia Technical College | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 07/01/2020 | 06/30/2024 | $299,206.00 | Corey Cleghorn | 4089 VAL TECH RD | VALDOSTA | GA | 316.020.929 | 2.294.682.091 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The field of advanced manufacturing is being transformed by the integration of automation with digital data exchange. This integration of physical and digital systems is often called, Industry 4.0. Examples of Industry 4.0 technologies include Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, and Cloud Computing. This project is designed to help meet the rising need for highly skilled workers who are ready for employment in Mechatronics and Industry 4.0. The College’s South Georgia service area is home to more than 150 manufacturing companies. Current industry partners include Polar Beverages, Kelly Manufacturing Company, Campbell Scientific, NextEra Energy, Dillard’s Distribution, Letica Corporation, BASF, and Innotek. To operate and maintain modern manufacturing facilities, these companies need technicians who have Industry 4.0 skills. Coupled with this growing demand for Industry 4.0-competent technicians, there is a shortage of faculty who can teach Industry 4.0 concepts and skills. To meet the dual need for educators and workers, this project plans to: 1) build on an existing mechatronics program to develop a new Mechatronics – Industry 4.0 degree that can produce workforce-ready technicians; 2) develop educational pathways from local high school mechatronics programs into the new Mechatronics – Industry 4.0 program; 3) support the teaching and learning of workplace Industry 4.0 competencies; and 4) increase program enrollment, especially of underrepresented student populations including female and Latinx students. A comprehensive evaluation will determine the impact of the project as well as make recommendations for modifications. This project intends to develop a pipeline of students from a high-school advanced manufacturing program into a college-level Mechatronics program that includes Industry 4.0 training. Using industry experts as co-teachers, professional development activities will provide college faculty with the necessary training and certifications needed to provide high quality education in Industry 4.0 concepts and skills. The project will develop blended-learning resources (i.e. in person and online) and generate insights into how a blended environment affects student learning. Anticipated outcomes of the project are an advanced mechatronics degree with an Industry 4.0 focus and articulated pathways in automated manufacturing from high schools to community and technical colleges. Anticipated benefits to industry partners include: 1) a steady stream of highly skilled, work-ready advanced manufacturing technicians; 2) a curriculum more reflective of industry needs; and 3) an opportunity to shape the educational future of students interested in advanced manufacturing as a career path. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1954577 | Designing and Implementing an Industry-aligned Robotics Technician Certificate Program | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/26/2023 | Hao Loi | hloi@qcc.mass.edu | MA | Quinsigamond Community College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 05/01/2020 | 04/30/2025 | $298,108.00 | James Heffernan, Hao Loi | 670 WEST BOYLSTON STREET | WORCESTER | MA | 16.062.092 | 5.088.532.300 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | A high need exists for robotics technicians in the Central Massachusetts manufacturing and warehousing sectors. To help meet this need, this project will develop a one-year robotics technician certificate program to teach skills sought by regional robotics technician employers. The project will also develop a pathway from existing K-12 robotics outreach programs into robotics technological education. The robotics technician curriculum will be designed in partnership with industry to help students develop technical, communication, and problem-solving skills. Industry involvement will ensure that the robotics technician program meets industry needs. Outreach activities will emphasize recruiting students from underrepresented populations including Latinx students, English language learners, economically under-resourced students, and persons with disabilities. The program design will be shared with other institutions of higher education that are interested in developing robotics technician education. This project will develop and implement a one-year robotics technician certificate program. It will first convene a Business and Industry Leadership Team to help prioritize the skills desired by local employers. It will then use the Developing a Curriculum process to build the curriculum and identify best practices for delivery. Laboratory upgrades will include a programmable, humanoid robot that will support hands-on pedagogy. Professional development for faculty will include a Project-Based Learning workshop and FANUC certification training. Students will be recruited from existing K-12 robotics community outreach programs that already engage a large population of underrepresented students. Thus, the project is expected to strengthen opportunities for students with demonstrated interest in robotics, including students from underrepresented groups, to enter an in-demand career. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202230 | Geospatial Technical Education: Bridging Classroom to GIS Technician Careers | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/11/2022 | Jaquelyn Klancher | jklanche@cwc.edu | WY | Central Wyoming College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 06/15/2022 | 05/31/2025 | $349,804.00 | Todd Guenther | 2660 PECK AVE | RIVERTON | WY | 825.012.273 | 3.078.552.048 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Geospatial Information Science (GIS) is a rapidly growing field of employment for which a significant workforce gap exists in Central Wyoming. There are not enough workforce-ready geospatial employees trained at the technician level to satisfy employment needs in the region. The goal of this project is to increase the recruitment, retention, and graduation rates of students in GIS at Central Wyoming College (CWC). The project will place specific emphasis on increasing the participation of students from groups underrepresented in GIS with a focus on American Indian students. An overall increase in the number of students participating in the GIS program, combined with innovative scheduling and course formatting will increase student completion rates and help CWC to graduate more workforce-ready GIS technicians. The resulting GIS program will include opportunities for field-based research, internships, and work experience that will enhance student learning and provide economic support to help with program retention and completion. The project has three key objectives: the expansion of recruitment and retention efforts to increase the number of students graduating from GIS programs; the modification of existing GIS programs to create an innovative industry-appropriate curriculum; and the development of partnerships to better include hands-on GIS experiences for students. The project will leverage CWC’s American Indian Services Coordinator and CWC’s partnership with the Tribal Historic Preservation Offices of the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes to increase recruitment, retention, diversity, and overall program completion. Long-standing professional, government and academic relationships will be engaged to create more paid internship opportunities, ensure program quality, and facilitate student transfer into the workforce and to 4-year institutions. Project evaluation will use mixed methods, primarily descriptive and qualitative, supplemented by interrupted-time series (ITS) models. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000442 | Advancing Strategies in Cybersecurity Education and Career Development | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 10/08/2021 | Diego Tibaquira | dtibaqui@mdc.edu | FL | Miami Dade College | Standard Grant | R. Corby Hovis | 09/01/2020 | 08/31/2024 | $410,000.00 | Manuel Perez, Nelly Delessy, Antonio Delgado | 245 NE 4TH ST BLDG 3000 | MIAMI | FL | 331.322.206 | 3.052.373.910 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Keeping computers and information systems secure is a critical need and a major challenge. Thus, business, industry, and government need well-prepared technicians who can prevent, detect, and investigate cybersecurity breaches. The growth of cyber-threats has created a need for many more workers who have the knowledge and skills to protect digital infrastructure. This project will provide opportunities to broaden participation in the cybersecurity workforce by educating technicians to meet the evolving needs of the cybersecurity field and by strengthening the pipeline from high school to college to employer. This project will build on the results of Miami Dade College's prior NSF-funded project (DUE-1800958), which focused on building the capacity of college faculty in cybersecurity, developing a College Credit Certificate and a two-year Associate of Science degree in cybersecurity, and creating a pathway to these credentials for first-time-in-college and nontraditional students. The new project will focus on strengthening the relationship with high schools to improve the pipeline of students to the college's cybersecurity programs and supporting the retention, graduation, and job placement of students in the Associate of Science in Cybersecurity program. The project's objectives are to strengthen the pipeline from high school to college-level cybersecurity degree programs and to increase students' employability by aligning their learning with employer-informed technical and soft-skill competencies embedded in structured, applied learning experiences. Activities will include implementing an applied cybersecurity curriculum across partner high schools in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools, providing professional development for high school teachers, offering dual-enrollment courses for partner high schools, hosting cybersecurity summer camps for high school students, collaborating with business/industry partners to place students in internships and jobs, developing a competency checklist and a sample internship plan to guide employers and students, and providing academic success coaching to help students complete the Associate of Science in Cybersecurity program. The project evaluation will specifically examine strategies for recruiting high school students into cybersecurity, especially students from groups that are not yet equitably represented in STEM careers. Evaluation will also include measures of high school teachers’ preparation for teaching cybersecurity and the preparedness of the students who move into cybersecurity positions at local companies. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program, which focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1821274 | Collaborative Research: Institutional and Community Transformation for Teaching and Learning Quantitative Reasoning in the Biological Sciences | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 08/21/2018 | William LaCourse | lacourse@umbc.edu | MD | University of Maryland Baltimore County | Standard Grant | Ellen Carpenter | 10/01/2018 | 09/30/2024 | $1,433,475.00 | Jeffery Leips | 1000 HILLTOP CIR | BALTIMORE | MD | 212.500.001 | 4.104.553.140 | EDU | 741200 | 8209, 9178 | 0,00 | Quantitative reasoning (QR) involves the use of mathematical skills, such as algebra and statistical analysis, to understand and interpret data. The field of biology has become increasingly reliant on the use of quantitative reasoning to interpret large datasets, such as those gathered in genomic analysis and population studies. This project is designed to improve quantitative reasoning skills in students at community colleges preparing to transfer into biology majors at four-year institutions. These students are often underprepared to successfully complete biology majors and to continue to graduate education or to enter the STEM workforce. To achieve long-term gains in students' abilities to apply QR in biological contexts, this proposal seeks to leverage a university/community college partnership to expand and deepen the QR content in core biology courses across the major. The program aspires to provide a model for how consortia of community colleges and universities can facilitate course awareness and alignment to improve student gains in QR. This project will test the hypothesis that this type of collaboration enhances pedagogy and transfer student success at four-year institutions. Further, repeated interaction with QR modules within the core biology curricula are hypothesized to positively impact the success of all students in upper-level coursework. These efforts are designed to strengthen the course performance measures of all students, including both direct entry and transfer students. Improving student success and retention in STEM majors such as biology supports the goal of improving access of all students to scientific and technical careers. The focus of the project will be on enhancing the QR skills of undergraduates through the creation of active learning modules focused on quantitative skill development, verified with validated assessment instruments. Three scholarly communities will be established: 1) a Curricular Alignment Team, which will review curricula in four core courses (Introductory Biology: Cells and Molecules, Introductory Biology: Ecology and Evolution, Genetics, and Cell Biology) at the community colleges and the four-year institution in the collaboration, and identify areas for action, with emphasis on the development of QR abilities in biology majors; 2) the NEXUS Institute in Quantitative Biology, which will involve teams of faculty from each institution developing, piloting, and assessing QR modules for the core biology curricula and assessing the impact on student performance and retention; and 3) a Faculty Development Community, which will involve a series of shared faculty development workshops on evidence-based teaching approaches, to include the use of the created QR modules, and a common teaching certificate program. These three communities will come together annually at a regional symposium, where the consortium products (QR modules) and findings (student assessment data) will be disseminated. Taken together, this work will shape intra- and inter-institutional perspectives and practices relating to the importance of QR in the success of undergraduate biology majors. By developing faculty collaborations through the scholarly communities described above, this project will provide training in modern pedagogical methods and module development for biology faculty at community colleges and four-year institutions. The project will map the processes involved and disseminate the project findings widely to ensure that it serves as a model for other institutions that wish to take this approach to improve transfer student success and better prepare all biology majors for the modern STEM workforce. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202231 | Preparing students for cybersecurity professions using real-world experiences | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/29/2022 | Hugh Nguyen | nguyen_hugh@sac.edu | CA | Rancho Santiago Community College District | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 04/01/2022 | 03/31/2025 | $350,000.00 | Steven Linthicum, Jason Sim | 2323 N BROADWAY STE 404-2 | SANTA ANA | CA | 927.061.606 | 7.144.807.450 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Cybersecurity is critical to the protection of computer systems and networks. Many businesses and organizations need to hire cybersecurity professionals to protect their cyberinfrastructure from persistent and increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks. Although the global cybersecurity skills shortage has fallen, the size of the workforce is still 65% below what it needs to be. This project will study how to create seamless continuity from the classroom to the cybersecurity workforce by integrating cybersecurity competitions and job-readiness modules into existing coursework and providing opportunities for students to apply cybersecurity skills learned in their courses in real-world settings. The project leverages a partnership with the Information Technology Disaster Resource Center (ITDRC), a national non-profit entity with a presence in Orange County, to provide students with the opportunity to join the ITDRC and be involved with specific disaster pre-planning activities and potential disaster recovery efforts. The project will create an incident response cybersecurity program aligned with critical business and federal requirements by integrating FEMA courses related to disaster response and incident command structure into existing coursework. Mapping the curriculum to federal standards will help position Santa Ana College to become a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD). Students will take part in in rigorous job-readiness and work-based learning that will result in employment through partnerships with committed industry and community partners. Project evaluation will consist of an analysis of quantitative and qualitative data to provide a structured review of program implementation to ensure that the project is progressing as planned and to analyze the level of attainment of project objectives, targets, and goals. This project has the potential to increase program enrollment, retention, and completion of an Associate of Science Degree in IT Cybersecurity Operations, especially among students from populations underrepresented in the cybersecurity workforce. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2055362 | Collaborative Research: HSI ATE Hub 2: Professional Development for Culturally Responsive Technician Education | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 10/27/2023 | Caroline VanIngen-Dunn | cvaninge@asu.edu | AZ | Arizona State University | Standard Grant | Connie Della-Piana | 07/01/2021 | 06/30/2024 | $361,307.00 | Mara Lopez, Cynthia Pickering, Elaine Craft, Richard Roberts | 660 S MILL AVENUE STE 204 | TEMPE | AZ | 852.813.670 | 4.809.655.479 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to better serve and support a diverse population of students who are pursuing credentials in skilled technical fields. To do so, the project will guide faculty to adapt and implement Culturally Responsive Instruction in technician education courses. The project is designed to increase the retention of Hispanic students in STEM career pathways, particularly in advanced-technology fields. The project builds on the Hispanic Serving Community College KickStarter project, the Hispanic Serving Institutions HSI/ATE Hub project, and the Westchester Community College Photonics and Laser Project. The project team will develop, pilot test, and disseminate a faculty professional development model that can help to shift faculty understanding, practice, and mindset from emphasis on perceived student deficits to asset-based thinking and mutual respect. The professional development will be organized into three tiers. Tier 1 is designed to establish awareness and support first steps. Tier 2 will focus on the development, implementation, and testing of Culturally Responsive Instruction practices in technician education. Tier 3 will focus on creating a community of instructors and emerging leaders that engages in practice, theory building, and applied research into effective educational practices. The overall project goal is to develop faculty knowledge, skills, values, attitudes, and mindset so that more Hispanic students will complete advanced technology programs. In doing so, the project can increase the diversity of the technician workforce and help to mitigate disproportionate impacts of COVID-19 on Hispanic communities. This collaboration includes faculty and administrators in technician education programs, higher education researchers, experts in Culturally Responsive Instruction, and industry partners to further conceptualize, operationalize, and test the validity of Culturally Responsive Instruction in the skilled technical fields of applied engineering and applied computing and cyber-security. Additionally, the project will test the hypothesis that micro-credentials are valuable for incentivizing faculty participation in project activities and that micro-credentials will be recognized by educational and industry stakeholders as valuable evidence of expertise and experience. The mixed method evaluation is process -oriented to facilitate development of a model and outcomes-oriented to assess faculty and student outcomes that includes assessment of changes in knowledge/awareness, skills/behavior, and attitudes/mindset. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2300388 | An Automation Robotics Program for Nontraditional Students | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/14/2023 | Jeffrey Thorstad | jthorstad@hennepintech.edu | MN | Hennepin Technical College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 06/15/2023 | 05/31/2026 | $349,578.00 | Brad Thorpe | 9000 BROOKLYN BLVD | MINNEAPOLIS | MN | 554.452.320 | 7.635.507.157 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The Fourth Industrial Revolution, or Industry 4.0, refers to the manufacturing industry’s use of technologies, such as artificial intelligence and advanced robotics, that allow machines to communicate with each other and work together to analyze and diagnose issues with increasingly minimal need for traditional human intervention. However, there is a growing national need for technicians who are prepared to work in new ways and with new skills in this modern technological industrial environment. The goal of this project is to create an academic program that will provide students with pathways to pursue AAS degrees while working in the automation industry. The resulting program will be designed to accommodate the needs of nontraditional and female students. The project will help to sustain the Nation’s competitiveness in a manufacturing industry that is becoming increasingly automated and integrated with smart technology. The goals of the project include developing new courses and stackable certificate pathways, increasing the availability of Automation Robotics Engineering Technology (ARET)/Mechatronics education and training by using mobile training equipment, and increasing outreach and supports including apprenticeship opportunities. Curriculum modification will be completed in consultation with industry to ensure the program’s education and training reflect advances in technology and modern workforce needs. The project’s evaluation plan will examine the impact apprenticeship participation has on student retention and completion, addressing a knowledge gap around the outcomes of community college students’ work-based learning experiences. The project will advance the knowledge and understanding of the competencies required to prepare technicians to meet Industry 4.0 standards and the processes necessary to align curriculum to Industry 4.0 standards. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1821169 | Collaborative Research: Institutional and Community Transformation for Teaching and Learning Quantitative Reasoning in the Biological Sciences | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 08/21/2018 | Katherine Thomas | rebecca.thomas@montgomerycollege.edu | MD | Montgomery College | Standard Grant | Ellen Carpenter | 10/01/2018 | 09/30/2024 | $250,000.00 | 9221 CORPORATE BLVD | ROCKVILLE | MD | 208.503.248 | 2.405.679.038 | EDU | 741200 | 8209, 9178 | 0,00 | Quantitative reasoning (QR) involves the use of mathematical skills, such as algebra and statistical analysis, to understand and interpret data. The field of biology has become increasingly reliant on the use of quantitative reasoning to interpret large datasets, such as those gathered in genomic analysis and population studies. This project is designed to improve quantitative reasoning skills in students at community colleges preparing to transfer into biology majors at four-year institutions. These students are often underprepared to successfully complete biology majors and to continue to graduate education or to enter the STEM workforce. To achieve long-term gains in students' abilities to apply QR in biological contexts, this proposal seeks to leverage a university/community college partnership to expand and deepen the QR content in core biology courses across the major. The program aspires to provide a model for how consortia of community colleges and universities can facilitate course awareness and alignment to improve student gains in QR. This project will test the hypothesis that this type of collaboration enhances pedagogy and transfer student success at four-year institutions. Further, repeated interaction with QR modules within the core biology curricula are hypothesized to positively impact the success of all students in upper-level coursework. These efforts are designed to strengthen the course performance measures of all students, including both direct entry and transfer students. Improving student success and retention in STEM majors such as biology supports the goal of improving access of all students to scientific and technical careers. The focus of the project will be on enhancing the QR skills of undergraduates through the creation of active learning modules focused on quantitative skill development, verified with validated assessment instruments. Three scholarly communities will be established: 1) a Curricular Alignment Team, which will review curricula in four core courses (Introductory Biology: Cells and Molecules, Introductory Biology: Ecology and Evolution, Genetics, and Cell Biology) at the community colleges and the four-year institution in the collaboration, and identify areas for action, with emphasis on the development of QR abilities in biology majors; 2) the NEXUS Institute in Quantitative Biology, which will involve teams of faculty from each institution developing, piloting, and assessing QR modules for the core biology curricula and assessing the impact on student performance and retention; and 3) a Faculty Development Community, which will involve a series of shared faculty development workshops on evidence-based teaching approaches, to include the use of the created QR modules, and a common teaching certificate program. These three communities will come together annually at a regional symposium, where the consortium products (QR modules) and findings (student assessment data) will be disseminated. Taken together, this work will shape intra- and inter-institutional perspectives and practices relating to the importance of QR in the success of undergraduate biology majors. By developing faculty collaborations through the scholarly communities described above, this project will provide training in modern pedagogical methods and module development for biology faculty at community colleges and four-year institutions. The project will map the processes involved and disseminate the project findings widely to ensure that it serves as a model for other institutions that wish to take this approach to improve transfer student success and better prepare all biology majors for the modern STEM workforce. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2100072 | Expansion, Curriculum Evolution, and Enhancement of Biotechnician Training | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/14/2021 | Kristy McGuire | kshudamcguire@wistar.org | PA | Wistar Institute | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 05/15/2021 | 12/31/2024 | $599,969.00 | Brian Keith, Dominic Salerno, Margaret Bryans | 3601 SPRUCE ST | PHILADELPHIA | PA | 191.044.205 | 2.158.983.700 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | An urgent need exists for a highly trained, diverse life sciences research workforce to support the rapidly expanding U.S. biotechnology industry. To address this need, this award will enable Wistar Institute to entirely re-design an existing hands-on, mentored technician training program and expand it to additional community colleges. The project will provide students with research experiences required for employment as technicians in biomedical research. Students will participate in an accelerated, paid summer program that includes pre-apprenticeship training, a hands-on Orientation at Wistar, and two full-time mentored laboratory experiences. Program graduates will be prepared for immediate employment as laboratory technicians or for advanced training through Wistar’s Biomedical Research Technician Apprenticeship program. The project aims to engage a diverse and underrepresented student population in life sciences research, while offering a direct path to employment as a laboratory technician. The project will address the compelling need to prepare community college students who have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic for employment in the skilled biotechnology workforce. This program can also serve as a model for other community colleges and scientific research partners. The project has three primary goals: 1) Expand to recruit more students, including those from new community college partners, while developing articulation agreements that make the project a credit-bearing experience; 2) Develop a novel project-based curriculum that more effectively engages students, especially those from underrepresented groups, in biotechnology research skills training; and 3) Redesign the existing two-summer program as a one-summer experience that includes full-time internships in both academic and industry labs. The project will use Wistar’s interactive trainee website to maintain data, measure student outcomes, track career development, and provide networking opportunities. The project will also compare participation and outcomes of students in Wistar’s existing two-summer program with those in the new one-summer option. The project plans to map specific skills and competency standards, as well as disseminate training models and materials. It is anticipated that the project can provide a blueprint for incorporating biotechnician pre-apprenticeship training into biotechnology and science curricula at community colleges, while serving as a model for regional program expansion. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202098 | Collaborative Research: Revolutionizing Electric Vehicle Education | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/26/2022 | Joseph Santaniello | santanielloj@sccsc.edu | SC | Spartanburg Community College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 05/15/2022 | 04/30/2025 | $389,297.00 | 131 COMMUNITY COLLEGE DR | SPARTANBURG | SC | 293.034.759 | 8.645.924.471 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The United States is facing an unprecedented need for a new generation of technological talent to respond to international competition for an automotive workforce with diverse, up-to-date skill sets driven by electric vehicles (EV), autonomous vehicles (AV), and the cybersecurity associated with software-driven vehicles. The internal combustion engine is being phased out and replaced by electricity, setting the stage for an increased demand for autonomous and EV technologies. This changing technological climate and the resultant concurrent global competition necessitate transformation at every level of automotive development – from EV designers to EV technicians. The demand for skilled EV manufacturing and service industry technicians is substantial and is predicted to increase at a rate where demand outpaces quantity. Workers aging out of the workforce, the lack of advanced STEM skills for those currently in the workforce, and increased economic expansion are contributing factors to this deficit. Collaboration among educators and employers must occur to advance the understanding of workforce challenges and opportunities. To meet the need, a faculty-driven consortium of two-year Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs), other ATE projects and centers, and industry will collaborate to address the next generation cross-disciplinary workforce needs of the Electric Vehicle (EV) manufacturing and service industry through an innovative hybrid virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) education approach. The consortium project partners include: Volvo, Daimler, BMW, Proterra, Bosch, Duke Energy, Michelin, the Upstate SC Alliance, the South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership, the South Carolina Technical College System, the National Center for Autonomous Technologies, the National Cybersecurity Training and Education Center, the Regional Center for Nuclear Education, and the Northwest Engineering and Vehicle Technology Exchange. The project goals will address current and future EV manufacturing and service industry needs for both two-year college students and incumbent workers. Goal 1: Identify current and future education and workforce needs required by the migration of the transportation industry from traditional fuels to battery-powered electric vehicles. Goal 2: Create, deploy, and assess an innovative, creative, and informed cross- disciplinary EV manufacturing and service industry technician education hybrid curricula incorporating classroom, virtual, and experiential learning. Strategies will be implemented to support participation and persistence in EV manufacturing and service technician education for students including those who are rural, veterans, and those historically underserved in STEM career pathways. Goal 3: Develop and/or strengthen partnerships with consortium members, ATE projects and centers, and industry to leverage and share expertise and best practices for maximum impact and sustainability within and across fields and institutions. Goal 4: Provide professional development addressing the new EV curricula to ensure widespread use, dissemination, and faculty leadership development. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2300008 | Grow with Rhodes: Expanding Awareness of Agriculture Technology Careers and Pathways | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/06/2023 | James Uphaus | Uphaus.J@rhodesstate.edu | OH | James A. Rhodes State College | Standard Grant | Keith Sverdrup | 09/15/2023 | 08/31/2026 | $526,765.00 | 4240 CAMPUS DR | LIMA | OH | 458.043.576 | 4.199.958.200 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national interest by introducing modern agriculture to STEM high school students, especially females, and their teachers, as a viable STEM career choice in northwest Ohio. STEM-field sectors, such as computer science and traditional engineering disciplines, are more familiar to high school students as a career choice, but agriculture technology is typically only considered by a small population of traditional farm youth. In addition to educating STEM/Agriculture students, their teachers and counselors, who are influential in students' education and career choices, should be educated about this viable industry sector so they can demonstrate and speak about it to students. Modern agriculture equipment includes sophisticated robotics, sensors, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data manipulation software designed to collect field data to increase productivity, raise profitability, and sustain the environment. This equipment is missing a tech-savvy workforce of technicians needed to operate, compile field data, and make management decisions. This project is designed to create career-specific Ag Tech career pathway materials and provide hands-on experiences in the field and in the classroom for both STEM high school students and their teachers with the goal of increasing awareness of modern agriculture as a viable career option, thus meriting serious consideration as a career by STEM students. STEM/Agriculture teachers will learn about the industry, careers, and advanced technology. Participants will use the technology to solve real-world nutrient management problems in the Grow with Rhodes Institute, allowing direct connections to be made between STEM principles and agriculture. The Institute will encourage STEM teachers to create their own teaching modules based on the Institute’s problem/solution sets and to teach it in their own high-school classrooms. The project will also foster interest in agriculture careers by bringing the technology to the high schools to assist STEM teachers in teaching their Institute module to their students, thus allowing students to use technology and data to connect STEM discipline concepts to agriculture. A Young Women in Agriculture mentoring program is planned to encourage STEM young women to choose agriculture as a career. These activities will serve as a model for other institutions. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2000725 | Nanotechnology Applications and Career Knowledge Resource Center | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/16/2020 | Osama Awadelkarim | ooa1@psu.edu | PA | Pennsylvania State Univ University Park | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 09/01/2020 | 08/31/2024 | $1,650,000.00 | Lynn Zentner, Anthony Dalessio, Robert Ehrmann, Wesley Sanders | 201 OLD MAIN | UNIVERSITY PARK | PA | 168.021.503 | 8.148.651.372 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | In addition to its roles in basic research, nanotechnology is also a research and development enterprise that focuses on rapid commercialization of products and technology. For the US to capitalize on its investments in nanotechnology, it is essential to prepare a skilled technical workforce with the appropriate nano-scale skill set. The Nanotechnology Applications and Career Knowledge (NACK) Resource Center proposes to extend a nation-wide nanotechnology education approach that includes providing resources and assistance to the nanotechnology education infrastructure. These resources can strengthen and streamline efforts to ensure that students develop industry-relevant knowledge, skills and abilities. In addition, the project will maintain web courses and remote equipment access, as well as provide faculty professional development to ensure that faculty remain at the cutting-edge of nanotechnology advances. The NACK Resource Center will support and grow partnerships between community and technical colleges and research universities to: 1) share resources and disseminate learning materials; 2) deliver web-based professional development workshops and webinar series; and 3) widely disseminate resources using the NACK website, nanoHUB, and ATE Central. Additionally, the Remotely Accessible Instruments for Nanotechnology (RAIN) network will continue to support current and develop new RAIN nodes, add new online-accessible characterization and processing tools to the network, develop ways to increase use of the network, and collect data to evaluate RAIN’s impact on nanotechnology education. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202065 | Addressing Student Skills Gaps in Water Treatment Operator Education Utilizing Virtual Reality Enabled Curriculum Resources | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/21/2022 | Joshua Castleberry | Castleberryjs@cctech.edu | SC | Central Carolina Technical College | Standard Grant | Keith Sverdrup | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $349,431.00 | 506 N GUIGNARD DR | SUMTER | SC | 291.502.499 | 8.037.786.694 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Water operators are frontline environmental health and safety workers who perform the essential service of ensuring the nation's citizens have access to safe water sources. It is estimated that 30-50% of the nation's water operators will retire within five years and only 5% of operators are under age 25. This project will address the critical infrastructure need for licensed water technicians by expanding the quality and capacity of training available for this field. In alignment with the mission of the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program, this project will advance the delivery of technician education by creating high-quality, cost-effective, technology-based online resources for water operator technology. These new virtual resources will supplement the existing high-quality training offered by the South Carolina Environmental Training Center at Central Carolina Technical College (CCTC) with virtual reality (VR) modules developed collaboratively with Clemson University as a tool to enrich curriculum components identified as the greatest barriers to water operator licensure. This project also benefits operators in rural environments who have less access to professional development and training. Availability of virtual labs will further enable women, veterans, persons from groups underrepresented in the field, and persons with disabilities to obtain certifications. Unlike immersive VR, these systems require no additional equipment as they are designed to run simulations on a standard laptop using a keyboard and mouse. Project outcomes include increasing: 1) the number of water operators prepared for the transition from learning to workforce, 2) recruitment and mentoring material to attract people from underrepresented groups to water treatment technology; and 3) the assessment of the use of these technologies with diverse groups of students in different educational settings. This work will contribute to the NSF's Big Ideas, including "The Future of Work at the Human-Technology Frontier" and “Growing Convergent Research” by conducting fundamental research investigating the benefits and risks of integrating virtual labs in educational settings for water treatment education. The goals of this project are to: 1) Design, integrate, and develop VR enabled curriculum resources for water treatment training to address workforce preparedness and close the skills gap based on current and future workplace needs. 2) Implement the developed resources for online and hybrid approach, conduct rigorous evidence-based assessment of these modules, and provide the content to the ATE community. 3) Recruit and retain students including women, veterans, and persons from groups historically underrepresented in advanced-technology fields. 4) Create professional development resources and conduct workshops for water technology educators. The project will provide alternatives for place-bound and capacity-constrained water treatment programs via technology resources. Virtual labs will allow students access to realistic lab experiences in highly engaging VR environments that will address the most prevalent educational barriers to licensure. Key stakeholders from Association of Boards of Certification, community partners, NSF ATE centers, two-year partner institutions, and industry will guide the content development to ensure its relevancy. Evaluation and assessment will be led by an external evaluator who will provide both formative and summative evaluation of the implementation of the virtual resources in CCTC's existing curriculum utilizing Kirkpatrick's four-level model. Both the pre- and post-surveys will utilize the following validated constructs: perceived learning outcomes, engagement, usability, and satisfaction and perception. The community of educators in water treatment technology, along with the broader technician education community, will receive implementation information on the modules created. Conferences for dissemination include an annual symposium hosted by CCTC, water treatment conferences, Technology Education Conferences, the NSF ATE Principal Investigators conference, and other professional association conferences. The findings will also be disseminated as journal papers, webinars, and presentations at professional development workshops. All materials developed will be distributed through ATE Central, CCTC's learning management system, and the EducateWorkforce portal hosted by Clemson University. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2000730 | Collaborative Research: Improving the Educational Experiences, Outcomes, and Career Pathways of Welding Technology Students | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/23/2022 | Joi-Lynn Mondisa | jmondisa@umich.edu | MI | Regents of the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Standard Grant | Connie Della-Piana | 09/01/2020 | 08/31/2024 | $815,982.00 | Timothy Pawlowski, Ece Yaprak, Mark Jewett, Parmeshwar Coomar | 1109 GEDDES AVE, SUITE 3300 | ANN ARBOR | MI | 481.091.079 | 7.347.636.438 | EDU | 741200 | 097Z, 1032, 9178, 9251, SMET | 0,00 | Despite the increasing demand for welding technology professionals at local, regional, and national levels, the number of welding technology (WT) graduates has declined. This project aims to address this need, as well as to help develop a deeper understanding of WT career pathways. To do so, the project team will investigate the experiences and perceptions of WT students who begin their education and training at community colleges and the expectations of WT faculty, higher education administrators, and employers. The purpose of this exploratory research study is to: (1) identify personal/social/life factors that affect the career pathways of WT students and their decision to obtain credentials (associate degrees, certificates) and matriculate into a four-year program; (2) identify obstacles and issues that contribute to WT student attrition; and (3) create materials and activities to support retention, associate degree attainment, and matriculation into a 2+2 program in welding technology. The project is a collaboration between researchers and technician educators from the University of Michigan, Macomb Community College, Monroe County Community College, and Wayne State University. Guided by a conceptual framework that draws on the work of Hisrchy, Bremer, and Castellano (2011) and Phelps and Prevost (2012), this qualitative and quantitative exploratory mixed methods research project is guided by the overarching question: What are the factors and experiences associated with the career pathways of welding technology students? The research team will investigate (1) specific welding technology program features (e.g., articulated dual-credit high school courses, internships, etc.) that are associated with optimal student outcomes (e.g., retention, degree completion, matriculation, employment). They will also examine ways in which key stakeholders (e.g., faculty; administrators) can use the findings to inform strategic program improvement and decision-making. Thematic analysis of qualitative data will be applied to uncover and test the elements of the career pathways framework. Survey data will be analyzed using analysis of variance to test the mean differences and interaction effects that may occur among variables/elements of the career pathways framework. This approach will identify non-significant and significant differences across different groups of students, variables, and institutions and provide insights into the phenomenological aspects of education and career development. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000699 | Improving Access to Career Pathways in Advanced Manufacturing | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 11/14/2022 | Chanda Ilunga Guy | cilungaguy@tmcc.edu | NV | Truckee Meadows Community College | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 07/01/2020 | 06/30/2025 | $439,620.00 | Sidney Sullivan, Pat Jarvis, Jack Sato, Angie Hernandez | 7000 DANDINI BLVD | RENO | NV | 895.123.901 | 7.756.737.025 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | As large manufacturers continue to move into the Reno, Nevada area, there is a growing need for skilled technicians. Filling this demand for advanced manufacturing technicians is critical to support the success of the region's advanced manufacturing industry, as well as to support the region’s economic development goal. This project intends to address this need by increasing access of high school students to the college’s dual enrollment program in advanced manufacturing. It will do so by developing and using augmented reality and simulated lab experiences at the high schools. In addition, a new employability skills curriculum will be developed and integrated into advanced manufacturing courses, to prepare students for success in the workplace. The goals of this project are to: 1) provide greater access to academic pathways leading to an Associate Degree in Advanced Manufacturing; 2) help students learn the critical technical skills needed by manufacturers; and 3) help students learn employability skills that are needed to be hired, stay employed, and advance in a technical career. Access to an existing dual enrollment curriculum in advanced manufacturing will be expanded to more high schools in the region. Multimedia training exercises will be developed including simulations, augmented reality, and electronic training materials for off-site locations using advanced augmented reality headsets and software. The employability skills curriculum will include instruction in collaboration and teamwork, communication, critical and creative thinking, leadership, self-management, and social responsibility. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000887 | Expanding Pathways to a Data Science Career by Developing a Certification in Data Science and Analytics | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/07/2020 | Kelly Fitzpatrick | kfitzpatrick@ccm.edu | NJ | County College of Morris | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 07/01/2020 | 06/30/2024 | $235,277.00 | Nancy Binowski | 214 CENTER GROVE RD | RANDOLPH | NJ | 78.692.007 | 9.733.285.000 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Businesses and organizations across all industry sectors are increasingly looking for ways to use data in their decision making. This shift to data-driven decision making is creating a growing workforce demand for Data Science and Analytics professionals. In a 2018 report, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics projected that jobs in data science and analytics will grow 34% by 2026. However, thus far, very few two-year institutions offer data analytics programs that could prepare students for entry-level positions in data science and analytics. To create new pathways into data science and analytics careers, this project intends to establish a college credit-based certificate in data analytics. In concert with this goal, it also aims to increase the College’s capacity for high quality data science instruction and to broaden participation in data science, with a focus on inclusion of women. In addition to its potential to increase the capacity and quality of the data science workforce in New Jersey, the project may also provide a model for other institutions that are interested in building new data science programs. The major goal of the project is to develop a 15-credit data science certificate that integrates technology such as R, Tableau, Python, and SQL into the curriculum. Less than 20 community college-based data science programs appear to exist in the US, and this certificate is believed to be the first at any community college in the greater New York/New Jersey metropolitan area. The curriculum will be informed by an industry advisory committee and implement national recommendations for data science education, including teaching statistics thinking, integrating real data with a context and a purpose, and using project-based learning. The project intends to recruit women into the field through collaboration with the College’s Women in STEM Club, R-Ladies Global, and faculty development. The resulting certification will prepare students to enter the workforce as data analytics professionals, or to transfer to four-year programs where they can acquire the advanced credentials needed for mid- to high-level data scientist positions. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2300849 | NOVA Biotechnology Leadership in Education (NOBLE) Project | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/02/2023 | David Fernandez | dfernandez@nvcc.edu | VA | Northern Virginia Community College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 05/15/2023 | 04/30/2026 | $550,679.00 | Xin Zhou | 8333 LITTLE RIVER TPKE | ANNANDALE | VA | 220.033.743 | 7.033.233.000 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The greater Washington, D.C. area is home to numerous biotechnology companies that require an educated skilled technical workforce (STW) in order to operate. This project will support the industry needs by recruiting, training, and upskilling students through the Biotechnology Program at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA). NOVA’s Biotechnology Program is ideally situated to provide students the skills to be successfully employed in entry-level positions in biotechnology. The program is housed on the Manassas campus in Prince William County, the first minority majority county in the Commonwealth. The project will recruit students from underrepresented populations and non-traditional students, including military veterans. This project is expected to benefit 20-40 students each year by providing them with the skills necessary for entry-level employment in the bioeconomy workforce. The project will recruit and graduate increasing numbers of NOVA biotechnology students to meet the workforce needs of the regional biotechnology and life sciences industries. Four project activities will guide the efforts of the principal investigators. First is to recruit students with the aim of increasing the numbers of underserved students including women, veterans, and non-traditional students such as adult learners. Second is to support student retention through a summer orientation program, assigning mentors/advisors for biotechnology majors, developing more robust research experiences and internship program opportunities, and developing a peer tutoring program. Third is to revise biotechnology curriculum to meet the needs of regional biotechnology industries and provide professional development for faculty and partner high school teachers. Fourth, and finally is to develop and implement a career preparation workshop series to prepare biotechnology students for the workforce. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2300888 | Increasing Accessibility to Advanced Manufacturing Programs Using Competency-Based Education | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/18/2023 | Nell Bonds | nbonds@northark.edu | AR | North Arkansas College | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 06/01/2023 | 05/31/2026 | $616,520.00 | John Levy, Scott Howie | 1515 PIONEER DR | HARRISON | AR | 726.015.508 | 8.703.913.280 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Regional industry in northwestern Arkansas has a growing demand for technicians who have the necessary technical skills to implement and maintain advanced manufacturing technologies. Traditional on campus technician programs can create barriers for potential students who have time constraints due to commuting in a rural environment, jobs, or family obligations. New training strategies are needed to increase accessibility to technical education programs for students who need greater flexibility in their schedules and current workers who need upskilling. This project will implement competency-based education for a core set of courses in electronics and controls that will allow students to complete a certificate program at their own pace. Instructional materials, competency assessments, and simulation tools will be available for students online to address the need for greater accessibility and flexibility. Competency-based assessments will provide meaningful feedback allowing students to practice, refine their techniques, and improve their performance until they achieve the necessary competency for a module in a course. Simulation tools will help students understand how to work with technologies without requiring a physical lab space. The results of this project will be made available to technical education programs at other community colleges. The overall goal of this project is to increase the number of skilled technicians to address the need of regional manufacturers. Four objectives will guide the execution of this project. First is to increase program accessibility and improve alignment with employer needs by implementing competency-based modularized hybrid course modules. Second is to expand the role of the current foundational Business and Industry Leadership Team to guide the development of the modules. Third is to provide professional development for faculty to develop and implement modules in their courses. Fourth, and finally, is to recruit and retain students for the certificate program with an emphasis on broadening participation. The project will use the Backward Design Process to develop competency-based modularized hybrid content for each technical course in the Electronics Technology program. Hybrid delivery options include online, on or off campus, simulations including virtual reality, and physical simulations. Remote delivery and open industrial labs will be available during times that are convenient for industry partners and employees. Hands-on skills assessment will be conducted in an open industrial lab environment on campus or at industry sites. The impact of the competency-based modules on student enrollment, engagement and retention will be assessed using institutional data and student surveys. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202034 | Creating Technician Pathways in Mechatronics for the Industry 4.0 Workforce | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/12/2022 | Rex McKanry | rmckanry@stchas.edu | MO | St. Charles Community College | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 04/15/2022 | 03/31/2025 | $464,038.00 | Amanda Sizemore, Tammie De Los Santos, Garrett Foster | 4601 MID RIVERS MALL DR | SAINT PETERS | MO | 633.762.865 | 6.369.228.360 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Industry 4.0 technologies are transforming manufacturing facilities into smart factories that use digital technologies, advanced sensors and controls, and robotics to increase automation and improve manufacturing processes. Technicians who understand how to implement and maintain these technologies are needed to support this transformation. Students in technician degree programs need to learn new multidisciplinary skills at the intersection of electrical, mechanical, logistics, and data systems. This project will address this need by working with industry to identify the knowledge, skills, and abilities that students will need to be successful in the Industry 4.0 technician workforce. Using these results, the project team will create a set of courses for a new mechatronics Associate of Applied Science degree program and a set of certificate programs that students can earn as they complete courses. Technician education will include classroom instruction, hands-on training in the labs, industry internships, and apprenticeships. High school students will have the opportunity to earn certificates through dual enrollment agreements with rural secondary schools. This project will help increase the supply of technicians with Industry 4.0 skills to meet the growing demand of rural manufacturers in the region. The goal of this project is to create academic pathways to train students on Industry 4.0 technologies that are used in the automotive, industrial maintenance, contract manufacturing, and logistics sectors. The project will establish a Business Industry Leadership Team to prioritize industry programmatic content, identify program implementation strategies, implement work-based learning activities, and identify and recruit faculty with industry expertise. A mechatronics Associate in Applied Science Degree, stackable certificates, and industry credentials will be developed by revising existing courses and creating new courses. New lab equipment will provide students with hands-on training on different types of electronic sensors, electrical motors, pneumatic actuators, and mechanical power transmission components. This training will help students earn an industry credential in mechatronics. The project team will offer career awareness activities for rural high school students and establish dual enrollment programs with local high schools. The impact of the project on student recruitment, retention, and program completion will be assessed based on institutional data. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2300335 | Preparing Advanced Manufacturing Technicians for Industry 4.0 in Rural Western Kentucky | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 02/13/2024 | Jonathan Baker | jonathan.baker@kctcs.edu | KY | Kentucky Community & Technical College System | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 07/01/2023 | 06/30/2026 | $320,377.00 | Tim Driver, Rayla Trigg | 300 N MAIN ST | VERSAILLES | KY | 403.831.245 | 8.592.563.397 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Smart Manufacturing, often described as Industry 4.0, is a growing field which refers to next-generation integration of manufacturing and automation through the use of digitally-connected systems and processes. Over the past three years, western Kentucky manufacturers have rapidly accelerated the adoption of these latest-generation technologies in response to challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. This has resulted in the need for industrial technicians with significantly higher skill levels in the installation, maintenance, and repair of interconnected manufacturing systems and equipment. This is an important issue in rural western Kentucky where manufacturing jobs can provide a higher income than many other occupations. Rural areas compete with urban areas for industrial employers and cannot afford to risk a manufacturer leaving due to the lack of a skilled technical workforce. This three-year project at West Kentucky Community and Technical College (WKCTC) seeks to update its Advanced Manufacturing curriculum to meet the needs of area manufacturers. The project will utilize an advisory team which includes industry partners to align curriculum with industry need. Students will benefit from revised training relevant to the Advanced Manufacturing environment and earn nationally-recognized, stackable industry certifications in 24 months or less. Faculty associated with the project will benefit from professional development with updated equipment and teaching methods. Because WKCTC has a high population of rural students who are underrepresented in their pursuit of STEM pathways, this project has the potential to broaden participation in the STEM workforce and generate new knowledge on the degree to which revised teaching methods and stronger industry and K-12 partnerships prepare students for industry employment. The overall goal of the project is to better prepare students to enter the STEM workforce with industry-aligned classwork, while meeting area industry need for digitally-skilled Advanced Manufacturing technicians. The project will update and enhance technician training courses specific to advanced sensors, robotics, and artificial intelligence systems. Six principle activities provide a framework for the project's execution. First is the provision to WKCTC faculty of training so they are qualified to teach latest-generation Industry 4.0 technology curriculum. Second is updating existing Electrical, Industrial Maintenance, and Air Conditioning Technology courses to meet industry standards. Third is to add and embed relevant, nationally recognized industry certifications into coursework. Fourth is updating student lab equipment to align with what is being used by regional employers, and fifth is to engage industry partners in curriculum design and student learning. Sixth, and finally, is offering annual workshops for high school partners to increase awareness of programs, training, and career options in Industry 4.0 available to their students. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program which focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2054753 | National CyberWatch Resource Center | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 08/24/2021 | David Tobey | dtobey@nationalcyberwatch.org | MD | Prince George's Community College | Standard Grant | R. Corby Hovis | 10/01/2021 | 09/30/2024 | $1,650,000.00 | Casey O'Brien, Elizabeth Hawthorne, Michael Smith | 301 LARGO RD | UPPER MARLBORO | MD | 207.742.109 | 3.015.460.722 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Keeping computers and information systems secure is a major challenge. Business, industry, and government need well-prepared technicians who can prevent, detect, and investigate cybersecurity breaches. The growth of cyber-threats has created a need for many additional workers who have cybersecurity knowledge and skills. In 2012, following a successful tenure as an Advanced Technological Education (ATE) regional center, the National CyberWatch Center (NCC) was funded to serve as the ATE program's national center for cybersecurity education. Having fulfilled that role, NCC will transition to an ATE resource center, with a narrower scope, and will continue to host some of the key resources and activities that it previously developed to support cybersecurity education and workforce development in community colleges. The resource center will pursue three broad goals: (1) Capacity Building: Promote, support, and enhance the capability of programs, faculty, and students based on effective models of impact. (2) Dissemination: Broadly distribute exemplary programs, practices, and materials. (3) Research: Advance the development of evidence-based strategies and practices for cybersecurity education and workforce development. Working closely with other ATE centers, NCC will continue its role as a national leader in community college cybersecurity education. Its activities will build on valuable efforts that it launched during its period as a regional and national ATE center. Major activities will include the following: * Support national accreditation efforts for community college cybersecurity programs. * Update and expand model cybersecurity degrees, certificates, and technical courses. * Support the incorporation of cybersecurity learning modules across the curriculum. * Offer Cybersecurity Skills Development Workshops to help educators master new cybersecurity concepts and competency-based instructional methods. * Offer Paper Development Workshops and Collaborative Peer Review Workshops to help educators develop, test, and publish new materials and methods for cybersecurity education. * Increase the number of chapters and members of the National Cybersecurity Student Association. * Broadly distribute exemplary curricular materials, programs, practices, academic pathways, and partnership models. These resources include the Community College Cyber Summit, the NCC Digital Press, the Cybersecurity Skills Journal, and the "Innovations in Cybersecurity Education" recognition program, as well as NCC's website, social media, newsletters, and webcast series. * Conduct and publish research on the capability maturity of the cybersecurity workforce, instructors, and students. Through its continuing collaborations and the variety of resources that it provides, NCC will pursue three aims. First is to ensure that the national dialogue around workforce needs in cybersecurity reflects the important role of community colleges. Second is to provide oversight so that workforce frameworks and occupational standards that are under development have strong community college input. Third is to promote the currency and relevancy that community college degree and certificate programs have for employers in industry and government. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program, which focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2203196 | Advanced Fabrication and Joining Technician Project | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 10/27/2021 | Laurence zirker | Laurence.Zirker@centralaz.edu | UT | Weber State University | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 10/15/2021 | 07/31/2024 | $139,894.00 | 3850 DIXON PKWY DEPT 1014 | OGDEN | UT | 844.081.014 | 8.016.266.055 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Many industries use new alloys and components that operate at high temperatures, stresses, and pressures. Computerized mechanized welding and cutting machines weld and cut 300 percent faster than manual methods. Automated electronics enable the welding and cutting processes to be more precise, as well as offering the potential to control and document the entire process. The fabrication and joining industry is rapidly adopting these new computerized technologies and advanced processes. As a result, a growing need exists for welding technicians who have more extensive knowledge of metallurgy, nondestructive examination, quality control, computerized data acquisition, and technical writing and reporting. In collaboration with industry partners, this project at Central Arizona College aims to develop curricula and associated materials for an advanced fabrication and joining program to prepare Advanced Welding Processes Technicians. It will include higher-level education and training not offered by most community college welding programs. Since the college is a both an Hispanic Serving Institution and a rural community college, this project will strive to encourage students from minority backgrounds to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) credentials. The curriculum, STEM content, and project-based learning exercises will be shared with the National Center for Welding Education and Training, the seven Hispanic Serving Institutions participating in the Science Foundation of Arizona Kick Starter project, and other community colleges. The welding programs at community colleges involved in the Science Foundation of Arizona will provide feedback on the effectiveness of the new curriculum and associated materials. This feedback will support the effort of the college to create quality learning products that foster student learning and help meet the country?s need for personnel with advanced fabrication and joining skills. Developing curriculum and associated materials in advanced fabrication and joining processes is the first step in meeting the need for fabricators and welders with additional knowledge of data acquisition, metallurgy, and quality control land welding codes to ensure quality welds. Six new courses will be developed that will form a core advanced certificate, and four additional courses will be developed for the advanced processes technician specialization. The ten courses will be field-tested in the classroom during the second half of the three-year project, with at least ten students in the first cohort. Feedback from the students, their instructors, and industry partners will guide subsequent improvements to the curriculum. Students in the college certificate and associate degree welding programs, incumbent workers who need advanced skills, and students from other community college welding programs will be recruited to the program. The project will create project-based learning exercises and contextualized STEM content for the program. These practices are research-validated best practices for teaching technical and science-based skills to learners, especially those from traditionally under-represented and disadvantaged backgrounds,. Project-based learning provides contextualized, authentic experiences (i.e. experiences that mimic what workers do in their jobs) that help students master challenging STEM concepts and processes. This approach makes the science more understandable for students because it places the material in a real-world context (such as a welding shop) and often builds on content students have already mastered. In this way, students can discover meaningful relationships between academic theory and practical, real world applications. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2202205 | Flying High for New Careers in Aviation Technology | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 12/20/2022 | William Kamm | bkamm.aero@gmail.com | PA | JOHNSON, O.S. TECHNICAL INSTITUTE | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 05/15/2022 | 04/30/2025 | $307,706.00 | William Burke, Jeanine Engelmann, Kellyn Williams | 3427 N MAIN AVE | SCRANTON | PA | 185.081.438 | 5.707.028.908 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts overall employment of aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians to grow 11 percent from 2020 to 2030, faster than the average for all occupations. About 14,400 openings for aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians are projected each year, on average, over the decade. The Institute for Public Policy and Economic Development found that Northeastern Pennsylvania’s demographic challenges slow down economic growth in the region while estimating there to be a regional need for aviation mechanics. Johnson College will develop and implement a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved Aviation Technology associate degree program that successfully recruits and trains students to fill a growing, essential regional and national high technology workforce development needs in the aviation industry. Project objectives include the establishment of a working airport-based training laboratory; relationships to engage military veterans who desire training as part of their transition to civilian life; and faculty development activities to remain current with FAA practices. Additional objectives include expansion of College-Industry partnerships to provide training and career guidance; expansion of the College’s dual enrollment program with regional school districts and Career Technology Centers; and development of or participation in middle/high school career awareness activities. The Aviation Technology two-year associate degree program will prepare students to fill a growing number of essential positions in the aviation industry. The curriculum will align with the latest FAA technology and education requirements so that graduates are prepared at the highest level to pass FAA licensure and meet the growing demand for aviation technology mechanics. Students will be recruited from a variety of diverse backgrounds, including prior military service, age, gender, race, cultural, economic, and educational experience. It is expected that the program developed will create a replicable format for institutions looking to create a similar program and meet their own regional workforce development needs. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2247777 | Development of a Stackable Certificate Program for Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) Technicians | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/14/2023 | Linda Burbidge | Linda.Burbidge@dakotacollege.edu | ND | Dakota College at Bottineau | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 10/01/2023 | 09/30/2026 | $349,159.00 | Angela Bartholomay | 105 SIMRALL BLVD | BOTTINEAU | ND | 583.181.159 | 7.012.285.440 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | North Dakota established the Northern Plains Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Test Site in 2013. In 2015 Grand Sky, the nation’s first commercial UAS-focused business park, opened in Grand Forks, N.D. and in 2020, work began on the nation’s largest statewide UAS network, enabling UAS flights beyond visual line of sight. During this time, North Dakota’s UAS industry has grown from several dozen workers to more than 1,000. Growth in UAS technology, coupled with advancements in UAS applications in agriculture and natural resources management, has created a need for skilled UAS technicians in rural North Dakota. Dakota College at Bottineau proposes to help meet North Dakota’s emerging need for small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) technicians by developing a stackable certificate program that will prepare graduates to enter the sUAS workforce. This project will advance scientific education and increase prosperity for North Dakota farmers, ranchers, state agencies, and businesses via UAS technology. Through education and hands-on training, the proposed project will address North Dakota’s growing need for licensed sUAS pilots in agriculture and natural resources management. The goals of this project include (1) growing the current sUAS curriculum into a stackable certificate program designed to meet the needs of business, industry and state agency partners; (2) training faculty in sUAS, remote sensing, and agricultural and natural resources software applications; and (3) delivering continuing education in sUAS technology to technicians already in the workplace. The project will enhance the efficiency and accuracy of North Dakota’s agriculture operations and natural resources management by putting drone technology into the hands of highly qualified sUAS pilots. Documented student work and internship experiences will contribute to the body of research on sUAS applications in agriculture and natural resources management. Data collected and project results will be disseminated through NCAT and ATE. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2055561 | Developing an Industry-led Data Analytics Technician Program for Upstate South Carolina | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/22/2021 | Marcia Schenck | Schenckm@sccsc.edu | SC | Spartanburg Community College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 09/01/2021 | 08/31/2025 | $592,598.00 | Renee Cramer | 131 COMMUNITY COLLEGE DR | SPARTANBURG | SC | 293.034.759 | 8.645.924.471 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Businesses increasingly use data analytics to make strategic, data-driven decisions. As data analytics becomes a routine business tool, there is an urgent need for data analytics technicians who can work in a wide range of job roles. Currently, only a few Certificate and Associate Degree Programs are available to students who wish to become data technicians. As a result, the number of students pursuing a data analytics career is not keeping pace with workforce demand. This project aims to address the critical need for data technicians in the upstate South Carolina region. It will do so by establishing a Business and Industry Leadership Team that will partner with Spartanburg Community College to define the skills data technicians need to be successful in the workplace. Working with these industrial partners, the College will design and implement a Data Analytics Certificate program that will use online educational approaches to reach students throughout the region. The project will begin by expanding and maintaining a Business and Industry Leadership Team, and then perform a Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA) analysis to determine the skills required of data technicians. Information from the KSA analysis will be used to create a certificate program curriculum that can be administered remotely. Once faculty are trained to teach the new courses, the College will recruit students into the certificate program, with an emphasis on recruiting women. Anticipated outcomes of this project include the creation of a new Data Analytics certificate program that supports remote and online synchronous participation, training of faculty members in the new curriculum, and increased recruitment, retention, and graduation of women in data analytics. The results of this project will be made publicly available to advance data analytics technician education and the Business and Industry Leadership Team model nation wide. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2300744 | Creating Advanced Manufacturing Pathways Program | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/14/2023 | Jonathan Ambs | jonathan_ambs@asun.edu | AR | Arkansas State University - Newport | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 09/15/2023 | 08/31/2026 | $347,969.00 | Ken Beach | 7648 VICTORY BLVD | NEWPORT | AR | 721.128.912 | 8.705.127.800 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | In an effort to address the growing regional need for a skilled technical workforce, Arkansas State University Newport (ASUN), a comprehensive two-year community college with three campuses in northeastern Arkansas, will consolidate current insights from employers, ongoing research in career and technical education, and an established credentialing program to strengthen their advanced manufacturing program. The ASUN Creating Advanced Manufacturing Pathways Program (CAMPP) seeks to realign the existing ASUN advanced manufacturing program to meet the current and emerging needs of regional industry. This includes the need to increase the diversity of the regional advanced manufacturing workforce to include students from underrepresented demographic groups. Finally, ASUN will provide reskilling and upskilling opportunities in new technologies for incumbent workers in advanced manufacturing. The plan to realign ASUN’s advanced manufacturing program with the needs of regional industry was partially informed by a survey conducted by the program’s faculty and advisory board. Roughly half the respondents felt that there were educational gaps for new employees, and there was insufficient support for on-the-job training. To address these concerns, ASUN faculty will work with the advanced manufacturing advisory board to identify opportunities for curricular enhancements with a focus on incorporating training on contemporary tools in American manufacturing. To recruit a diverse population of new students, ASUN will integrate an extensive outreach effort to area middle and high schools through invitations to events such as the industry-sponsored annual Manufacturing Day festivities and focused efforts to recruit, mentor, and train students underrepresented in the manufacturing workforce. ASUN will also work with incumbent workers to participate in relevant and convenient courses on topics ranging from automation and robotics to 3D printing and additive manufacturing. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202152 | Atlanta Technical College Bioscience Emerging Technicians Project | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/19/2022 | Barry Bates | bbates@atlantatech.edu | GA | Atlanta Technical College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 08/01/2022 | 07/31/2025 | $346,002.00 | Amanda Daniels | 1560 METROPOLITAN PKWY SW | ATLANTA | GA | 303.104.446 | 4.042.254.526 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The overall vision of the Bioscience Emerging Technician project at Atlanta Technical College is to increase the knowledge of emerging bioscience career opportunities among groups historically underserved in STEM in the metropolitan Atlanta area. This three-year project plans to engage dual-enrollment students in unique summer workshops, support an industry speaker’s series, provide tours of biotechnology companies, and develop a first-year experience seminar course. These experiences will be designed to teach students the skills they will need for employment in the field. Students who complete the three-semester program can earn a Bioscience Technology Technical Certificate of Credit (TCC). The Bioscience Emerging Technicians Project will facilitate the direct connection between students and individuals employed in biotechnology companies in the greater Atlanta area. Overall this project will support the state's growing bioscience industry with an expanded pool of highly skilled individuals for technician-level workforce needs. The Bioscience Emerging Technicians project aims to increase the number of dual enrollment students in the field of bioscience by connecting them early with industry representatives and on-site experiences. The project goals are to 1) recruit and enroll dual- enrollment students in the bioscience technology program, 2) increase awareness of bioscience career opportunities through specialized activities, and 3) increase the graduation rate of Bioscience Emerging Technician Program students in comparison to the college's graduation rate. Activities to reach these goals include open-houses for families to learn about the program, the creation of a summer bioscience workshop, the revision of laboratory exercises and the establishment of a first-year seminar focused on biotechnology career exploration. The project will also increase engagement with bioscience industry via a speaker’s series and on-site tours of facilities and the creation of a Bioscience business and industry leadership team (BILT). This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2301183 | Creating a Sustainable Educational Pipeline for the Controlled Environment Agriculture Workforce through a Remote Dual-Credit High School to College Model | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/18/2023 | Richard Shultz | richard.shultz@sfcc.edu | NM | Santa Fe Community College | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 07/01/2023 | 06/30/2026 | $330,357.00 | Stephen Gomez | 6401 S RICHARDS AVE | SANTA FE | NM | 875.084.887 | 5.054.281.811 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), popularly knows as indoor agriculture is rapidly becoming a widely accepted technology to improve food security, food safety, and economic development in rural communities. New Mexico is ideal for CEA with more than 300 days of sun each year, inexpensive land, and growing demand for fresh locally grown produce. Northern New Mexico is a region with historical agricultural Hispanic and Native American communities who often lack access to the educational resources necessary to develop the technical CEA workforce. Thus, the demand for CEA technicians in the region presents an opportunity for economic growth and food security in these rural areas. This 3-year project at Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) will train 18 teachers at 9 rural high schools to provide 180 underserved students with dual-credit courses in the first-year curriculum of the Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree in CEA. The project significantly expands the ability for schools across New Mexico to train a regional CEA workforce and creates a pipeline for students to enter SFCC and earn their A.A.S. degree in reduced time. Remote instructional technologies coupled with on-site, hands-on replicated aquaponics systems provide teachers and students with blended learning opportunities in rural high schools. A novel online network will connect students and teachers with CEA industry and academic professionals whom they would not likely have opportunities to interact with through a conventional high school education. An academic pipeline, including a robust internship program, will ensure that students who complete their SFCC CEA degree requirements are ready to enter the workforce. This project will meet the technical workforce needs of the industry through integrated education and outreach efforts. In addition it will address the opportunity to increase the number of qualified dual-credit CEA instructors through a summer program for high school teachers at the SFCC campus. Three high schools from underserved communities will each be invited to send two STEM teachers to participate in an intensive week-long summer workshop to learn the introductory CEA college curriculum. The teachers will be prepared to deliver two CEA dual-credit courses annually. Each school will receive a replicated turn-key classroom aquaponics system for hands-on practical instruction complete with sensors for remote monitoring. The first academic year after each cohort of teachers completes the summer workshop the students will participate in hands-on learning with their aquaponics system in classes co-taught by the high school teacher and SFCC faculty. In subsequent years participating high school teachers will be prepared to teach the dual-credit CEA curriculum independently. The teachers will be mentored weekly by SFCC faculty and staff throughout the three years of the project. Student internships and summer research experiences will reinforce the curriculum and develop workplace skills. The project is unique in providing twenty-first century agricultural education and networking opportunities to largely underserved rural communities. The project will increase the number of dual-credit classes available in local high schools and engage the local community in food sovereignty issues while creating a sustainable workforce in underserved communities. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2302322 | Student Work Experiences in Remote and Virtualized Environments | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 01/31/2024 | Michelle Leidel | leidelm@southflorida.edu | FL | South Florida State College | Standard Grant | Huihui Wang | 05/01/2023 | 04/30/2026 | $650,000.00 | Paul BART, Syed Ahmad | 600 W COLLEGE DR | AVON PARK | FL | 338.259.356 | 8.134.536.661 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | South Florida State College (SFSC) is a comprehensive community college and a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) located in Highlands County, Florida. This project intends to create curriculum and academic experiences, recruit students, and prepare students for contemporary virtualized information technology (IT) through its Associate of Science (AS) in Network Systems Technology. The new curriculum has the potential to enable AS students to earn a specialization in Network Virtualization. The project team plans to integrate faculty, student, industry, and vendor contributions into a replicable model for educating IT students to be network technicians working on remote virtualization platforms. The project will develop and implement a curriculum that extends prior work in developing a networking virtualization certificate. All of the components of the AS in Networking program will be directly or indirectly effected by the virtualization strategy. The proposed project plans to increase enrollment in the AS in Network Systems Technology and potentially increase the technician workforce of network virtualization. The goals of the project are to (1) provide AS Network Systems Technology students with ongoing, remote, and convenient access to Virtual Machine hosting platforms; (2) reduce the unsustainable cost of maintaining rapidly decaying or out-of-date on-campus lab hardware; (3) provide a project and system management learning experience in virtualization for students; and (4) disseminate the project implementation strategy to other community colleges in the Florida State College System through presentations at the annual Association of Florida Colleges conference. The project team plans to incorporate virtualization and virtual lab environments in eight existing courses and develop six new courses in virtualization and virtualization support. The instructional faculty will be trained in the new virtualization platforms. The project aims to strengthen industry partnerships and include industry inputs into the curriculum development. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202201 | Technician Training for Industry 4.0 Technologies | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 08/03/2022 | Sheng-Jen Hsieh | hsieh@tamu.edu | TX | Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 08/15/2022 | 07/31/2025 | $650,000.00 | Matthew Graff | 3124 TAMU | COLLEGE STATION | TX | 778.433.124 | 9.798.626.777 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Manufacturing is in the midst of change as Industry 4.0 advanced manufacturing technologies are being implemented to bring manufacturers into the digital age. These new technologies include recent advances in automation, computing, and communications. Manufacturers need skilled technicians and advanced operators to build, implement, troubleshoot, maintain, and modify manufacturing systems that use these technologies. Students will learn Industry 4.0 competencies that are based on local industry workforce needs. This project will focus on agriculture, food and beverage processing, and oil and gas manufacturing sectors. Texas A&M University will collaborate with Clovis Community College and Lone Star College on the development and evaluation of new curricula that will provide instruction and hands-on learning experiences for students on Industry 4.0 concepts. Students will have the opportunity to earn a certificate in industrial automation. The project will provide professional development workshops to train community college faculty and high school teachers on Industry 4.0 technologies. Working with local high schools, the project team will create dual enrollment courses for high school students that can be taken at the community college campuses, at the high school, or online. The goal of this project is to help students learn the necessary skills to be successful in the manufacturing technician workforce. This project will: (1) prepare new graduates for local industry workforce needs by creating course content for Industry 4.0 concepts; (2) enrich skill sets of incumbent workers through certificate programs; (3) create a pipeline for incoming students by working with school districts and offering workshops for secondary school teachers; and (4) host professional development workshops to disseminate project results to instructors at community colleges. Subject matter experts will provide feedback to the project team about the technical accuracy and relevance of the instructional materials. To make hands-on learning experiences more accessible to learners with limited instructional resources, online access to automated systems and virtual/remote learning environments will be developed and pilot tested. The impact of the courses and the online learning environment on student learning will be evaluated using student surveys and learning assessments. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202174 | Technician Training for Advanced Manufacturing and Materials | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/13/2022 | Nikhil Gupta | ngupta@nyu.edu | NY | New York University | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $79,171.00 | 70 WASHINGTON SQ S | NEW YORK | NY | 100.121.019 | 2.129.982.121 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Recent advances in advanced manufacturing technologies have led to new capabilities in manufacturing. Technicians who have a better understanding of these new technologies and the advanced engineering materials used in these processes will be able to implement them in manufacturing facilities. Traditional technical education for manufacturing technicians needs to keep pace with these technology trends in industry. To address this need, this project will introduce new content for existing design, manufacturing, and materials science courses including virtual and hands-on experiential learning exercises as well as tutorials on specific topics. A Business and Industry Leadership Team will provide feedback on course content so that the courses are aligned with the needs of industry. A summer training program will provide an opportunity for students to learn professional skills that will help them be successful in the technician workforce. To complement the training program, students will have the option to participate in an entrepreneurial student competition in which student teams address an industry problem or develop a new product. The goal of this project is to address industry’s workforce needs for skilled technicians who have training in advanced manufacturing technologies including computer-aided design, additive manufacturing, and engineering materials. This project will use the Business and Industry Leadership Team model to collaborate with industry to develop course content that addresses the knowledge, skills, and abilities that manufacturers need to implement and maintain these technologies. In addition to classroom instruction, students will have experiential learning opportunities using a combination of virtual and hands-on activities. Virtual training software will help students earn certificates corresponding to a specific set of skills. A new summer training program will provide training on professional skills including communication, teamwork, and time management skills. This program will also help students develop better problem-solving skills and learn how to conduct experiments and analyze data to obtain meaningful results. The project team will assess the impact of project activities on student learning and retention using student surveys, assessments of student work, and student interviews. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2055293 | Advancing NextGen Technicians: Addressing New Industry Demand for Robotics Because of COVID-19 | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/12/2021 | Robert Franken | robert.franken@niacc.edu | IA | North Iowa Area Community College | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 10/01/2021 | 09/30/2024 | $499,871.00 | Brian Mason | 500 COLLEGE DR | MASON CITY | IA | 504.017.213 | 5.154.231.264 | EDU | 741200 | 097Z, 102Z, 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national interest by increasing the number of technicians in the workforce who have intermediate level training in robotics. It is designed to be directly relevant to industry’s needs for the permanently re-designed manufacturing environment caused by COVID. Manufacturing comprises the largest industry sector in North Iowa and a 2020 survey of regional manufacturers confirmed the need for industrial technicians with more advanced robotics skills. This project will help to engage students with new robotics instrumentation focused on safety and efficiency and will help to keep industries in the North Iowa region, some of which have already been deeply affected by the loss of workers and useable square footage due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The region and the college have a high proportion of first-generation low-income students. Thus, this project’s focus on advancing robotics training for manufacturing may help many individuals with financial need move more quickly into highly skilled technician jobs. Working closely with industry partners, Northern Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) will develop an intermediate robotics course using a broad range of robotics instrumentation including vision, cobots and mobile industrial (MIR) robots. Such robots allow manufacturers to provide adequate separation for workers, reducing congestion, and increasing efficiency. NIACC's innovative plan will embed a newly developed Level 2 National Coalition of Certification Centers (NC3) credential into a new intermediate robotics course to enhance middle-skilled industrial technician education. The new Applied Robotics class for Industrial Systems Technology (IST) students, and a new optional robotics certificate for Industrial Mechanics and Maintenance (IMM) students, will build on previous efforts at the institution. The proposed project will feature four key activities. First is to acquire advanced robotics equipment and develop curriculum to train technicians in robotics that are applicable to local manufacturing needs. Second is to train faculty on new robotics technology, including MIR robots and cobots with vision capabilities. Third is to train and credential all NIACC IST degree students in a newly created Applied Robotics course, using NC3 credentialing coursework embedded into the course. Fourth is to train additional IMM degree students with an optional robotics certificate add-on. The project evaluation plan includes feedback from stakeholder groups, key evaluation questions and a data collection and methods blueprint for each year of the project. Project materials and results will be shared with community college, manufacturing, and business sector peers. Information will be shared through a project website, industry publications, and ATE Central. This curricular may provide a model for other community colleges and their industry partners about how to incorporate more advanced robotics and instrumentation into manufacturing technician preparation. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. As a result, the project has the potential to contribute to improving the national STEM workforce. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000971 | Meeting the Bay Area's Electronics Technician Workforce Need | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/01/2020 | Nicholas Langhoff | langhoffn@smccd.edu | CA | San Mateo County Community College District | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 09/01/2020 | 08/31/2024 | $592,538.00 | Jenny Le, Thomas McCall | 3401 CSM DR | SAN MATEO | CA | 944.023.651 | 6.503.586.755 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | In the Bay Area, there are currently over 10,000 job openings for electronics technicians. In addition, the number of electronics technician jobs is projected to grow at a rate of over 20% within the next ten years. This project aims to meet local workforce needs by developing a new engineering electronics technology program. This program will be developed in partnership with local industry to ensure that graduates of the program have the knowledge, skills, and competencies needed to meet this critical local workforce need. The new program has the potential to improve the capacity and quality of the electronics technician workforce in the Bay Area and to serve as a model for building new engineering technology programs. This project will adopt, adapt, and develop courses covering DC and AC circuits, math for electronics, electronics test and measurement, schematic entry, custom cabling, printed circuit board design and manufacturing, soldering and printed circuit board rework, and battery technology. The program will align with the eleven elements of high-quality Career Technical Education programs as outlined by the California Department of Education. The project will include an intensive student support program and a funded internship and job placement program with integrated support from industry partners. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2300513 | Creating a Workforce Pipeline of Agriculture Drone Operators and Remote Sensing Technicians | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/17/2023 | Zachery Harber | Zach.harber@uaccb.edu | AR | UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS SYSTEM | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 10/01/2023 | 09/30/2026 | $279,924.00 | Joseph Howard | 2005 WHITE DR | BATESVILLE | AR | 725.018.540 | 8.706.122.000 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Farmers, ranchers, and foresters are experiencing technological shifts in the knowledge and equipment necessary to operate environmentally friendly and economically efficient agribusinesses. Research has been conducted on the use of drone-based geospatial technologies in agriculture for some time, and their applications at the farm and in the field are expanding rapidly. The goal of this project is to enable the University of Arkansas Community College Batesville (UACCB) to enhance the education of aspiring agriculturalists and conservationists by creating a comprehensive educational pipeline. This project will enable the emerging and current agricultural workforce to apply these advanced technologies in a region where they are not yet prevalent. Upon program completion students will have earned an FAA Part 107 drone license, Commercial Applicator Technician License, as well as demonstrate proficiency using remote sensing and GIS data analysis software. The pipeline for geospatial agriculture technicians will begin with academic exposure through summer youth enrichment workshops. Familiarity with state-of-the-art agriculture technologies will serve as a springboard for excitement and understanding of applications for drone technologies in the emerging workforce. The proposed pipeline will feed into UACCB’s Certificate of Proficiency in Agriculture Drone Technology, where students will engage in theory-based instruction and apply knowledge through field-based laboratory exercises. The project will expand existing credit-based agricultural course offerings to include a sixteen-week Certificate of Proficiency (CP) program focused on educating licensed drone operators and remote sensing technicians. Faculty will redesign existing coursework and develop curriculum for new courses embedded in the certificate program, provide professional development for high school and postsecondary faculty, as well as enhance student awareness of geospatial technologies in agriculture through youth enrichment activities. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1902329 | Expansion of the CyberWatch West Resource Center | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 01/28/2020 | Corrinne Sande | csande@whatcom.ctc.edu | WA | Whatcom Community College | Standard Grant | R. Corby Hovis | 10/01/2019 | 06/30/2024 | $930,000.00 | Philip Craiger, Stephen Troupe | 237 W KELLOGG RD | BELLINGHAM | WA | 982.268.033 | 3.603.833.235 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Keeping computers and information systems secure is a critical need and a major challenge. To meet this need, business, industry, and government need well-prepared technicians who can prevent, detect, and investigate cybersecurity breaches. The growth of cyber-threats has created a need for many more workers who have the knowledge and skills needed to protect digital infrastructure. In 2018, NSF funded the CyberWatch West Resource Center as an Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Resource Center to support cybersecurity education at two-year colleges across the nation (NSF Award DUE-1800589). In 2019, the funding level for new Resource Centers was raised to $1.65 million (NSF 18-571). With this new award, the CyberWatch West Resource Center will be fully funded as an ATE resource center, enabling the Center to expand the scope of its activities. Specifically, the CyberWatch West Resource Center will expand its mentoring efforts to help more colleges build and strengthen their cybersecurity programs. The Center will also develop additional curricular resources and conduct additional educational activities to inform students about careers in cybersecurity and match them with employers. The expanded Center will undertake four interrelated efforts that complement and/or expand the previously funded activities: (1) provide mentoring, technical assistance, and leadership training to educators and prospective grantees who want to implement and improve cybersecurity education programs; (2) convert, consolidate, and disseminate cybersecurity curricula (including modules developed through the Catalyzing Computing and Cybersecurity in Community Colleges project, NSF Award DGE-1548315) in accessible formats that integrate with common online learning management systems; (3) partner with business and industry to provide credit-bearing cybersecurity training modules that meet the needs of current employees in small businesses, fit into college curricula, and are aligned with the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education Framework's work roles; and (4) host virtual career fairs and operate an online job board, which will broadly disseminate employment opportunities and directly connect students with prospective employers. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program, which focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202166 | Flexible Technology Education to Upskill/Reskill for a Vacuum Technician Career | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/11/2022 | Nancy Louwagie | nancy.louwagie@normandale.edu | MN | Normandale Community College | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 06/01/2022 | 05/31/2025 | $649,938.00 | Ruth Robinson, Thomas Johnson | 9700 FRANCE AVE S | MINNEAPOLIS | MN | 554.314.309 | 9.523.589.045 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national interest by improving curricula that address vacuum technology in a technician education program. Vacuum technology is a critical enabling technology that combines complex concepts in mathematics, chemistry and physics in support of advanced manufacturing and research. Vacuum systems remove air and water vapor from an enclosed environment to create a pressure condition many orders of magnitude less than atmospheric pressure. Although vacuum technology plays an integral role in fields such as semiconductor manufacturing and space technology and research, its significance is largely unrecognized by the public. Manufacturing and research organizations utilize expensive vacuum systems, equipment worth tens of millions of dollars, with expectations that the systems function around the clock. Unanticipated downtime due to a vacuum system malfunction is extremely costly. Organizations rely on technicians who possess the knowledge and skills to maintain and repair these systems. Technicians are responsible for quickly troubleshooting and correctly diagnosing issues with the vacuum system performance in order to minimize disruptions in system operation as well as preserve the integrity of the process and product affected by the system. This project will enhance the curricula in vacuum technology and create targeted support services to benefit students, especially incumbent workers, so they are motivated to persist in this program of study to develop the knowledge and skills valued by organizations that utilize vacuum systems. This project proposes a combination of activities in the areas of program development and improvement and curriculum and educational materials development. The disciplinary focus is vacuum technology, an area of study vital to semiconductor fabrication, nanotechnology, advanced manufacturing and research. The objectives of the project are to: 1) Incorporate cross-disciplinary learning opportunities into the curriculum to better prepare technicians for the future of work; 2) Offer shorter length modules with more entry points and provide more flexibility in the sequence of module completion; and 3) Implement student support strategies that increase student persistence and completion of a credential and successful transition to the workforce, particularly for nontraditional-aged students, individuals underrepresented in vacuum technologies, veterans, and dislocated workers. The project will advance knowledge and understanding of the cross-disciplinary STEM competencies required for vacuum technicians in the era of Industry 4.0. Offering the new modularized courses is a strategy to address some of the barriers to entering vacuum technology by opening up access to courses at times and durations better suited for nontraditional-aged learners. Individuals will be able to access courses through a combination of asynchronous and synchronous courses that can be offered virtually or face-to-face. The project will contribute to our understanding of how to provide technicians with just-enough instruction in cross-disciplinary STEM skills to allow them to transition into today’s workforce. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202050 | National Electric Vehicle Consortium (NEVC) | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/16/2022 | Kevin Cooper | kcooper@irsc.edu | FL | Indian River State College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $2,735,771.00 | Michael Deavers, Mike Beebe, Donna Farrell, Amber Avery | 3209 VIRGINIA AVE | FORT PIERCE | FL | 349.815.541 | 7.724.624.703 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The internal combustion engine has dominated the transportation industry and has led to decreased environmental quality and increased health issues from engine emissions. Today, an estimated one billion light duty vehicles are on the roads, consuming one fourth of global primary oil and contributing 10% to the global greenhouse gas emissions The adoption of electric vehicles (EV) can reduce dependency on oil and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, industry leaders agree that there is an immediate shortage of skilled technical workers across almost every sector required to support the EV industry. Workforce projections estimate that the all-EV industry will add 250,000 to 500,000 new high paying jobs by 2030. This project will establish a National Electric Vehicle Consortium (NEVC) to support the collaboration of academic, agency, and industry experts across all EV disciplines to help secure the nation’s EV workforce with partners from 15 community colleges, 19 industry partners, two research universities, and ATE Centers and projects. The consortium will focus on the following fields within the EV sector: manufacturing; installation; operations, maintenance, and repair; vehicle conversion; safety and standards; and emerging technological advances in the sector. Goals for the consortia include: 1) provide a venue for national collaboration to network training needs with training providers to support broad scale outreach, community-building among educational institutions, industry, professional, trade, and regulatory associations, educators, and practicing technicians within the EV Ecosystem; 2) document workforce needs and skills and competencies, for all areas of the emerging EV sector; 3) collect data on academic programs and curricular resources across the EV sector; 4) align academic programs and courses with the EV industry sector needs and address programmatic gaps; 5) support institutions of higher education in adapting legacy programs or establishing new EV programs. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2149550 | Building Efficiency for a Sustainable Tomorrow (BEST) Center | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/08/2023 | Peter Crabtree | plcrabtree@berkeley.edu | CA | University of California-Berkeley | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 07/01/2021 | 06/30/2024 | $985,356.00 | 1608 4TH ST STE 201 | BERKELEY | CA | 947.101.749 | 5.106.433.891 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Commercial buildings are a predominant feature of U.S. cities that account for almost 20% of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) in the U.S. There is increased pressure in the U.S. to reduce GHG emissions and conserve non-renewable energy resources that is leading to a need to reduce the consumption of energy in commercial buildings. At the same time, research on Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified buildings suggests that improved indoor environmental quality increases worker productivity. The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that there are 292,000 "HVAC Mechanics and Installers" employed in the U.S. and that the field will add almost 40,000 new positions between 2014 and 2024, a much faster than average rate of growth. A study for the HVACR Workforce Development foundation estimates that 70% of openings in the field are middle skill jobs requiring postsecondary education and that the demand for these workers outstrips supply. To address these issues, it is necessary to educate a workforce of Building Automation Systems (BAS) Specialists as well as High Performance Building Operations Professionals (HPBOP). The Building Efficiency for a Sustainable Tomorrow (BEST) Center will focus on growing its national network of community and technical colleges interested in improving and/or developing new building science technician education programs. The BEST Center proposes to serve as a national vehicle for the collection, dissemination, and adoption of responsive, timely, and exceptional educational programs, courses, lab applications, and innovative instructional methods for the education of building systems technicians. This project outlines three goals: 1) Transform the instructional capacity of community colleges in the field of building technician education, with an emphasis on HPBOP and BAS training and certification; 2) Engage industry stakeholders and research partners in a national collaboration with community colleges to support high quality building science instructional programs; and, 3) Strengthen the national STEM pipeline for building technicians, focusing on outreach to both high school students and underrepresented adult learners. The Center will continue to archive model curriculum and disseminate and promote adoption of this model curriculum nationwide. |
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| 2247026 | Next Generation Manufacturing Resource Center | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 10/14/2022 | Karen Wosczyna Birch | karenlee@snet.net | CT | Education Connection | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 10/15/2022 | 12/31/2024 | $605,444.00 | 355 GOSHEN RD | LITCHFIELD | CT | 67.592.404 | 8.605.670.863 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The development of a diverse, globally competitive advanced manufacturing workforce is critical to US stability and growth. Major areas of focus for the Regional Center for Next Generation Manufacturing (RCNGM) have been to change negative perceptions of manufacturing careers and to increase the participation and success of historically underrepresented minorities, women, and veterans in the technical workforce. RCNGM has created nationally-recognized materials for educators, career counselors, students, and parents that focus on choosing community colleges as a next step to high paying careers in manufacturing. With support of this award, RCNGM plans to establish an NSF ATE Resource Center. RCNGM will broaden its partnerships by expanding community college/industry partnerships throughout the Northeast, specifically in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, and by partnering with the National Coalition for Advanced Technology Centers and the National Association for Workforce Improvement. The RCNGM Resource Center will provide exemplary resources for advanced manufacturing online learning via online tools (website, webinars, and social media), as well as through regional and national professional conferences that engage the RCNGM's stakeholders. These resources will assist current and prospective principal investigators to identify and implement successful materials and strategies for creating career pathways that include certificates and degrees that include stackable credentials and multiple entry/exit points. The Resource Center will also foster industry, business, and academic partnerships by increasing the availability and variety of exemplary, industry-driven advanced manufacturing curricula that emphasize both technical and professional skills. The Resource Center will promote advanced manufacturing careers with a focus on modernizing the image of manufacturing careers and disseminating successful models for recruiting and retaining students in advanced manufacturing. Finally, the Resource Center will coordinate and support regional and national industry, business, and academic partnerships that have the potential to create a sustainable network for advancing manufacturing programs at community colleges nationwide. This project is funded by the NSF Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2335016 | National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/10/2023 | Karen Wosczyna Birch | karenlee@snet.net | CT | Education Connection | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 07/01/2023 | 06/30/2026 | $6,513,956.00 | 355 GOSHEN RD | LITCHFIELD | CT | 67.592.404 | 8.605.670.863 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Recent studies have highlighted the nation's increasing need for a skilled workforce in advanced manufacturing. For example, a 2018 study by Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute concluded that over the next decade, the U.S. will need to fill more than 4.6 million manufacturing jobs. The study further predicts that more than half of these jobs will go unfilled due to gaps in the skills of potential workers. With this award, Tunxis Community College will work with partners from industry, business associations, professional organizations, government agencies, and educators to develop the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing, which will help the nation meet its advanced manufacturing workforce needs. The Center will be organized according to Industry 4.0 and will include Technology Teams for next generation manufacturing sub-sectors, such as Design, Fabrication, Processing, Supply Chain, Logistics, and Quality Control. In addition, the Center will include next generation manufacturing applications, such as cybersecurity, biomanufacturing, and resource-efficient manufacturing. The Center will be guided by national leaders from other Advanced Technological Education Centers and projects, as well as by national equity associations, such as the National Association for Partnerships in Equity. Through this guidance, the Center aims to identify successful strategies for recruiting and retaining people from underrepresented communities in the next generation manufacturing workforce. The National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing has four goals: 1) Enhance and solidify relationships and communication among educators, businesses, industry, government, military, trade associations, and economic development agencies to broaden and strengthen efforts to prepare qualified advanced manufacturing technicians; 2) Implement a repository of educational materials that integrates industry-driven competencies needed to support Industry 4.0 and emerging learning technologies including the use of Open Educational Resources and online methodologies; 3) Support professional development opportunities for educators to implement promising practices to address current and future next generation manufacturing technology competencies; and 4) Support a diverse technician workforce through regional outreach, recruitment, mentoring, and dissemination initiatives. Detailed activities are planned to support each goal, including: professional development of educators to ensure that the developed resources are used effectively; mentoring to support education and industry partnerships such as the nationally recognized Business & Industry Leadership Team model; initiating projects with Manufacturing Extension Partnerships and Manufacturing USA Institutes; pursuing and piloting apprenticeship models by the Center’s educators; strengthening career pathways between high schools, community colleges, four-year universities and industry by identification of industry-recognized credentials and disseminating successful educational models that include multiple entry and exit points for both certificate and degree completion; exploring and sharing emerging trends such as the Future of Work to guide educators as they design industry-driven curriculum; and addressing the impact of automation, the Internet of Things, and cybersecurity in next generation manufacturing through webinars, podcasts and professional development workshops. Center activities are expected to create a national Community of Practice that is agile, supports innovation, and educates the 21st century advanced manufacturing workforce needed for companies to be globally competitive. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2055717 | Expanding Regional Capacity for Training in Engineering Technology and Data Center Operations | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/21/2021 | Josh Labrie | jlabrie@nvcc.edu | VA | Northern Virginia Community College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 07/01/2021 | 06/30/2024 | $467,184.00 | Amir Mehmood, THOMAS CICCONE | 8333 LITTLE RIVER TPKE | ANNANDALE | VA | 220.033.743 | 7.033.233.000 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Common software systems, such as those based on artificial intelligence, often require a cloud-based computing infrastructure. As cloud-based computing has expanded, so has the need for the data center infrastructure needed to support it. Data centers require significant capital investment, as well as ongoing operational maintenance. Because of tax incentives enacted by the state legislature, data centers are expanding rapidly in Virginia. As data center capacity expands, a trained engineering technology workforce is required to run these data centers. To address this urgent need, this project will expand the engineering technology program at Northern Virginia Community College by improving the recruitment and education of qualified technicians. By fostering a community of practice between industry, secondary educators, and college faculty, the project team plans to improve the workforce pipeline for engineering technology in the northern Virginia region and ensure that students have the skills required to be successfully employed in the data center industry. This project intends to advance understanding about the efficacy of bridge programs to promote recruitment of underrepresented minorities into higher education. It will also examine the efficacy of bridge programs and internship preparation for improving student career attitudes and readiness. It expects to increase the regional supply of engineering technology technicians through the following activities: (1) a two-week summer bridge program focused on career exploration and hands-on learning; (2) an internship preparatory program designed to support students in developing career readiness; (3) an externship for high school educators and industry professionals to develop first-hand knowledge of regional career pathways for engineering technology; and, (5) a veterans outreach program to inform military-connected students about the College’s engineering technology programs. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000871 | Developing a Highly Capable Biomanufacturing Technical Workforce in South Texas | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/24/2021 | Andrew Syvyk | andrew_e_syvyk@tamu.edu | TX | Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 06/01/2020 | 05/31/2025 | $114,505.00 | 3124 TAMU | COLLEGE STATION | TX | 778.433.124 | 9.798.626.777 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The growth of Texas companies that manufacture biological products on a contract basis has created a local and regional workforce need. This project proposes to serve this growing biopharmaceutical manufacturing industry by developing an advanced biomanufacturing certificate and educating a skilled and diverse biomanufacturing technical workforce. The new certificate will be designed to incorporate interactive and inquiry-based laboratory learning and to provide students with real world experience with biotechnical/biomanufacturing equipment. The project will also implement new strategies for recruitment and retention and provide educators with professional development relevant to the new certificate. The certificate is expected to serve two-year college students and high school students, as well as impact university faculty and industry partners. The project aims to provide equitable access to successful biomanufacturing careers for under-represented groups, including students who are women, Hispanic, and/or first-generation college students. This project involves a collaboration between Del Mar College and Texas A & M University. The technical merit of the project includes building upon and incorporating hands-on, instructor-led training modules covering bioprocess operations, upstream and downstream manufacturing of biologics, vaccines, quality control systems, and regulatory compliance. The goals of the project include: (1) Improving student learning with applied industry training and laboratory rotations; (2) Institutionalizing a rigorous and improved biomanufacturing curriculum for long-term impact at Del Mar College and as a model for other institutions; and (3) Adding depth to the new Del Mar College biotechnology programs through strong collaborations with Texas A&M University. The project includes assessment and evaluation of the efficacy of project activities, thus adding to understanding of the factors necessary for student career success in STEM. The project will be disseminated through online media and presentations at national meetings. The project aims to benefit society by providing students with new educational and career pathways, particularly for students who are from groups that are not yet equitably represented in biomanufacturing. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2300978 | Data Center Operations Program Development: A National Approach to Improving Capacity for Data Center Education | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/06/2023 | Josh Labrie | jlabrie@nvcc.edu | VA | Northern Virginia Community College | Standard Grant | Huihui Wang | 07/01/2023 | 06/30/2026 | $649,884.00 | THOMAS CICCONE, Albertine Djoumou Nkombou, Sophia Alston | 8333 LITTLE RIVER TPKE | ANNANDALE | VA | 220.033.743 | 7.033.233.000 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The economic activities of enterprises that rely on Internet services require a significant data center infrastructure to ensure continuity of services. In turn, data centers require significant capital investment, ongoing operational maintenance, and the technical workforce capacity to support various center operations. As data center capacity continues to expand in the Northern Virginia (NOVA) region and the country at large, a trained engineering technology workforce is necessary to meet the growing demand for skilled workers. At present, community and technical colleges lack the instructional capacity to offer programs and coursework to support this rapidly emerging technological field. This project intends to address the lack of workforce issue by developing a sustained professional development program. The proposed Data Center Operations Program Development (DCO PD) has the potential to prepare engineering technology faculty to integrate DCO skills into their teaching practice, conduct national outreach to administrators and educators, and establish professional networks with data centers and their operators regionally and nationally. The project has three primary components. First is a sustained professional development fellowship for faculty, including a three-day workshop series at NOVA Community College's data center training facility and a five-day externship at an operational data center. Second is an awareness and recruitment campaign at national conferences including project presentations, data center site visits, and hands-on skills workshops. Third, and finally, is a data center education digital resource hub serving as a repository of curriculum, industry contacts, career information, and a map of growing data center markets. The project intends to advance the understanding of industry externships and site visits as a tool for facultu professional development. Instructional materials would be disseminated through publications of the Association for Career and Technical Education's Techniques magazine, the career and technical education Journal, The Science Teacher, and Technology and Engineering Teacher. Results of the project will be submitted to peer-reviewed journals and presented at various conferences. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2100378 | VESTA Resource Center | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 01/27/2023 | Michelle Norgren | MichelleNorgren@missouristate.edu | MO | Missouri State University | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 07/01/2021 | 06/30/2024 | $1,646,884.00 | Candice Fitch-Deitz, David Bower, Edward Trebets | 901 S NATIONAL AVE | SPRINGFIELD | MO | 658.970.027 | 4.178.365.972 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The viticulture and enology industry is an important component of U.S. agriculture, with an estimated economic impact of $220 billion. The Viticulture and Enology Science and Technology Alliance (VESTA) Resource Center will support education of the advanced technological workforce needed in this industry. The VESTA Resource Center will help two-year colleges achieve their goals of providing students with the STEM foundational knowledge and industry-specific knowledge and skills needed for employment and career progression in the industry. The Center will enable faculty and industry to share best practices, providing access to successful recruitment and education models that can enrich their programs and business operations. Mentoring by experts within the Center will increase the capacity and capability of two-year colleges to access existing resources and funding for program development, expansion, and improvement. The VESTA Resource Center will support the development, expansion, and enhancement of Viticulture and Enology programs in two-year colleges through open access to successful models, expanded resources, and active mentorship provided by a network of experienced two-year college faculty, academic, and industry subject-matter experts. The participating two-year colleges and industry associations will employ their complementary expertise in a concerted effort aimed at enriching Viticulture and Enology programs’ ability to educate skilled technicians to meet industry needs. Accessibility of program content will be enhanced and supported with online courses and closed-captioned videos that support all learners, including learners who are deaf or hard of hearing. Virtual and in-person workshops will enable teachers to share with their students the career opportunities and critical importance of a STEM foundation for jobs in this industry. Collaboration with local industry and state-wide associations will enable educators to fill voids in workforce development for this rapidly growing industry. The Center will collaborate with two-year colleges and industry associations to establish Registered Apprenticeships that may serve as a model in other agriculture industries, an important sector in the U.S. economy that has been underrepresented in workforce development programs. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000651 | Collaborative Research: Preparing the Workforce for Industry 4.0's Intelligent Industrial Robotics | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 08/21/2023 | Omar TANTAWI | otantawi@mscc.edu | TN | Motlow State Community College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 07/01/2020 | 06/30/2024 | $129,190.00 | 6015 LEDFORD MILL RD | TULLAHOMA | TN | 373.887.972 | 6.154.558.511 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | According to the International Federation of Robotics, nearly 75% of the global market for next-generation industrial robotics is in China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. To remain competitive, U.S. industries need to rapidly accelerate the use of intelligent robotics. As a result, the nation needs to train highly skilled technicians who can program, use, maintain, and repair intelligent industrial robots. This collaborative project will address the nation’s shortfall of qualified technicians in intelligent industrial robotics. It intends to do so by establishing a collaboration between academic institutions and major manufacturers in the eastern and central regions of Tennessee and Alabama. Together these partners will define the necessary skillset for the next-generation industrial robotics technical workforce. They will also develop a curriculum that will allow students to learn those skills. This project will result in one of the first programs in the nation for workforce training in intelligent robotics and artificial intelligence technologies. This effort will thus support U.S. businesses and industries to rapidly and effectively incorporate next-generation robotics in their workplace. The project has the following specific aims: 1) develop intelligent robotics curricular modules; 2) implement train-the-trainer workshops for educators; 3) identify skill sets needed for handling the next-generation robotics; 4) develop a knowledge base of next-generation robotics for secondary and post-secondary educators; and 5) increase public awareness of next-generation robotics. By using a collaboration among four academic institutions in the eastern and central regions of Tennessee and Alabama, and involving major manufacturers in the region, the project expects to deliver outcomes that will be sustainable and can be replicated or adapted at other institutions. This project intends to develop one of the first programs in the nation for workforce training at community and technical colleges in intelligent robotics and artificial intelligence technologies. Since community and technical college supply a significant percentage of the industrial workforce, this project has the potential to help U.S. businesses and industries rapidly and effectively incorporate next-generation robotics in their workplace. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2202169 | Grant Insights through Research & Development (GIRD): Using Big Data Centered Mixed Methods to Explain Variances in Grant Funding and Outcomes at Two-Year Colleges | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/25/2022 | Benjamin Reid | ben@impactallies.com | FL | IMPACT ALLIES INC | Standard Grant | Connie Della-Piana | 10/01/2022 | 09/30/2025 | $797,040.00 | William Tyson, Christopher Baechle, Rassoul Dastmozd | 2002 CORDOVA AVE | VERO BEACH | FL | 329.604.119 | 9.728.003.234 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Recognizing disparities in external funding across two-year institutions in advanced technological education programs and the need to build institutional capacity to address these disparities, this research is designed to surface factors and characteristics of institutions that are associated with successful efforts to secure external funds. Descriptive information derived from this investigation will form the basis for a set of empirically derived best practices associated with success in securing funding. The central research question is, "What characteristics and factors differentiate colleges with varying levels of external funding?" The research team will conduct a mixed methods research study that combines a rich set of data: (1) algorithm-derived meta-data on two-year college characteristics and performance; (2) public and campus institutional data; (3) surveys of college and program faculty and administrators; and (4) in-depth interviews with college and program faculty and administrators. The team will adapt quantitative research methods, such as big data algorithms, cluster analyses, and decisions support systems, commonly employed by the financial and health care sectors, and apply them to higher education. In an effort to support skilled technical workforce development in advanced-technology fields through fostering institutional capacity, the goal of the investigation is to establish viable pathways and impactful practices by which less grant-active, two-year colleges can utilize external funding resources to better meet the needs of diverse student populations, faculty, and institutions in advanced technological programs. Additionally, the project will apply and test an innovative use of quantitative research approaches to answer questions that now can be examined using large data sets and data science methods in combination with more traditional data collection methodologies. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the Nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202180 | Building Efficiency for a sustainable Tomorrow (BEST) Center | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/13/2022 | Peter Crabtree | plcrabtree@berkeley.edu | CA | University of California-Berkeley | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 10/01/2022 | 09/30/2025 | $1,650,000.00 | Mary Ann Piette, Robert Nirenberg, Theodore Wilinski | 1608 4TH ST STE 201 | BERKELEY | CA | 947.101.749 | 5.106.433.891 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Commercial buildings are a predominant feature of U.S. cities. Such buildings form the physical infra-structure for people working in many economic sectors. The technicians who operate these buildings are largely invisible to building occupants, occasionally seen responding to a complaint about room temperature or repairing equipment. Climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, and new digital technologies are creating a new dynamic for the work of building technicians, increasing the importance of their role, expanding the knowledge and skills required of them, and raising expectations about the quality of their work. Today’s building technicians must be prepared to manage the complex building automation, data analytics, and energy management systems of the high-performance “sustainable” buildings of the future. This project will support the BEST Center transitioning to a Resource Center to continue to serve the community for the collection, dissemination, and adoption of programs, courses, lab applications, and innovative instructional methods for the advanced technological education of building systems technicians. The BEST Resource Center will support the development of building technician education programs at community and technical colleges nationwide, engage industry to support this effort, and strengthen the national STEM pipeline. The Center will have 3 goals: 1) Transform the instructional capacity of community colleges in the field of building technician education, with an emphasis on High Performance Building Operations Technical-Professional (HPBOT-P) and Building Automation Specialist (BAS) curriculum alignment and certification; 2) Engage industry stakeholders and research partners in a national collaboration with community colleges to support high-quality building science instructional programs; and 3) Strengthen the national STEM pipeline for building technicians through outreach to high school students, women, and populations traditionally underrepresented in building science. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2247861 | Enhancing Uncrewed Aerial Systems Career Readiness in Biological Monitoring and Resource Management | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/18/2023 | Mukila Maitha | mmaitha@harpercollege.edu | IL | William Rainey Harper College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 08/01/2023 | 07/31/2026 | $345,647.00 | Crystal Peirce | 1200 W ALGONQUIN RD | PALATINE | IL | 600.677.398 | 8.479.256.490 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Significant growth in the Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) industry in the last five years has led to the need for skilled pilots, technicians, and analysts in this emerging field. The goal of this project at Harper College is to provide a gateway to emerging employment opportunities for students in using UAS technologies in the biological monitoring and resource management workforce domains in the Chicago metropolitan area and northern Illinois. The integration of UAS technology into these fields presents a novel opportunity to create a pipeline of Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) technicians with skills in drone operations and remote sensing. This project will strengthen Harper's capacity to serve the UAS workforce needs of the wider Chicago metropolitan area and beyond. The success of this project will open the door to expanding the infusion of UAS technology into STEM fields at Harper and surrounding high schools and community colleges that use UAS technology or remote sensing. The overall educational aim of the project will be met by focusing on two principal goals that include (1) Enhancing UAS career readiness in biological monitoring and resource management by incorporating UAS knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) into existing courses and through experiential learning opportunities with industry partners, and (2) Preparing educators to integrate UAS in STEM courses through summer workshops and a community of practice model that promotes interdisciplinary collaboration and curriculum development. This project will serve as a model for other academic institutions interested in developing a comprehensive program aimed at addressing the shortage of well-qualified and skilled UAS technicians. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202090 | Distance-Enabled Industry-Led Data Analytics Technician Pathway (ILDAP) | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 08/01/2022 | Mason Lefler | mlefler@btech.edu | UT | Bridgerland Applied Technology College | Standard Grant | Huihui Wang | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $577,503.00 | Hayden Hoopes, Joshua Hveem, Mason Lefler, Scott Danielson | 1301 N 600 W | LOGAN | UT | 843.212.292 | 4.357.503.214 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national interest by creating a Distance-Enabled Industry-Led Data Analytics Technician Pathway (ILDAP) to fill the critical shortage of skilled data technicians in information technology and manufacturing sectors in the rural Intermountain West. Data is transforming the economy and society across all sectors. Businesses of all types need technicians who can collect, clean, analyze, understand, and visualize data. Due to dramatic economic growth and the recency of the data analytics field, the Intermountain West is struggling to meet the extreme demand for middle-skilled data technicians. This project will create an avenue for incumbent workers to gain data analytics skills and transform how women at home will gain high demand analytical skills in order to reenter the workforce. The project has the potential to generate knowledge of how technical colleges can partner with local industry to produce efficient, engaging, and effective data analytics instruction at a distance to simultaneously prepare participants for job advancement and/or a pathway towards college. Driven by robust industry input, the ILDAP project intends to resolve the need for middle-skilled data analytics technicians in the Intermountain West by: (1) developing a Data Analytics Business Industry Leadership Team, (2) increasing instructor expertise through professional development (3) developing distance-enabled data analytics courses to reach incumbent workers and women at home, and (4) recruiting and retaining women into data analytics. Through robust industry collaborations, this project will develop a refined curriculum and programmatic resources that can be shared locally and nationally. The project team plans to share the proposed curriculum and practices in recruiting students from underrepresented groups. The project results will be shared locally to industry and three local school districts. The project team plans to disseminate results with seven in-state technical colleges regionally through the yearly community of practice meeting. In order to reach the wide breadth of interested parties, the project team will present their work nationally at various conferences and share project products at atecentral.net. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202179 | Improving and Modernizing Machinist Training and Education for Machining Workforce Preparation in the Finger Lakes Region of New York | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/15/2023 | Rui Liu | rleme@rit.edu | NY | Rochester Institute of Tech | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $649,257.00 | John Troy, YUNBO ZHANG, Kenneth Nowicki | 1 LOMB MEMORIAL DR | ROCHESTER | NY | 146.235.603 | 5.854.757.987 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Machining is an essential component of the manufacturing process that has played a significant role in every industrial revolution. Machinists, as machine tool operators, are important members of the skilled technical workforce, and require long-term and professional training or education. As many new concepts and technologies are being introduced in the machining industry to satisfy the requirements of Industry 4.0, the corresponding revision of machinist training must also take place. This project will improve and modernize existing machinist training and education in response to the new requirements of the machining industry in the era of Industry 4.0. It is expected that the local machining industry, an important economic pillar of the Finger Lakes region in New York State, will benefit significantly from increasing the pool of available skilled workers and meeting the new demands of machining knowledge and skills. The overall goals of this project are to 1) improve existing machining training and education programs in response to the skill and knowledge requirements of 21st century interdisciplinary themes, 2) modernize existing machinist training and education using innovative methods and advanced technologies to improve trainee engagement and learning efficiency, 3) expand the machining workforce by increasing the accessibility and flexibility of machinist training and education to various stakeholders, and 4) facilitate machinist training/education interworking and resource sharing among training providers. All project results will be disseminated throughout New York State as well as the entire United States through collaborations with New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NY MEP) and Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) of New York State to maximize their impact. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2054724 | National Cybersecurity Training & Education (NCyTE) Center | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 12/19/2022 | Corrinne Sande | csande@whatcom.ctc.edu | WA | Whatcom Community College | Standard Grant | R. Corby Hovis | 10/01/2021 | 09/30/2026 | $7,499,995.00 | Tony Coulson, Philip Craiger, John Sands, Stephen Miller, Stephen Troupe | 237 W KELLOGG RD | BELLINGHAM | WA | 982.268.033 | 3.603.833.235 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Keeping computers and information systems secure is a major challenge. Business, industry, and government need well-prepared technicians who can prevent, detect, and investigate cybersecurity breaches. The growth of cyber-threats has created a need for many additional workers who have cybersecurity knowledge and skills. As the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program's national center in the area of security technologies, the National Cybersecurity Training & Education (NCyTE) Center will leverage previous NSF grants, projects funded by the National Security Agency (NSA), and the expertise of partners to provide leadership for cybersecurity education in community and technical colleges and related secondary school programs that build America's skilled technical workforce in cybersecurity. The center will pursue four strategic goals: (1) Expand educational pathways and the diversity of cybersecurity programs to meet the nation's workforce needs. (2) Develop and deploy leading-edge cybersecurity curricula. (3) Cultivate engagement with employers (business, industry, government) and career opportunities for students. (4) Disseminate resources to improve current and future directions of cybersecurity education. In addition to Whatcom Community College, major partners in the center include California State University, San Bernardino; Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Daytona Beach, FL); Eastern New Mexico University - Ruidoso; the Center for Systems Security and Information Assurance (CSSIA; based at Moraine Valley Community College); and the National CyberWatch Center (NCC; based at Prince George's Community College). To advance cybersecurity education and build the nation's cybersecurity workforce, the NCyTE Center will expand, standardize, and disseminate cutting-edge resources for teaching and learning (including online learning) and best practices aligned with industry standards. The center will develop cybersecurity content targeting new industry sectors, integrate new and updated cybersecurity concepts into existing fields, conduct associated professional development for college and K-12 educators, and coordinate the work of other ATE grantees in cybersecurity. A projected 1,500 faculty will receive training and an estimated 2,300 faculty will engage in annual leadership development workshops and forums to update their knowledge and skills and to learn about needs in industry. Academies and boot camps will address the shortage of cybersecurity faculty. Through forums and career fairs, an estimated 10,000 students will learn about cybersecurity careers and make connections with employers. These activities, as well as targeted outreach and mentoring activities (with a special focus on women, veterans, and Native Americans), will attempt to broaden participation in the field. Using the materials, methods, experiences, and guidance that the center provides, community colleges around the nation will be able to launch, grow, and maintain cybersecurity programs, ultimately expanding and diversifying the pool of graduates who pursue cybersecurity careers. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program, which focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000444 | Modernizing Agriculture Technician Education in Appalachian Northeast Georgia | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 01/31/2024 | Wayne Randall | wayne.randall@northgatech.edu | GA | NORTH GEORGIA TECHNICAL COLLEGE | Standard Grant | Keith Sverdrup | 10/01/2020 | 09/30/2024 | $299,795.00 | Kevin Peyton | 1500 HIGHWAY 197 N | CLARKESVILLE | GA | 305.234.230 | 7.067.547.852 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to address the growing need for agricultural technicians in Northeast Georgia. The agriculture industry is increasingly driven by precision technologies that maximize productivity and minimize waste and environmental hazards. These processes require advanced mechanization and global navigation satellite systems for implementation. To prepare agricultural technicians for work in precision technologies, the project will develop two agriculture technology programs that are aligned to local agricultural industry needs. These programs will be designed so that students can develop both technical and higher order competencies and industry-supported credentials. With these skills and credentials, the students will be able to enter the agricultural technician workforce at middle-skilled levels. This project aims to increase the skilled technical workforce in Northeast Georgia, thus increasing the ability of employers to recruit skilled agricultural technicians locally. The project plans to develop two new academic programs that can prepare students for technical work in modern agricultural industries: Agribusiness; and Modern Diversified Agriculture. Two complementary goals will be pursued. The first is to develop experiential, diversified curricula specific to the needs of the local agriculture industry. The second is to recruit and retain Appalachian students in these agricultural technician programs. The curricula will be designed through a partnership with the agriculture industry and local agriculture advisory committee members. The curricula will focus on providing students with hands-on opportunities in the context of learning laboratories. The project will engage a pool of student who are largely untapped due to a lack of awareness of the available positions and a lack of access to the technical education needed to fill the positions. Information in the project annual evaluation reports will be used to measure project success, to adjust strategies, and to inform stakeholders about project progress. The project will also investigate how the community, through its higher education institutions, can engage the agriculture industry and Appalachian families and students in preparing agriculture technicians for well-paying, local jobs. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2301265 | Improving Access, Recruitment, Retention, and Attainment in IT | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 01/31/2024 | William Amick | tamick@lccc.wy.edu | WY | Laramie County Community College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 10/01/2023 | 09/30/2026 | $349,851.00 | Richard Walsh, Daniel McIntosh | 1400 E COLLEGE DR | CHEYENNE | WY | 820.073.204 | 3.077.781.245 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The demand for Information Technology (IT) professionals in Wyoming (and nationally) continues to outpace many other technical and STEM fields. In Wyoming, the need for Computer User Support Specialists, Network and Computer Systems Administrators, Information Security Analysts, Computer Network Support Specialists, Datacenter Technicians and Data Analysts outpace all other IT positions in the state. Employment growth projections in the IT field demonstrate positional growth of nearly 14,000 positions in the Laramie County Community College (LCCC) region. This project will help address the demand for IT professionals by improving access, inclusion, and persistence in community college IT coursework. Through the proposed activities, the IT pathway will broaden its impact on underserved populations, while preparing qualified, skilled, and diverse professionals to benefit the regional workforce and assist with Wyoming’s goal of diversifying its economy. The goals of this project are to expand access for rural/remote students, engage and retain underserved populations and emphasize the advanced skills/certifications required to promote marketability in an increasingly competitive field. Specific activities include the deployment of a self-sustaining student resource model, that will ensure rural/remote students are equipped with computing equipment consistent to that of industry and can participate in practical lab exercises to prepare them for career expectations. Recruitment and experiential learning activities will focus on engaging and retaining women and career-changing adults in the IT Pathway. Summer bootcamps and a fully remotely accessible IT Professional Club will be utilized to increase student participation, collaboration, and success. Project deliverables will be communicated and shared with other Wyoming community colleges, as well as nationally and uploaded to ATE Central, including aggregated data on the assessment of recruitment of females and rural/remote students and their performance in the IT Pathway. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2247525 | Light Detection and Ranging Technology Instruction for Future Technician Education and Development | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/28/2023 | Jay Seidel | jseidel@fullcoll.edu | CA | Fullerton College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 07/01/2023 | 06/30/2026 | $345,514.00 | Tommy Reyes | 321 E CHAPMAN AVE | FULLERTON | CA | 928.322.011 | 7.148.718.000 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Light detection and ranging technology, also known as LiDAR, underpins advanced remote sensing systems used to detect, identify, and create a precise 3D virtual image of an object. The automotive industry has driven much of the current interest in LiDAR. Many modern safety features found in cars and trucks rely on LiDAR. Autonomous vehicles use LiDAR to identify and avoid obstructions, other vehicles, and people. In addition, LiDAR is now being used in a wide range of other applications such as mapping, infrastructure inspection, utilities, and architecture, resulting in a growing demand for technicians skilled in LiDAR technology. This project will address the demand for skilled LiDAR technicians by creating a certificate program that will allow students in various majors and fields to become proficient in the use of LiDAR technology. Students will learn how LiDAR can be applied to their industry of interest, resulting in an increase in the number and variety of students prepared for employment as LiDAR technicians. This project will focus on the use of LiDAR use in a wide range of areas, such as three-dimensional (3D) structure scanning, precision roof and building inspection, and site analysis for development, to include realistic 3D scans of buildings for virtual walkthroughs, accurate measurements, virtual inspections of structural integrity, and many other applications. There are three overarching goals of the project. First is to create two LiDAR courses that address the emerging need for skilled technicians. Second is to create a certificate program to address the use of LiDAR in architecture. Third, and finally, is to recruit and retain a diverse population of successful students who represent the surrounding community with an emphasis on marginalized populations. This project will serve as a model for other academic institutions interested in developing a comprehensive program aimed to help address the shortage of well-qualified and skilled LiDAR technicians. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202036 | Robotic Process Automation Career Training | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/19/2022 | Faith Alexander | fbryan@com.edu | TX | COLLEGE OF THE MAINLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 09/01/2022 | 08/31/2025 | $307,758.00 | Suleyman Tari | 1200 N AMBURN RD | TEXAS CITY | TX | 775.912.435 | 4.099.338.261 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Robotic process automation (RPA) is a technology that uses software to complete common, repetitive tasks, such as open emails, transfer files, and send invoices. This form of automation uses software to perform business process activities at a high-volume, allowing workers to direct their attention to more important tasks that are not candidates for automation. Companies are turning to RPA technology to improve the efficiency of their operations and to make more effective use of their human capital. The goal of this project is to develop and implement a two-year degree program consisting of stackable credentials in RPA that supports industry-recognized RPA tool certifications and offers cooperative work-based learning opportunities. Among the community colleges in Texas, the College of the Mainland will be the first to offer a workforce Occupational Skills Award and Certificate in RPA technology. There is no certificate, two-year, or four-year degree programs in Texas dedicated to RPA. Students with specialized RPA skills who obtain industry-recognized certifications will be qualified to fill a variety of positions in this rapidly growing area. The Robotic Process Automation Career Training (RPACT) project will develop a two-year curriculum using RPA tools supplied by leading vendors. Students will learn to configure these tools to create software robots which perform repetitive tasks, usually tasks performed every day manually by computer users. The objectives of the project include (1) identifying the skills, certifications, and supporting systems for the industry focused workforce program, (2) developing and promoting the RPACT program pathway and curriculum, (3) recruiting and retaining students focusing on women, nontraditional aged, and concurrent high school students, and (4) supporting RPACT students through the program, to obtain industry-recognized certification, and into RPA technician careers. RPACT will target recruitment and student supports for women, nontraditional aged (25+) reskilling/upskilling students, and concurrent high school students. Project faculty will establish a network of business and industry advisors, develop industry-aligned curriculum with a hands-on lab learning foundation, support internships and career services, and evaluate the project to inform post-award sustainability. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2201993 | Developing Cybersecurity Technicians through Expanded Pathways in Rural and Underserved Communities | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 12/29/2023 | Douglas Hamm | douglas.hamm@gotoltc.edu | WI | Lakeshore Technical College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $332,076.00 | Ryan Skabroud, Steve Dibona, Meredith Sauer | 1290 NORTH AVE | CLEVELAND | WI | 530.151.412 | 9.209.631.362 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Cybersecurity is critical to the protection of computer systems and networks. Many businesses and organizations need to hire cybersecurity professionals to protect their cyberinfrastructure from persistent and increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks. The demand for cybersecurity technicians in Wisconsin is unmet with only eight of the 16 Wisconsin Technical College System districts in the State offering the “IT – Cybersecurity Specialist” credential degree program. The goal of this project is to create a Cybersecurity associate degree program at Lakeshore Technical College that will establish a cybersecurity educational pipeline and will recruit and prepare women, low-income, and racial and ethnic minority students underrepresented as Cybersecurity Technicians. The project will stimulate interest from rural high schools and underrepresented students through a Cyber summer camp, sponsorship of a Cyber Patriot Team, and participation in the National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition. First-term college classes will be delivered free of charge via distance learning by faculty as well as through trained high school instructors, providing high school students a means to complete a Cybersecurity associate degree in as little as eighteen months after graduating high school. The proposed Cybersecurity associate degree program will focus on attaining the skills required for entry-level cybersecurity technicians. Eight cybersecurity employers, including large regional employers like Kohler and Johnsonville, will partner with the project to lead program design, create a scholarship initiative, and assist with recruitment efforts through the Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT). At least five BILT members will represent underrepresented groups, serve as mentors to high school students, and provide representation at classroom visits and recruitment events in district high schools leading to enrollments in first-term college classes conducted in partnering high schools. The development of this talent pipeline will support the rural and manufacturing dominant economy in east-central Wisconsin by increasing skilled cybersecurity technicians to protect local IT infrastructure from nefarious attacks on data and systems. The educational systems developed provide a transferable model, suitable for many community or technical colleges, and leading to better national representation of women, racial and ethnic minorities, and people from low-income backgrounds in the high paying cybersecurity technician workforce. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2201539 | Guitar, Robotics, Rocketry ATE (GRRATE) Summer Institutes | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/07/2023 | Shellie Banfield | shellie.banfield@sfcollege.edu | FL | Santa Fe College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 10/01/2022 | 08/31/2025 | $570,729.00 | Calhoun Calhoun, Jennifer Mullis, Gina Greenidge, Latoya Chandler | 3000 NW 83RD STREET, F40 | GAINESVILLE | FL | 326.066.210 | 3.523.955.000 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Rural students are often faced with low educational attainment, geographic isolation, and negative social dynamics tied to race, class, and economic inequality. For many rural students, majors and careers in STEM fields are undesirable and not encouraged. Research shows that early interventions to shape the perception of STEM to students as early as middle school by developing a sense of belonging can shift the interest of students in technical careers specifically and STEM generally. This project will address technician workforce needs by increasing the number and diversity of students who are interested in entering career and technical education majors and ultimately technician careers in high-tech STEM fields. The Santa Fe College Technician Education programs include: Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, Automotive, Biotechnology, Building Construction, Computer Networking, Computer Programming and Analysis, Information Systems, Plumbing, and Welding. The project will leverage lessons learned from the Upward Bound summer camp pilot to adapt and implement the Guitar, Robotics, and Rocketry curriculum as a Summer Institute program to attract students to these technician career fields before they graduate high school. The overarching goal of the project is to increase the quantity of students from rural regions and from groups underrepresented in STEM entering technician careers in high-tech STEM fields. This goal will be accomplished through five objectives: 1) Adapt and format curriculum to enhance college preparation mathematics for the Summer Institutes ; 2) Provide faculty, staff, and local secondary school educators professional development to ensure consistent implementation of the curriculum and pedagogical models; 3) Host Summer Institutes at the College’s five educational centers over the project lifetime; 4) Evaluate the effectiveness of project outcomes through a validated pre/post attitude and career interest survey, pre/post comparison of math skills, and follow-up interviews; and 5) Engage local employers in the development of technician career exploration presentations and/or videos. The project will collaborate with community partners including Upward Bound (UB), College Achievement Program (CAP), SF Achieve, and two University of Central Florida and Children’s Home Society Community Partnership Schools (CPS) to recruit students and to provide year-round support for student development. Collaboration with the Florida Local Alliance for Math Literacy and Equity (FLAME) will provide guidance in strengthening the math skills of project participants. Curriculum adaptation will be based on pedagogical practices designed to combat stereotype threats and enhance self-efficacy. Local employers will provide expertise for curriculum improvement based on industry needs and provide information about technician career opportunities and educational requirements for those careers. The project results will be disseminated through project presentations and publications and will be shared with project partners. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202155 | Geospatial Remote Sensing Hawaii | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/11/2022 | Orlo Steele | orlo@hawaii.edu | HI | University of Hawaii | Standard Grant | Kalyn Owens | 10/01/2022 | 09/30/2025 | $643,865.00 | Donna De Silva | 2425 CAMPUS RD SINCLAIR RM 1 | HONOLULU | HI | 968.222.247 | 8.089.567.800 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Remote sensing of geographic features has become increasingly important with the availability of affordable Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAS), along with improved imagery and computing capabilities. These technologies have been used to enhance the assessment of natural disasters, ecosystem changes, sources of pollution, and general infrastructure challenges. In Hawaii, UAS is currently being used by several federal and state agencies to collect remote data for a wide variety of applications such as monitoring cyclone damage, volcanic eruptions, forest ecosystem health, sources of pollution and the integrity of the infrastructure. This local workforce need presents a significant opportunity to better prepare students to secure high paying jobs on the island of Hawaii. To accomplish this, a new technical education certificate program will be developed that focuses on skill development in geospatial agriculture technologies. Completion of the certificate will provide students with a foundation in aerodynamics, the skills to practice safe and responsible operations of unmanned aerial vehicles and the experience to be competitive for industry positions in the region. The primary goal of this project is to create a new certificate program that focuses on preparing students to enter the workforce with skills in the collection and management of remote sensing data used in geospatial analysis. Three primary activities will be carried out to achieve this goal: 1) develop four new courses in geospatial agriculture technologies, 2) expand established partnerships with local high schools to create a dual enrollment program for pre-college students, and 3) share project results and resources both locally and with the geospatial community at the national level. Each course will be designed to provide opportunities for skill development through lab activities, field work and experiential learning projects. Additionally, relevant geospatial equipment used by many companies and government agencies in the region will be embedded throughout the program. Project results will include an increased number of skilled technicians for local partners in the geospatial industry and new course curriculum shared with the technical education community at the national level. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2203123 | Enhancing Design and Construction Technology Education Through the Context of Mass Timber | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/28/2022 | George Berghorn | berghorn@msu.edu | MI | Michigan State University | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 07/01/2022 | 07/31/2025 | $648,121.00 | Linda Nubani, Chad Richert | 426 AUDITORIUM RD RM 2 | EAST LANSING | MI | 488.242.600 | 5.173.555.040 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national interest by creating a national standard design and construction curriculum for mass timber. Mass timber, a broad term for a variety of engineered wood building materials, is an emerging construction technology in the US with up to 2,500 mass timber buildings expected to exist in the US by 2023, supported by an expected architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) workforce of over 90,000 technicians by 2029. Much of the interest in increasing use of mass timber stems from the materials’ enhanced sustainability performance via carbon storage and avoided emissions from conventional building materials, as well as from potential construction time and cost savings associated with substituting mass timber for other common building materials. But several industry, government, and academic sources have suggested that greater adoption of mass timber in the United States is limited by a lack of focus on workforce education. This project will create new opportunities for technician-level students in postsecondary AEC educational programs acquire knowledge and skills in mass timber design and construction. This content will be developed as a series of modules that can be readily integrated into academic programs, facilitating uptake by a national audience. The project will prepare students to move into technician-level design and construction careers that include the pursuit and execution of mass timber projects. The specific components and activities to be developed through this project will be determined through interaction and collaboration with AEC industry. Previous data collection efforts have indicated that modular curriculum frameworks and virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) environments are in high demand among AEC faculty members for both students and faculty lacking access to nearby mass timber buildings. This project will benefit the AEC industry and broader society by providing a trained workforce for mass timber design and construction in the United States. Efforts to maximize uptake of curricular products by faculty include the creation of a faculty community of practice and inclusion into the project leadership team diverse representatives from a variety of institution types (2-year schools, 4-year schools, and minority serving institutions) from across the country into the project leadership team. By partnering with schools that have strong high school outreach programs and diverse student bodies, the team expects to serve a greater cross section of students and faculty than are traditionally part of AEC programs. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202225 | Workforce for Water | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/15/2022 | Michelle Phillips | mp7@hawaii.edu | HI | University of Hawaii | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $1,153,803.00 | Sean Calder, Meagan Jones, Donna De Silva | 2425 CAMPUS RD SINCLAIR RM 1 | HONOLULU | HI | 968.222.247 | 8.089.567.800 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project will support wastewater technician training, aligning education to the rural technician needs across Hawai‘i and nationwide as the wastewater treatment industry moves towards new and efficient technologies that protect public health and the global environment. Traditional Pacific Island identity is deeply rooted in sustainable water management, and a central focus of this project is to build on the growing unique mālama ‘āina movement in Hawai’i, a culture-based strategy for addressing environmental issues through land stewardship. The project will address the critical technician workforce shortage required to replace 88,000 cesspools with individual wastewater systems (IWS) by 2050, as mandated by the Hawai‘i state legislature Act 125. Hawai‘i’s cesspools release over 53 million gallons of sewage into the ground daily, threatening public health by contaminating the islands’ groundwater – the primary source of Hawaii’s drinking water. Moreover, contaminated groundwater leaches out into the ocean, disrupting coastal ecosystems that are a fundamental part of Hawaiian cultural and economic identity. Hawai‘i Community College (Hawai‘i CC) and the University of Hawai’I Maui College (UHMC) will leverage alliances with 16 industry associations, employers and policy advocacy groups, two ATE Centers, and three local and mainland ATE projects with similar foci, to collaboratively develop an Advanced Professional Certificate (30 credit hours) in wastewater management, effectively building and supporting a sustainable talent pipeline in the recession-resilient emerging skilled trades and technology sectors related to Individual Wastewater Systems (IWS). The project will: 1) improve understanding of sustainable wastewater management systems in unique contexts, 2) encourage industry collaboration and engagement in solving wastewater problems, 3) integrate learning approaches that together enhance the existing knowledge base on wastewater management education, 4) increase recruitment, retention, and completion of students from groups underrepresented in wastewater management education programs, including Native Hawaiians, and 5) strengthen the available pool of skilled workers to meet the technical demand for IWS implementation. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202043 | Navigating Students to In-Demand Tech Careers in Secure Mobile Programming in the NYC Region | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/09/2022 | Tamer Avcilar | tavcilar@bmcc.cuny.edu | NY | CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College | Standard Grant | Huihui Wang | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $615,608.00 | Maryam Vatankhah, Hao Tang, Ching-Song Wei | 199 CHAMBERS ST | NEW YORK | NY | 100.071.044 | 2.122.208.010 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national interest by establishing a pipeline program for students from historically underrepresented groups to gain technical skills in the high demand field of advanced mobile programming, with an emphasis on cybersecurity and secure programming. As the cybersecurity risks to mobile applications proliferate, there is a persistent shortage of secure mobile application development talents in both the regional and national workforce. In addition, the information technology field has not reflected the diverse population of New York City (NYC) or the Nation. Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) is a minority serving institution in NYC. As a minority serving institution, BMCC has an important role to play in increasing access to technical careers for students from groups underrepresented in STEM and specifically cybersecurity careers. BMCC will partner with Manhattan Bridges High School as well as several NYC local IT companies to foster diversity, inclusion, and excellence for the local next generation advanced technology workforce. The proposed core pedagogical innovation has the potential to become a model for associate degree granting institutions nationally. The project team intends to : (1) improve faculty development and students' learning in the rapidly growing field of secure mobile programming at a high school and a community college in NYC; (2) support students in gaining both technical programming skills and core competencies around critical thinking, collaboration, and design; (3) build, expand and sustain industry partnerships that will provide students with professional internship opportunities in the secure mobile computing industry in NYC, thus paving the way for students to secure high quality jobs. The project has the potential to fill a critical local workforce gap. An external evaluator will lead the project evaluation including both formative and summative assessments. Both quantitative and qualitative tools will be used to evaluate the objectives of the project. The project team plans to share findings and project results at technical colloquia and seminars, Advanced Technology Education conferences and other networking platforms. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202077 | Engaging Rural Students in Advancement Opportunities through the Field of Data Analytics | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/14/2022 | Cheryl Keymer | ckeymer@northark.edu | AR | North Arkansas College | Standard Grant | Huihui Wang | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $462,135.00 | Laura Berry, Melanie King, Janet McMurrin | 1515 PIONEER DR | HARRISON | AR | 726.015.508 | 8.703.913.280 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The geographical region served by this project supports a large number of students from groups which have been historically underrepresented in STEM career pathways. This project will emphasize recruitment, retention, and graduation of students from groups underrepresented in STEM disciplines, thus providing women and Hispanics in Northark’s service area with increased access to well-paying careers in data analytics. The project will serve regional and national interests by developing an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Data Analytics. The proposed degree program will prepare graduates to quickly and effectively enter the workplace. The students will work on case studies using real-world data. The proposed project plans to integrate communication, collaboration, professional ethics, critical thinking, and employability skills into course content. Data sources for projects will include data from Oceans of Data, DataCamp and anonymized North Arkansas College data generated from undergraduate research projects. The project team will collaborate with an active and engaged Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT). The key activities of this proposal has the potential to be scaled and adapted by other two-year colleges and applied to other STEM disciplines. The project team intends to (1) immerse students in case studies and real-world data, (2) integrate communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and employability skills into data analytics content, (3) collaborate with local industry using a BILT, and (4) focus on development of a more diverse STEM community. Coupled with a concurrent credit pathway for high school students, this project team will lead to an increase in the number and diversity of highly prepared data analytics technicians. Best practices from the National Center for Women in Technology will be adapted to recruit and retain women and other students from underrepresented groups into the data analytics fields. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1955360 | Improving Student Career Readiness through Experiential Learning and Internships | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/28/2020 | Elizabeth Cheung | cheungep@piercecollege.edu | CA | Los Angeles Pierce College | Standard Grant | Nasser Alaraje | 08/01/2020 | 07/31/2024 | $504,999.00 | Beth Abels | 6201 WINNETKA AVE | WOODLAND HILLS | CA | 913.710.001 | 8.187.196.489 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The demand for skilled technicians at manufacturing and construction companies in the Los Angeles, California metropolitan area exceeds the capacity of local manufacturing and architecture technology programs. In addition to seeking employees with technical skills, employers are also looking for graduates who have strong employability skills such as teamwork, communication, and problem solving. To increase student enrollment in technology programs at Pierce College and prepare students for successful technical careers, this project will develop a program for students to integrate the skills and knowledge from their coursework with practical applications in a professional setting. The project will include activities that inform and inspire prospective students about careers in manufacturing and architecture technology. By increasing the supply of skilled technicians for the regional workforce, this project will address industry needs and support the regional economy. The goal of this project is to establish a recruitment, retention, and internship model to increase enrollment in career and technical education programs. Recruitment activities will include the development of a hands-on summer program and outreach events for high school students in which current students serve as ambassadors. Traditional technician education often neglects the employability skills that are needed for career success. This project will assist students in developing a broader range of career-readiness skills by actively engaging students in experiential learning through service learning projects, developing a new internship program established through partnerships with local employers, and creating workshops that focus on employability skills. These student learning strategies will be disseminated to the technical education community through NSF and Advanced Technological Education Program (ATE) events, and through ATE project centers and the project’s website. This project is designed to improve recruitment, retention, and employment for technical students, providing a pathway to successful technical careers. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2133600 | Increasing STEM Persistence by Supporting Apprentice Research Experiences (AREs) as a Model for Institutional Change in Community Colleges | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/19/2023 | Jacquelyn Swanik | jtswanik@waketech.edu | NC | Wake Technical Community College | Standard Grant | Julio Soto | 10/01/2021 | 09/30/2026 | $1,399,976.00 | Sarah Horstman, Stephanie Rollins, Chris O'Riordan-Adjah, Jacquelyn Swanik | 9101 FAYETTEVILLE RD | RALEIGH | NC | 276.035.655 | 9.198.665.076 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 8209, 9178 | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national interest by iteratively assessing and improving the STEM Academic Research and Training (START) program, an Apprenticeship Research Experience (ARE) at Wake Technical Community College. The project will contribute to understanding the effects of AREs - especially uncommon and understudied at 2-year colleges - on community college students’ persistence in college and in STEM careers. This project will develop a sustainable model for co-curricular apprenticeship-style mentored undergraduate research programs and help build the case for state and donor funding for undergraduate research experiences and internships at community colleges across North Carolina. The project will enhance a current program, recruit students from populations underrepresented in STEM, and further develop relationships with numerous research partners. By supporting students with paid internships, the project will increase access to STEM careers for low-income students. Training modules for mentors and students will also be developed. The project offers a distinct opportunity to recruit underrepresented minorities and first-generation college students into STEM research and prepare them for successful academic and professional careers. The project goal is to develop a sustainable and scalable undergraduate research and internship program model for 2- and 4-year colleges to partner in undergraduate research. Such partnerships are expected to foster student success in transfer and persistence in bachelor’s degree programs in STEM. Funds will support approximately 50 student interns each semester resulting in 400 paid internships over the course of the project. This project will develop a Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework-based model for strengthening undergraduate research experiences in the community college context. The project will utilize a randomized controlled trial that meets the "What Works Clearinghouse" standards, and includes research questions on the impact of participation in START undergraduate research on student outcomes, e.g. retention and persistence in college and in STEM fields, academic confidence, student identity and awareness, and scientific literacy and research skills. Furthermore, the research questions examine the impact of START on the college, e.g. the impact on the diversity of student participation in STEM fields, the skills and comfort of mentors in engaging in mentoring activities, and the institution’s support for mentors and research. The external evaluator and project faculty will prepare manuscripts of findings for publication and disseminate them via national conferences, reaching audiences of both practitioners and researchers. Academic partners include North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and North Carolina State University. By creating undergraduate research and internship opportunities for community college students the project is a model to build the STEM pipeline. Funding for this project comes from the Advanced Technological Education program through the program description on Advancing Innovation and Impact in Undergraduate STEM Education at Two-year Institutions of Higher Education (PD 21-7980) which promotes innovative and evidence-based practices in undergraduate STEM education in the community college sector. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2142868 | Strengthening the Industry 4.0 Workforce through Virtual Reality Training Modules | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 08/19/2021 | Jason Simon | jason.simon@kctcs.edu | KY | Kentucky Community & Technical College System | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 10/01/2021 | 09/30/2024 | $593,464.00 | 300 N MAIN ST | VERSAILLES | KY | 403.831.245 | 8.592.563.397 | EDU | 741200 | 097Z, 102Z, 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | As manufacturing contributes to higher export potential, better standards of living, and more jobs in America, addressing the need for a skilled technical workforce is crucial to support the future economic prosperity of the country. Moreover, as a result of the multiplier effect, manufacturing also impacts the broad economy, with every 100 jobs in a manufacturing facility creating 250 jobs in other sectors. In 2018, Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute conducted a study on the manufacturing skills gap that revealed artificial intelligence, advanced robotics, automation, analytics, and the Internet of Things are emerging to transform the world of work (Industry 4.0) and are likely to create even more jobs than they replace. Since mid-2017, job openings in manufacturing have grown at double-digit rates, with a growing gap between open jobs and an available skilled talent pool to fill them. To help bridge this gap, this project of the Advanced Manufacturing Technical Education Collaborative (https://amtecworkforce.org/) will create a virtual reality (VR) application built on the zSpace platform that students can use to troubleshoot ten scenarios on an industry simulator. These scenarios will be integrated into a credit-bearing post-secondary capstone course for manufacturing students developed and designed with input from industry and education subject matter experts. This partnership between representatives of industry and advanced technological education will ensure that the project strengthens the competency and global competitiveness of the advanced manufacturing workforce. The VR application and curricula will be field tested at targeted Advanced Manufacturing Technical Education Collaborative partner sites across the country, as well as with students and instructors currently using zSpace’s virtual reality platform. In addition, an exploratory curriculum will be developed to engage K-12 students in gaming-like simulations to recruit youth into advanced manufacturing technical training. Several objectives will guide the execution of the project. First is to engage secondary students in Industry 4.0 advanced manufacturing concepts through field-testing a newly created virtual reality “game-like” application. Second is to train post-secondary students preparing to be manufacturing technicians to enter the workforce with a basic understanding of Industry 4.0 technologies and the ability to apply them successfully in the workplace setting. Third is to increase the aptitude of secondary and post-secondary faculty in Industry 4.0 concepts and the use of virtual reality technology by providing comprehensive professional development. Three primary contributions to the field are anticipated. One is an expanded set of partnerships between academia, industry, and others to develop technician training that aligns with the growing Industry 4.0 infrastructure. Two is the improvement of secondary and post-secondary student learning in emerging Industry 4.0 technologies and virtual reality applications. Third is the lessening of disruptions of manufacturing technician training during a pandemic or similar event that creates a need for remote learning. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. As a result, the project has the potential to contribute to improving the national STEM workforce. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2100149 | Creating Equitable Pathways to Careers in Biotechnology | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/19/2021 | Katherine Marsh | kmarsh@compton.edu | CA | COMPTON COLLEGE | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 07/01/2021 | 06/30/2024 | $299,999.00 | Abiodun Osanyinpeju | 1111 E ARTESIA BLVD | COMPTON | CA | 902.215.314 | 3.109.001.600 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The Los Angeles/Orange County region supports almost 5,000 life science or biotechnology firms that collectively employ nearly 100,000 people. Over the next five years, the biotechnology workforce is projected to add more than 4,000 technician jobs each year. This project aims to address the regional workforce needs for these skilled biotechnicians by creating a biotechnology program that specializes in biomanufacturing. This program will be designed to quickly prepare students for positions in the biotechnology industry. By earning stackable credentials, students will be prepared for skilled technical jobs with a living wage in a growing industry that offers substantial employment stability. The new biotechnology program will include course-based undergraduate research experiences that align classroom experiences with industry expectations. In addition, the College will support students in the biotechnology program with peer mentoring, enhance classes with biomanufacturing case studies, and develop an internship program. The internships will take place at the college, making them accessible to more students. The project is designed to accelerate entry into life science and biotechnology employment and address the ongoing need for skilled STEM graduates in southern California. By providing the education needed for entry into biotechnology jobs in the Los Angeles area, this project can help mitigate disproportionate impacts of COVID-19 on the largely Hispanic and African American communities served by the College. This support will enable Compton College to: (1) launch an equitable and industry-validated biotechnology program, (2) establish an on-site internship program, (3) provide professional development for community college instructors and secondary school educators, and (4) recruit and retain a diverse body of students. The college will use industry aligned skills standards to revise existing biotechnology courses and develop new ones that meet industry needs. Annually, 24 students are expected to earn a credential that can qualify them for employment as a Laboratory Assistant. Students earning this credential may go on to earn a Biomanufacturing Technician Certificate, which will prepare them to work as Biomanufacturing Technicians. At least 20 College faculty and secondary teachers will receive professional development in the form of externships with regional companies and will use their externship experiences to augment their classroom instruction. Finally, students will be recruited to participate in a summer Biotech Experience that will give high school and community college students a chance to explore biotechnology as a potential future career. The revised biotechnology program will be permanently integrated into the college’s academic structure. Project leaders will regionally disseminate their findings throughout the California Community College System in addition to national conferences. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2100166 | Preparing the Skilled Technical Workforce in Controlled Environment Agriculture | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 02/06/2023 | Darrel Kesler | dkesler2@ivytech.edu | IN | Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana | Standard Grant | Keith Sverdrup | 08/01/2021 | 07/31/2024 | $569,730.00 | Rhiannon Lake, Caitlin Cramer | 50 W FALL CREEK PARKWAY NORTH DR | INDIANAPOLIS | IN | 462.085.752 | 3.179.167.980 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The world's population is expected to more than double by 2050. As the productivity of traditional agriculture becomes compromised by urbanization and climate change, new methods of food production are needed. Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) is an emerging discipline that fosters year-round food production within local communities while reducing water use and transportation costs. However, the industry has struggled to thrive due to a limited skilled technical workforce. The proposed project aims to meet the needs of the CEA industry by creating an interdisciplinary certificate for students enrolled in agriculture, automation and robotics, business and entrepreneurship, and/or computer technology associate degree programs. To do so, the project team will develop four new CEA courses and provide professional development to upskill faculty in the technologies that set CEA apart from traditional agriculture. This effort will be supported by an engaged industry board representing horticulture industries, extension specialists, and economic development experts. The project expects to develop a strong CEA curriculum that is responsive to workforce needs and builds on targeted outreach that includes underrepresented minorities, women, and rural high school students. Consequently, the project can help ensure that the Nation maintains a well-prepared, diverse CEA workforce. The project is designed to create a pipeline of well-educated technicians for the emerging CEA workforce. A skilled technical workforce is critical to the success of the CEA industry and one expert has predicted the need for 100,000 workers in the next decade. This project develop coursework in Aquaculture and Aquaponics, Automated and Smart Technologies, Integrated Facilities Management, and Project-based Study. These courses will use higher learning pedagogy that fosters interdisciplinary engagement of "ill-defined problems" to help students develop complex problem solving, higher-level thinking, and creative thinking skills. Project-based learning will expose students to real-world applications of smart-factory automation, growth of tilapia, and remote data collection and analysis. A virtual Internet of Things teaching platform utilizing webcasting equipment for online learning and remote access for data collection and monitoring of automated systems will give students a concrete advantage when entering the CEA workforce, where these technologies play a central role. The four new courses will be paired with agriculture classes already part of the Ivy Tech Community College system to create an interdisciplinary CEA Certificate. Professional development will be designed to upskill faculty who will teach these new and related courses at Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana, K-12 partners, and other community colleges across the country. All project products will be disseminated through a project website and national conference presentations. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2055288 | Enhancing Preparation of Students for Technical Careers in Cloud Computing Technologies | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/04/2021 | John Wetsch | jrwetsch@waketech.edu | NC | Wake Technical Community College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 07/01/2021 | 06/30/2024 | $562,150.00 | Jeffrey Banham | 9101 FAYETTEVILLE RD | RALEIGH | NC | 276.035.655 | 9.198.665.076 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Cloud computing is changing the nature of the information technology (IT) industry. Instead of purchasing and maintaining a private computing infrastructure, many businesses are moving to cloud-based computing infrastructures. Cloud-based solutions allow businesses to efficiently and economically scale computing services to fit their needs and the needs of their users. Thus, cloud-based computing is helping businesses save thousands of dollars on computing infrastructure costs and maintenance. The current demand for cloud-capable IT technicians is far outpacing the number of graduates currently entering the workforce with cloud computing skills. The goal of this project is to create an up-to-date cloud infrastructure training program that will prepare more students to work in the high-demand area of cloud computing technology. This project will deliver professional development for educators via back-to-industry externships intended to enable at least eight community college faculty to upgrade their skills by learning state-of-the-art Cloud Infrastructure technologies. The existing Cloud Infrastructure program at Wake Technical Community College will be improved by enhancing and validating 15 courses and related educational materials through faculty externships, advisory board partners, and resources from the National Convergence Technology Center. The efficacy of the existing program will be assessed using quantitative and qualitative measures such as student interviews and industry feedback. A student internship program will be piloted, with the goal of providing students with opportunities to develop business and entrepreneurial skills in the workplace. A summative evaluation will address how well the project achieved its goals, including production of deliverables (e.g., faculty professional development), increased industry engagement, and project replicability and sustainability. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2055051 | Preparing Skilled Technicians in Geographical Information Systems for Agricultural and Land Management Fields | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/21/2021 | Kelli Harris | kharris@cccua.edu | AR | Cossatot Technical College | Standard Grant | Keith Sverdrup | 07/01/2021 | 06/30/2024 | $299,635.00 | Crystal Sims, Robert Guillory | 183 HIGHWAY 399 | DE QUEEN | AR | 71.832 | 8.705.844.471 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Technological innovations and advancements in geographic information systems (GIS) enable better management of land resources. For example, GIS-based agricultural practices enable farmers to increase production and reduce costs by providing tools for monitoring soil properties and crop health. GIS technologies are also used by public land managers to track invasive species and to plan maintenance activities such as controlled burns. The emerging applications of GIS technologies in agroindustry and land management has resulted in the need for technicians with a variety of GIS skills such as ArcGIS, remote data collection, and spatial data presentation. This project at the Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas intends to address the need for GIS-trained technicians in southwest Arkansas. This area is dominated by farmland, interspersed with local, state, and federal public lands. Baseline surveys of regional employers indicated that their employees require training in GIS skills, which they use daily on the job. The employers also indicated that they would give hiring priority to individuals with GIS training. To meet this workforce need, the project team and faculty will work with an industry advisory board to develop a new Introduction to GIS Technology lab course. This board will also help to design experiential learning opportunities in GIS, including internships with local industry. The project will provide professional development to help faculty incorporate GIS activities into their teaching, including novice, advanced, and expert GIS skill applications. The project will also create two new courses in GIS and establish a new Certificate of Proficiency in GIS Technology. UA Cossatot is a Hispanic Service Institution. Consequently, the project plans to increase participation of Hispanic students in GIS programs by supporting bilingual career coaches and faculty professional development regarding strategies to support diverse students. The project will develop a website to highlight student internships, job shadowing, and career opportunities that require GIS training. It is expected that this model can be adopted and adapted by other community colleges in areas with similar workforce needs. The assessment and evaluation will inform stakeholders in education, agriculture, and the public. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2055223 | Mobile Controlled Environment Agriculture Technician Education | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/21/2021 | Lew Nakamura | lewnaka@hawaii.edu | HI | University of Hawaii | Standard Grant | Keith Sverdrup | 07/01/2021 | 06/30/2024 | $300,000.00 | BERNARD MICHELS | 2425 CAMPUS RD SINCLAIR RM 1 | HONOLULU | HI | 968.222.247 | 8.089.567.800 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The Hawaiian Islands currently import 90% of its food. Consequently, it needs to expand local food production. This project aims to address this need by creating a mobile Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) greenhouse and use it to teach students CEA skills. The mobile greenhouse can be deployed in challenging environments (e.g., volcanic eruption, hurricane, pandemic), thus improving the resiliency of Hawaii’s isolated communities. In addition, this mobile CEA greenhouse will increase participation of native Hawaiian students underrepresented in STEM fields by linking to ongoing cultural and “aina” (land) values such as sustainability. The new CEA curriculum will engage students from agricultural and technology programs in problem-based learning. The hands-on environment, together with involvement of students from different disciplines, can enhance students’ critical thinking skills and the ability to work in multidisciplinary teams. Completion of the CEA curriculum, with its problem-based learning approach, has the potential improve employability of participating students across a range of jobs and industries. Using a new insulated and refrigerated shipping container with a commercial trailer, Hawaii Community College will work with industry advisors to design and build the mobile CEA greenhouse and upgrade existing courses to include CEA knowledge and skills. The CEA curriculum will focus on building, automating, and optimizing the resources, operations, and yield from the technology-enabled mobile greenhouse. The greenhouse environment will provide a strong context for the new PBL pedagogy, which will involve students from different disciplines with the goal of increasing students’ skills and employability with a broad range of employers. The mobile green house will be brought to middle and high schools to enhance visibility of the technology, the varied employment opportunities available to those with training, and showcase the potential of integrating agriculture and technology programs in Hawaii. Results from the project’s annual evaluation reports will be used to adjust activities and measure success. These results will also inform stakeholders in education, agriculture, engineering, and the public. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000779 | Collaborative Research: Developing Business Communication Skills in Manufacturing Technician Education | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 11/20/2023 | Mesut Akdere | makdere@purdue.edu | IN | Purdue University | Standard Grant | Connie Della-Piana | 08/15/2020 | 07/31/2024 | $383,059.00 | Kris Acheson-Clair | 2550 NORTHWESTERN AVE # 1100 | WEST LAFAYETTE | IN | 479.061.332 | 7.654.941.055 | EDU | 741200 | 097Z, 1032, 9178, 9251, SMET | 0,00 | The advanced manufacturing and production fields have growing need for skilled technicians who can communicate effectively in teams. In response to this workforce demand, the project team will develop and test an adaptive virtual reality (VR) platform to help manufacturing technician students learn business communication skills. The platform will deliver interactive case studies that allow students to practice business communication skills needed in a smart factory context. To support integration of these adaptive VR case studies within courses, faculty in advanced manufacturing programs will participate in extensive professional development as they collaboratively develop new VR business communication case studies. In addition, the project will support faculty externships in industry to enhance their knowledge of current trends, skills requirements, new tools, and career opportunities in advanced manufacturing. This knowledge will help them improve their teaching and better serve their students. To strengthen the alignment between coursework and job tasks, the project draws on the long-standing partnership between Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana, Purdue University, and industry partners. Recognizing that the incumbent manufacturing workforce is maturing, the project also focuses on fostering and investigating the communication skills that facilitate the transfer of highly specialized technical skills, knowledge, and expertise across the multiple generations in the manufacturing workforce. The intellectual merit of the project rests on the implementation of a research and development cycle that facilitates the development, testing, investigation, and revision of project activities and deliverables for improvement and goal attainment (e.g., advanced manufacturing technicians who develop the technical knowledge and skills, as well as the soft skills to work efficiently and effectively in modern manufacturing). To answer a priori and emerging questions, the project will conduct a mixed methods study to advance knowledge of the effectiveness of integrating the learning of technical knowledge/skills with soft skills in curricular and educational materials (i.e., case studies within a virtual reality platform). The quantitative and qualitative study will examine the integration of manufacturing and communication job tasks through pre-post outcomes assessments, structured interviews and focus groups, descriptive and trend analyses, analyses of the quality of deliverables and products, and thematic content analyses of information from interviews, focus group discussions, and open-ended survey questions. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2301164 | Collaborative Research: A Solar and Wind Innovation and Technology Collaborative for Hawaii (SWITCH) | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/26/2023 | Charles Xie | charles@intofuture.org | MA | INSTITUTE FOR FUTURE INTELLIGENCE, INC. | Standard Grant | Keith Sverdrup | 07/01/2023 | 06/30/2026 | $299,993.00 | 26 ROCKLAND ST | NATICK | MA | 17.605.852 | 5.083.977.021 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This Track 2 ATE project aims to serve the national interest by cultivating the next generation workforce to lead Hawaii’s transition to 100% renewable energy by 2045. A central challenge in renewable energy generation is it often confronts other basic needs such as food, water, and culture, as its distributed nature demands a lot of space. As such, large-scale deployments of renewable energy generators in our country would be unthinkable without establishing wide social acceptance. Studies have suggested that greater public participation in planning and designing of renewable energy solutions can increase their transparency and gain more public trust and community support. However, the current paradigm of technical education in the field of renewable energy lacks essential elements for teaching students how to address public concerns with technological solutions and then communicate the engineering results to stakeholders. This project will supplement these elements to existing courses in community colleges and use the social environments of public schools as testbeds for students to learn and practice those “soft skills.” In partnership with five high schools in Hawaii, Kapiolani Community College (KCC) and the Institute for Future Intelligence (IFI) will develop innovative educational programs that engage community college and high school students to learn the knowledge and skills needed to take on the renewable energy challenge. These programs will use students’ own homes, schools, and communities as the application scenarios for designing hypothetical solar and wind energy solutions. Students will learn how to meet the diverse needs of their families and communities while minimizing adverse effects on local ecosystems, cultures, and economies. To consolidate the pathway of career and technical education from the secondary level to the tertiary level, the project will designate KCC students who have successfully completed these programs as teaching assistants to teachers and design tutors to students in collaborating high schools to help them implement customized versions of the programs. The project will be empowered by Aladdin, an open-source, Web-based computer-aided design tool developed by IFI as a citizen science platform that supports public participation in renewable energy engineering and planning. Aladdin allows anyone to design their own renewable energy solutions for their communities, share the proposed solutions via social networks, and draw public interest in crowdfunding their construction. KCC will run annual professional development workshops to introduce the curricular and technological innovations of this project to secondary teachers in Hawaii. Interested teachers will then partner with KCC to implement these innovations in their schools. This project will be overseen by an Advisory Board consisting of experts in the fields of renewable energy, technical education, and policy making. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2000467 | Improving Automotive Technician Training Through a Flexible Industry Apprenticeship Program | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 08/03/2022 | Ian Andrews | iandrews@cscc.edu | OH | Columbus State Community College | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 07/01/2020 | 06/30/2024 | $288,828.00 | Mark Gerko | 550 E SPRING ST | COLUMBUS | OH | 432.151.722 | 6.142.872.639 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Demand for skilled automotive technicians continues to grow, providing new opportunities for students to join the technical workforce. As technological innovations in the automotive industry continue to increase rapidly, the education of technicians needs to keep pace. This project will support the development of a flexible apprenticeship program in which students will be concurrently employed by an industry partner and enrolled in an automotive technology program. The proposed “earn and learn” model will engage Columbus State Community College and industry partners in the technical education of automotive technicians. The project will support the upskilling of incumbent workers and recruiting of high school students to increase the number of skilled technicians who can support the automotive industry. The goals of this project are to expand the participation of industry in an experiential student learning model and to meet industry’s demand for more automotive technicians by partnering with local dealerships and regional high schools. This project will implement an Automotive Fast Track Apprenticeship program that will be jointly developed with industry partners. Based on an earn and learn model design, the apprenticeship program will include foundational technical coursework and field experience. Outreach efforts to recruit students will focus on three target populations: high school students, current Columbus State students in the automotive program, and incumbent workers in jobs at dealerships. A new financial literacy and professional development workshop will be developed to address topics such as completing a FAFSA, managing personal finances, and acquiring tools as a technician. Automotive technology labs will be upgraded with advanced diagnostic equipment that will help increase the capacity of the labs to accommodate more students and provide students with experiences using the latest technology. The project will use institutional data, surveys, and student interviews to assess the impact of the project on students and industry partners. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced- technology fields that drive the nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000618 | Educating Advanced Driver Assistance Systems Technicians | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/22/2022 | Paul Soar | psoar@fscj.edu | FL | Florida State College at Jacksonville | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 07/01/2020 | 06/30/2024 | $574,639.00 | Steven McCauley, Jason Hamilton | 501 WEST STATE STREET | JACKSONVILLE | FL | 322.023.099 | 9.046.323.327 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The most dramatic shift in recent transportation technology has been the development of autonomous vehicles and intelligent cars. The Bosch group estimates that more than half of all cars first registered in 2017 came with at least one advanced driver assistance system (ADAS). Examples include rear collision warnings, parking assist, emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, and lane keeping assist. The deployment of ADAS in vehicles is expected to continue to grow over the next 10 years. This project aims to produce workforce-ready ADAS technicians for the automotive industry by adding instruction on ADAS systems and diagnosis to the College’s automotive technology associate degree program and developing an ADAS technician certificate. This project, backed by industry and academia, will be designed to educate graduates who are skilled in ADAS methodologies and, thus, fill a gap in the modern automotive workforce. As a result, it will contribute to the national need for a highly capable advanced technological workforce. This project intends to improve student learning in science and engineering technician education by: 1) developing up-to-date ADAS-intelligent vehicle course content; 2) implementing an ADAS technical certificate program tied to a relevant industry credential that was developed in partnership with national automotive credentialing organizations; 3) acquiring autonomous vehicle simulation and ADAS lab training equipment; and 4) obtaining hands-on ADAS vehicle diagnostic trainers and autonomous vehicle mini-labs. These curricular improvements and new equipment will enable students to learn fundamentals of ADAS systems and diagnosis including sensor technology such as Light Imaging, Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), wireless systems, radar units, ultrasonic transmitters, and steering angle sensors, as well as to use the same equipment that they will use in industry settings, including ADAS camera alignment fixtures with scan tools. Project impact and success will be evaluated through performance-based techniques, using a mixed methods quasi-experimental design to analyze qualitative and quantitative data about project components. This information will be used for ongoing project improvement. Materials and learning objects developed by the project will be disseminated via the Center for Automotive Technology, the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization, the Florida College System, Advanced Technological Education Central, and other channels. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000573 | Building Biobadges Into a Traditional Biology Program to Fulfill Workforce Needs and Support Program Equity | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 08/23/2022 | Michal Shuldman | mshuldman@laspositascollege.edu | CA | CHABOT-LAS POSITAS COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 07/01/2020 | 06/30/2024 | $299,990.00 | Michal Shuldman | 3000 CAMPUS HILL DR | LIVERMORE | CA | 945.517.623 | 9.254.241.000 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national need for a well-prepared biotechnology workforce. It will do so by developing new lab modules based on industry-recognized skills for each course in the biology major sequence. Students will be able to earn badges that certify their mastery of each workforce-relevant skill. Accumulation of badges will lead to Certificates of Completion, which will provide concise information about a student's proficiencies. This approach incorporates technician education into a traditional biology program that has a current focus on preparation of its graduates for transfer into four-year institutions. By expanding the program focus to include preparation of students for technical careers, this approach is intended to address an important workforce need in the San Francisco Bay Area. This new pathway is expected to open the biotechnology program to more students and to promote completion of the entire biology major sequence as students accumulate critical workforce skills. Because the college serves a large Latinx student population, this approach is likely to contribute to broadening participation in the biotechnology field. The project has the potential to provide a novel model that might be replicated by academic biology programs interested in meeting local workforce needs for biotechnology technicians. To achieve its goal of embedding relevant technician education into the biology program, the project will develop lab modules and badge requirements in collaboration with local biotechnology industry partners. With input from the advisory board and local industry surveys, the project has identified needed technical skills. These skills, such as micropipetting, DNA and protein extraction and purification, and enzyme-linked immunoassay, will be the foundation of the modules and badges. The lab modules will become part of each course, thereby ensuring that all students develop biotechnology skills. Although the badges will not be required, they will be strongly recommended, especially for students considering temporary or career-long work as technicians in the local workforce. Badging will support many students by providing a pathway of incremental and achievable steps embedded in course completion. Pairing badges with in-class career-development activities and providing industry examples (through speaker series and other events) will provide a new, clear career pathway into biotechnology within the existing biology major. In addition to developing the labs and badges, the project will support technician-level biotechnology education with targeted recruiting at the college and the local high schools, and by collaborating with employers to secure paid internships and job placements. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000519 | Advanced Technological Education Network for Utilities and Energy Technical Education | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 10/03/2023 | Amy Kox | amy.kox@nwtc.edu | WI | Northeast Wisconsin Technical College | Standard Grant | Nasser Alaraje | 07/01/2020 | 06/30/2024 | $479,724.00 | Joel Mikulsky, Howard Herrild, Tom Hebert, Jennifer Brinker | 2740 W MASON ST | GREEN BAY | WI | 543.034.966 | 9.204.985.615 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | As many skilled workers approach retirement and fewer qualified candidates are available to replace them, the energy industry is suffering from shortages of workers with key engineering and technical skills. This shortage is estimated to affect more than 70 percent of energy employers across the nation. Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, a two-year technical college, offers one of the widest varieties of utility-related associate degrees, technical diplomas, and certificates in the Midwest. However, filling the workforce pipeline will require the coordinated efforts of many institutions, organizations, businesses, and other stakeholders. This project aims to develop such a cross-sector network to develop collaborations and share resources to address current and anticipated utility and energy industry workforce and training needs. Faculty in the Northeast Wisconsin Technical College utility and energy program, in consultation with industry, will identify and cultivate a core leadership group of national and regional stakeholders from industry, academia, and workforce development to create a formal utilities and energy coordination network. The network will create a shared vision to guide its evolution and establish the structure and norms for building member relationships. This work will lay the groundwork to execute strategies for utility technician training in gas, electrical power, and utilities engineering sectors to address nationwide workforce shortages. The project will look at methods to increase collaboration between industry and educational stakeholders. It will also examine how best practices and information can be shared across regions and the nation to broaden impact and create sustained progress towards achieving network goals. This research will add to the current body of knowledge about network development and the relevance of networks in addressing complex problems, like worker shortages across industries with high-demand occupations. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000166 | Resource Center for Laser, Photonics, and Fiber Optics Education, LASER-TEC | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 12/16/2022 | Chrys Panayiotou | cpanayio@irsc.edu | FL | Indian River State College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 09/01/2020 | 08/31/2024 | $1,649,997.00 | Alexei Glebov, James Pearson, Natalia Chekhovskaya, Gary Beasley | 3209 VIRGINIA AVE | FORT PIERCE | FL | 349.815.541 | 7.724.624.703 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Lasers, optics, photonics, and fiber optics (LOPFO) are used in many advanced technologies including medical instrumentation, photonics-integrated circuits, telecommunications, advanced manufacturing, and biotechnology. The US Department of Labor projects that, between 2016 and 2026, at least 1,700 LOPFO technicians will be needed to fill open positions. These jobs have a median annual salary of more than $63,000. However, the annual output of LOPFO technicians from all US colleges is not enough to meet the growing need. This project intends to sustain and expand efforts to meet the national shortage of qualified LOPFO technicians. It will do so by updating, developing, and distributing LOPFA educational resources to technical college instructors and K-12 teachers, as well as to industry for use in training incumbent workers. The major goal of the project is to develop the LASER-TEC Resource Center, which will continue to support efforts to increase the LOPFO technical workforce. The Resource Center will update and maintain educational services and materials and provide open access these resources to secondary, post-secondary, and industry educational and training programs. Project aims include: 1) developing a comprehensive, high-performing, and responsive website that will house and distribute all LOPFO educational products funded by the National Science Foundation and other US government agencies; 2) updating technical content and high-impact pedagogical strategies to improve all curricular materials; 3) creating tailored content and conducting professional development events for teachers, college instructors, counselors, advisors, administrators, incumbent industry members, and other communities to discuss best practices and increase their technical knowledge; 4) conducting outreach to inform K-12 and college educators about the availability of LOPFO resources; and 5) supporting efforts to build or enhance bridges between industries that need LOPFO technicians and colleges that offer LOPFO programs. All resources will be structured, systemized, and available as Open Education Resources under the Creative Commons ShareAlike license. In collaboration with industry, LASER-TEC will develop new modules in the areas of Raman Spectroscopy, LiDAR, High Power Diode Lasers, Femto Second Lasers, Disk Lasers, and other LOPFO technologies. LASER-TEC will also continue its efforts in supporting historically underserved and underrepresented groups to increase diversity in this technological field. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1902524 | Meeting Industry Needs through a Two-Year Data Science Technician Education Program | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 02/02/2022 | David Singletary | david.singletary@fscj.edu | FL | Florida State College at Jacksonville | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 10/01/2019 | 09/30/2024 | $566,953.00 | Pamela Brauda, Ernest Friend | 501 WEST STATE STREET | JACKSONVILLE | FL | 322.023.099 | 9.046.323.327 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | According to the Business-Higher Education Forum, well over half of employers surveyed expect that candidates with data science and analytics skills will get preference during the hiring process for job openings in 2021. In fact, the data science technician is predicted to be one of the fastest growing jobs by 2030, as employers address the velocity, volume, value, variety, and veracity of the Big Data that inundates businesses. However, less than a quarter of college and university leaders report that their graduates will have those skills. To help address this gap, this project aims to develop Florida's first Associate of Science in Data Science program. With the support of higher education partners, government entities, and industry partners, the project will develop educational and career pathways to prepare students for data science roles, particularly in entry and middle-skill data science jobs. Preparation of these students will help to address the growing state-wide and national demand for a data science workforce. The project includes professional development for college faculty to adapt the A.S. program for implementation at other institutions, thus building state-wide capacity in data science education. Because the data science technician program will be on-line, it will be accessible to a broader range of students, including non-traditional students and incumbent workers. This A.S. degree framework has the potential to serve as a model to enhance the state's educational infrastructure and will be available to 28 institutions in the Florida College System and publicly shared. The project will investigate the development of students' knowledge of data science, technical skills, and analytical abilities to provide entry- or technician-level career pathways. The data science technician program will enroll 100 undergraduate students who will have the opportunity to earn up to six industry-recognized certifications and two college credit certifications in data science as they move toward completing their A.S. degree. The project will develop online formats and resources for each course to expand student access and provide distance learning options through both hybrid and online courses for rural technician education. The data science technician courses will advance students' knowledge and competencies in core foundational data science skills including statistical software, data management and analysis, and data visualization. Sixty college faculty across multiple disciplines will participate in forty hours of faculty development in data science, to enable the data science technician program to be replicated at other institutions. The project team will measure the impact of the data science technician courses on student learning and determine their effectiveness in meeting industry partners' needs for qualified data science technicians. The team will also work with industry partners to explore opportunities for internships and career employment as a data science technician. In addition to the A.S. Degree in Data Science Technology, the program will also feature milestone-based recognition, such as local certifications and industry certifications, which will serve as motivational instruments. The project will emphasize recruitment of students from groups that are underrepresented in data science, including women, veterans, students from underrepresented minorities, and adult learners. This project is funded by NSF's Advanced Technological Education program, which focuses on the education of technicians for the high-technology fields that drive our nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2247510 | Applied Design Thinking for Product Development Technicians | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 12/20/2023 | Matthew Meers | mmeers@nwacc.edu | AR | NorthWest Arkansas Community College | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 07/01/2023 | 06/30/2026 | $618,319.00 | Daniel Power, Sharon Fox, Melody Thomas, Melody Thomas, Jennifer Swartout | 1 COLLEGE DR | BENTONVILLE | AR | 727.125.091 | 5.016.194.158 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national interest by expanding design thinking strategies developed under an existing Technical Certificate in Integrated Design, to meet local and national industry needs for skilled workers with analytical and creative problem-solving abilities and with specialized training in product design and fabrication. This project will also strive to enlarge the pool of students seeking such careers by providing increased opportunities and support for Latinx students, “placed at risk” teens, and rural students traditionally underrepresented in design-related and STEM technical fields. Impacts will be achieved through the development of relevant, industry-advised, and project-based coursework, and through partnerships with industry advisors and outreach programs to provide well-supported, achievable pathways for students from high school to college and from college to the workforce. This project will enhance strategies to meet local workforce needs by leveraging curriculum and resources developed as part of a previous NSF ATE grant and focuses on three goals. First is to enhance and expand existing integrated design curricula to additional disciplines at Northwest Arkansas Community College and other K-12 partners with industry-aligned course components. Second is to enhance professional development opportunities in advanced design thinking concepts, applied product design, and sustainability. Third, and finally, is to partner with on-campus groups and local agencies to create pathways to enroll, retain, and graduate underrepresented groups in the region for an emerging technician role in product development. Through meeting these goals, this project will provide an accessible entry point for students to pursue multiple degree tracks and career paths through design thinking, integrated design, and industry-advised knowledge, skills, and abilities. This project leverages an existing Technical Certificate in Integrated Design (TC-ID) across Construction Technology, Computer-aided Design, and Fine Arts programs. The current TC-ID stacks into three degree tracks: an Associate of Fine Arts (AFA), an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Construction, or an AAS in Computer-Aided Design. This project will expand the TC-ID to Engineering Technology and Graphic Design with respective AAS degree tracks. The expansion of the Technical Certificate, and the creation of a new Certificate of Proficiency in Integrated Design aimed for concurrently enrolled high school students, will provide additional opportunities for students to be exposed to multiple degree tracks while gaining interdisciplinary skills and industry-ready credentials. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202074 | A Collaborative Cybersecurity Analysis Certification Program | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 08/21/2022 | Matthew Payne | matthew.payne@southernwv.edu | WV | Southern West Virginia Community College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 09/01/2022 | 08/31/2025 | $157,731.00 | Rick Thompson | 2900 DEMPSEY BRANCH RD | MOUNT GAY | WV | 25.637 | 3.048.967.439 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | To meet workforce demands crucial to the Nation’s security and sustained economic development, this project will develop an educational and career pipeline for the regional and national cybersecurity workforce. Three West Virginia educational institutions: BridgeValley Community and Technical College, the Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College, and the University of Charleston, will work together to develop and launch a four-course, two-semester Security Analysis (SA) Certificate program. The program will be offered virtually and in-person and will target veterans, military-connected adult learners, and high school students from West Virginia’s rural and economically depressed southern counties. The goals of the project include: (1) building a sustainable educational and career pipeline for critically needed cyber specialists, and (2) growing a capable and trained workforce of cyber specialists with security abilities and skills vital to national security within West Virginia and across the country. The three institutions share relationships with regional hiring organizations and have been independently attentive to industry workforce needs. Combining efforts and streamlining recruiting and co-curricular activities will improve each institution’s cybersecurity and information technology academic offerings, and will create a pipeline across state, regional, and national sectors. In addition to the ATE community, the project team will share best practices and outcomes across technical, industrial, and military networks. The project team will work with the state’s First2 Network, an NSF INCLUDES program focused on increasing STEM academic offerings to first-generation students, and TechConnect West Virginia, a statewide organization promoting innovative research and workforce growth by partnering with businesses and regional stakeholders. Evaluation of the project consists of a constructive and collaborative adaptation of the “Input, Outputs, and Outcome” model. The evaluation will provide an outside, independent perspective on the effectiveness of the project and SA Certificate program. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2201667 | Access to Careers in Advanced Building Technology | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/14/2022 | Theodore Wilinski | wilinskt@matc.edu | WI | Milwaukee Area Technical College | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $649,740.00 | Rafat Elsharef, Eric Hagedorn | 700 W STATE ST | MILWAUKEE | WI | 532.331.419 | 4.142.976.320 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national interest by connecting underserved populations with education and careers in advanced building technology. The project brings together a collaboration of community-based organizations, the City of Milwaukee, local industry partners and Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) to support the technical career advancement of students from underserved areas of the city. The project addresses the need for advanced technology education and improved career opportunities for underserved communities and will address the urgent employment needs of local industry. The building sector faces numerous challenges including increased health concerns, energy efficiency goals, management of new technologies and high workforce attrition. The project seeks to increase the pool of skilled technicians ready to maintain the ever-changing and complex technology in buildings. The project has two fundamental goals: (1) meet the industry need for skilled advanced building technicians and (2) increase the recruitment and retention of students from underserved communities. Industry has supported MATC in the development of a diploma program, four digital badges, a pre-apprenticeship and an apprenticeship program to provide students with the skills needed and multiple pathways into employment. The digital badges are stepping stones to the diploma, and the pre-apprenticeship creates a separate pathway. Both provide a pathway to associate degrees such as the Individualized Technical Studies degree. To address the needs of underserved communities and improve retention, local industry has committed to hiring these students in paid internships as they continue in the program. The project will combine community-based outreach and case management efforts with local government funded support for child care, transportation and subsistence. The project will provide workshops in the community to expose participants to career opportunities in advanced building technologies through hands-on lab activities, career information and job prospects. As underserved participants enter the program at MATC they will benefit from support services provided by the City of Milwaukee, community based organizations, local employers, and MATC’s success coaches and other services. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202156 | A Cybersecurity Preparation Academy (C-PREP) for Buffalo Students and Teachers | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/27/2022 | Daniel Neville | nevilled@trocaire.edu | NY | Trocaire College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 06/01/2022 | 05/31/2025 | $336,458.00 | Danielle Schmidt, Andrea Vasile | 360 CHOATE AVE | BUFFALO | NY | 142.202.094 | 7.168.261.200 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Companies in the Buffalo metropolitan area employ more than 37,000 workers in the software, IT, cybersecurity, networking, and data analytics fields. These companies rely on cybersecurity technicians to protect computer systems and networks from theft and damage. There is an acute need in the region for cybersecurity technicians since supply has not kept pace with the rapidly growing demand. The goal of this project is to create an educational pathway, in a high-poverty region, to produce cybersecurity technicians who can help address this workforce need. This will be accomplished by designing and implementing dual enrollment courses in two partnering high schools that will lead to matriculation in a postsecondary cybersecurity program. Upon graduation students will have earned either a postsecondary certificate or an AAS degree in cybersecurity qualifying them for employment as technicians in the cybersecurity field. The goals of this project include (1) implementing dual enrollment courses with high school partners, (2) providing professional development for high school and college faculty to improve technician education, (3) marketing the program, (4) enrolling students in a pathway of stackable industry certifications, (5) fostering student success through individualized support and mentoring, and (6) strengthening student connections to the workforce through work-based learning opportunities. A qualitative study will examine student perceptions of the benefits of the dual enrollment program to accelerate entry into the workforce and the effectiveness of peer supports targeted to underrepresented groups. This project was developed in consultation with NCyTE, an ATE center for cybersecurity, whose broad reach will be leveraged to disseminate project materials and findings. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2201611 | Retooling A Machine Tool Technician Program In North Central Wisconsin to Support Diversity, Flexibility, and Accessibility | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/02/2022 | Frank Fernandes | fernande@ntc.edu | WI | Northcentral Technical College | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 10/01/2022 | 09/30/2025 | $342,519.00 | Jeffrey Block | 1000 W CAMPUS DR | WAUSAU | WI | 544.011.880 | 7.158.031.776 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The north central Wisconsin region is a hotspot for machine tool technician jobs, more than double the national average. This project from Northcentral Technical College will integrate research and education to combine a revised curriculum with targeted outreach to nontraditional populations to improve outcomes in their Machine Tool Technician Program. Over the three-year project, 30 students will be recruited to complete credentials that will lead to high demand technician careers. Northcentral Technical College will revise its Machine Tooling program to (1) include industry relevant skills, (2) adopt flexible scheduling, (3) provide culturally relevant professional development for faculty and staff, (4) perform outreach through the College’s Advanced Manufacturing and Emerging Technologies mobile labs, and (5) establish peer/near-peer mentorships. As a result, the college intends to increase recruitment, matriculation, completion, and employment of students in the Machine Tool Technician program, with an emphasis on students of Southeast Asian/Hmong descent. Students will have the option to earn up to four stackable credentials ranging from a 4-credit certificate to a 58-credit degree. The overall goal of the Project is to increase the skilled machine tool technician workforce in central Wisconsin. Thirty students are expected to enroll over the three-year period with a special focus on broadening participation in the profession of populations that are significantly underrepresented in the field. The project’s objective is to increase awareness of, access to, and enrollment in machine tool technician educational and career pathways for non-traditional students with an emphasis on Southeast Asian/Hmong adults. The current curriculum will be reviewed and modified to include current machine tool technologies, culturally responsive teaching, internships, and flexible delivery options. Machine tool program faculty, advisors, instructional assistants, and other student services personnel will participate in professional development on Southeast Asian/Hmong culture in order to better relate to and support their learning. Collaboration with the Hmong American Center and local manufacturing leaders will support recruitment, identification of project mentors, and community outreach. Workforce mentors will provide guidance and encouragement to students by sharing personal and career experiences. The Machine Tool Advisory Committee/Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT) will provide project oversight. The project team will collaborate with regional cultural organizations, workforce development boards, job centers, and regional machine tool employers to implement and disseminate the full scope of work. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202136 | Collaborative Research: Revolutionizing Electric Vehicle Education | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/26/2022 | Robert Elliott | robert.elliott@tridenttech.edu | SC | Trident Technical College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 05/15/2022 | 04/30/2025 | $999,946.00 | Walter Varella | 7000 RIVERS AVE | NORTH CHARLESTON | SC | 294.064.607 | 8.435.746.241 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The United States is facing an unprecedented need for a new generation of technological talent to respond to international competition for an automotive workforce with diverse, up-to-date skill sets driven by electric vehicles (EV), autonomous vehicles (AV), and the cybersecurity associated with software-driven vehicles. The internal combustion engine is being phased out and replaced by electricity, setting the stage for an increased demand for autonomous and EV technologies. This changing technological climate and the resultant concurrent global competition necessitate transformation at every level of automotive development – from EV designers to EV technicians. The demand for skilled EV manufacturing and service industry technicians is substantial and is predicted to increase at a rate where demand outpaces quantity. Workers aging out of the workforce, the lack of advanced STEM skills for those currently in the workforce, and increased economic expansion are contributing factors to this deficit. Collaboration among educators and employers must occur to advance the understanding of workforce challenges and opportunities. To meet the need, a faculty-driven consortium of two-year Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs), other ATE projects and centers, and industry will collaborate to address the next generation cross-disciplinary workforce needs of the Electric Vehicle (EV) manufacturing and service industry through an innovative hybrid virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) education approach. The consortium project partners include: Volvo, Daimler, BMW, Proterra, Bosch, Duke Energy, Michelin, the Upstate SC Alliance, the South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership, the South Carolina Technical College System, the National Center for Autonomous Technologies, the National Cybersecurity Training and Education Center, the Regional Center for Nuclear Education, and the Northwest Engineering and Vehicle Technology Exchange. The project goals will address current and future EV manufacturing and service industry needs for both two-year college students and incumbent workers. Goal 1: Identify current and future education and workforce needs required by the migration of the transportation industry from traditional fuels to battery-powered electric vehicles. Goal 2: Create, deploy, and assess an innovative, creative, and informed cross- disciplinary EV manufacturing and service industry technician education hybrid curricula incorporating classroom, virtual, and experiential learning. Strategies will be implemented to support participation and persistence in EV manufacturing and service technician education for students including those who are rural, veterans, and those historically underserved in STEM career pathways. Goal 3: Develop and/or strengthen partnerships with consortium members, ATE projects and centers, and industry to leverage and share expertise and best practices for maximum impact and sustainability within and across fields and institutions. Goal 4: Provide professional development addressing the new EV curricula to ensure widespread use, dissemination, and faculty leadership development. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202221 | Creating Pathways for Technicians in Advanced Design and Manufacturing Technologies | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/10/2023 | Michael Appio | appiomike@deanza.edu | CA | Foothill-De Anza Community College District | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $525,793.00 | Kara Krone, Margaret Bdzil, Roberto Sanchez | 12345 S EL MONTE RD | LOS ALTOS HILLS | CA | 940.224.504 | 6.509.496.201 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The manufacturing sector is undergoing rapid changes as additive manufacturing (also known as 3D printing) and robotic automation transform the way products are designed and produced. These changes have created an industry demand for machinists and manufacturing technicians who are capable of applying these technologies in manufacturing facilities. However, the number of graduates from technician programs that are focused on these technologies has not kept pace with the demand. Technical education programs are needed that help students acquire the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully apply these emerging technologies. There is also an opportunity to increase the number of college instructors who are capable of providing technical education programs in advanced manufacturing. This project will develop new courses and certificate programs related to additive manufacturing and automation, provide industry mentors and student support services to broaden participation in the technical workforce, and provide professional development opportunities for instructors at other institutions. This project will create pathways for students to pursue high paying jobs with career advancement potential in the Silicon Valley region. The goals of this project are to (1) increase the number of qualified technicians who can apply advanced design and manufacturing technologies, (2) improve the retention and success of students from historically underrepresented groups, and (3) increase the number of institutions that are capable of offering technical education in this field. A survey of industry partners in the region will be conducted to determine the knowledge, skills, and abilities that are necessary for advanced design and manufacturing technicians. Based on the survey results, new courses will be developed and existing courses will be revised to incorporate the new content. These courses will be used to create new certificates in multi-axis computer controlled machining and robotic automation that are aligned with industry certifications. In collaboration with industry partners, the project team will develop a professional mentoring program in which professionals from industry mentor a group of students in the program who are from historically underrepresented groups. An instructor professional development curriculum will be developed that focuses on computer-aided design, additive manufacturing, multi-axis machining, and robotic automation. The professional development program will be offered twice a year for college manufacturing faculty from the San Francisco Bay region. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2100348 | AIHEC/TCU Advanced Manufacturing Technician Education Network | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/14/2023 | Algirdas Kuslikis | akuslikis@aihec.org | VA | American Indian Higher Education Consortium | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 07/15/2021 | 06/30/2024 | $592,007.00 | Ragavanantham Shanmugam | 121 ORONOCO ST | ALEXANDRIA | VA | 223.142.015 | 7.038.380.400 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national interest by expanding the Tribal College and University (TCU) Advanced Manufacturing Network Initiative to include four additional TCUs through the delivery of an online advanced manufacturing course series. The project is increasing access to advanced manufacturing and other STEM training for the American Indian and Alaskan Natives (AI/AN) population by developing a shared low cost model. Through coordination and existing organizational networks, all 37 of the TCU's will have access to the completed programming. The American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) is establishing the Advanced Manufacturing Technician Education Network of nine TCUs that offer advanced manufacturing technician education through delivery of an online advanced manufacturing course series. The project provides a model for delivering career and technical education programs to multiple institutions through a distributed education model. The distributed program design brings together a team of faculty and support staff available to participate in Advanced Manufacturing curriculum development, training and education, activities, and includes implementation of an online learning platform that provides AI-curated content, access to remote data and virtual labs, and customizable for a wide range of pedagogical applications. In addition, the project proposes to employ Indigenous problem-based learning strategies in a culturally relevant model to engage, retain and aid students in successful completion of the program. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2055250 | Fortifying Cybersecurity and Computing Education | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/28/2021 | Elizabeth Hawthorne | ekhawthorne@gmail.com | MD | Prince George's Community College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 10/15/2021 | 09/30/2024 | $599,839.00 | Vera Zdravkovich, Barbara Huffman de Belon | 301 LARGO RD | UPPER MARLBORO | MD | 207.742.109 | 3.015.460.722 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The need for a highly skilled cybersecurity and IT workforce is well documented and unequivocal. “Demand for security skills, once limited primarily to government and the defense industry, has spread throughout the economy” (Burning Glass, 2019). “Job growth is predicted to continue to outpace the number of available qualified workforce” (CyberSeek.org, 2020). Community and Technical Colleges respond to this need through their education of the skilled technical workforce. This project aims to strengthen and grow a specific component of that workforce, namely the nation’s cybersecurity/computing professionals. The project’s approach is to work to increase the quality of the requests for external support that these institutions seek to improve cybersecurity education at their campuses. Towards this end the project investigators plan to attract a diversity of community and technical college teams, composed of faculty, grant writers, and selected administrators and staff and provide team-based professional development designed to increase the competitiveness and innovativeness of each teams’ proposed efforts in support of the education of the cybersecurity/computing skilled technical workforce. In each year, up to twelve community and technical college teams of two faculty members and a grant writer will be accepted through an application process to participate in this team-based professional development and mentoring program. Each team will be carefully matched with and supported by a seasoned mentor who has been trained through a series of coaching sessions by the leadership team. Essential elements of the program, including mentor training, pre-workshop mentee preparation, a multi-day workshop, and post-workshop webinars coupled with team mentoring throughout the entire process, are designed to help participants crystalize their innovative ideas and develop competitive proposals for external support. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2055253 | Engaging K-12 Teachers to Help Build a Cybersecurity Workforce Pipeline | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/13/2021 | Deanne Cranford-Wesley | dwesley@forsythtech.edu | NC | Forsyth Technical Community College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 10/15/2021 | 09/30/2024 | $326,300.00 | Flora Calderon-Steck, Thomas Brown | 2100 SILAS CREEK PKWY | WINSTON SALEM | NC | 271.035.150 | 3.367.347.177 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project addresses a growing need for cybersecurity professionals in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina, an expanse of urban and rural communities anchored by the cities of Winston-Salem, Greensboro and High Point. The project will focus on bolstering the academic capacity required to expand the talent pipeline of cybersecurity professionals to serve business and industry needs across the 12-county region. Local middle school and high school faculty will be enrolled in a 16 credit-hour program at Forsyth Technical Community College (FTCC) that will prepare them to integrate cybersecurity principles into their classrooms. Upon program completion, the teachers will have the knowledge and skills they need to be effective teachers of dual-enrolled high school students, which will result in an increase in the number of students who are prepared and motivated to enroll in a two-year program in cybersecurity. The teachers will also be prepared to earn cybersecurity certifications that will qualify them to serve as adjunct faculty at FTCC and will increase the college’s capacity to provide post-secondary and workforce-related instruction in cybersecurity. Three goals guide the project team's efforts. First is to increase the number of cybersecurity professionals in the Piedmont Triad region. Second is to increase the number and knowledge level of cybersecurity faculty at the secondary and post-secondary levels. Third is to improve the diversity of the cybersecurity workforce in the Piedmont Triad region. The project expects to see several outcomes from its efforts. One is to enable FTCC to increase awareness of cybersecurity first principles and practices. Another is to develop lasting and effective partnerships for innovative cybersecurity education. Additionally, the College envisions keeping the talent pipeline filled with well-educated, multi-skilled, work-ready graduates who will be able to help satisfy a projected national shortage of 1.8 million workers by 2022. The project will leverage options available to North Carolina educators to seamlessly link dual-enrollment opportunities for high school students with the automatic transfer of credit awarded by community colleges. Through project’s collaboration with business and industry leaders, teachers will develop deeper insights into the role of cybersecurity across academic disciplines. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2301294 | Preparing STEM Technicians for Bioscience Data Acquisition and Analysis | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/19/2023 | Candy Mintz | cmintz@peralta.edu | CA | Merritt College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 10/01/2023 | 09/30/2026 | $349,997.00 | Marie Amboy | 12500 CAMPUS DR | OAKLAND | CA | 946.193.107 | 5.102.321.764 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Addressing global challenges in health, climate, energy, and agriculture requires a highly skilled STEM workforce that is knowledge-based and science-driven. Benchtop multimode plate readers, digital imagers, and RNA/DNA sequencers, generate enormous amounts of data requiring employees to be data literate. Life Science employers are looking for employees who have expertise in lab bench skills and in computing, data analysis, and bioinformatics. The goal of this project at Merritt College is to develop a Bioscience data analysis certificate program that will prepare students to perform data analysis in applied bioscience research. The program will train STEM students to design, set up and execute experiments; operate and collect data from automated equipment; and conduct data analysis of large data sets. This project will help fill the Bioscience, Biotechnology and Life Science pipelines with well-trained individuals with both experimental and data analysis skills that are in high demand by industry. This project will educate STEM technicians to design bioanalytical, sequencing, and imaging assays on High Throughput and High Content equipment. Students will collect, clean, and organize the resulting large data sets and conduct data analysis utilizing biostatistics, Excel, Tableau, and the programming languages R and Python. Three specific aims will guide the work of the project. First is to develop a new Bioscience program with three integrated courses leading to a Certificate of Achievement. Second is to design and implement physical and digital infrastructure to support the program. Third, and finally, is to put in place a sustainable recruitment and retention plan to fill each new cohort of students, with an emphasis on increasing the number of underrepresented minorities enrolling and completing the Bioscience Data Acquisition and Analysis Technician Certificate of Achievement program. The results of this work will be disseminated locally, regionally, and nationally through websites, social media, industry advisory meetings, and conferences. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2055049 | Improving Industrial Technology Education with Flexible Learning Options and Student Support Services | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/21/2021 | Kimberly Travers | kim.travers@heartland.edu | IL | Heartland Community College | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 07/01/2021 | 06/30/2024 | $296,356.00 | Christopher Miller | 1500 W RAAB RD | NORMAL | IL | 617.619.446 | 3.092.688.118 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Academic programs in Industrial Technology prepare students for employment in fields such as robotics, electronics, renewable energy, and battery technology, all of which have been identified as fast-growing and high-paying opportunities for an emerging skilled workforce. The central Illinois region has identified an employment gap with more than 1000 unfilled positions for qualified workers with high-technology skills. To help meet this need, Heartland Community College intends to make the Industrial Technology program more accessible to more students. Specifically, it will revise and redesign the industrial technology courses for online instruction and offer laboratory experiences using an open-access laboratory model. The open-access laboratory model will allow students to schedule and use industrial equipment and trainers during day, evening, or weekend hours, depending on their individual needs and time constraints. In addition, the project will combine these curricular improvements with student supports, including supplemental instruction and peer mentoring. The project expects that these improvements will increase the number of students completing the Industrial Technology program. The goal of this project is to demonstrate a new model for industrial technology education using an open-access manufacturing laboratory, flexible content delivery, and student supports to enhance student access to high-quality Industrial Technology education. To this end, Heartland Community College will dedicate 2500 square feet and additional college infrastructure to establish and maintain an open-access laboratory. The space will be augmented with trained faculty, facilitators, and peer mentors to provide supportive human interactions. The Industrial Technology faculty of Heartland Community College will revise their curriculum to allow for and support flexible learning formats that will compliment an open-access laboratory. The college will also adopt a formal supplemental instruction model to give current students opportunities to become peer leaders, which will augment the leaders’ learning as they help other students. The flexible format will give students enhanced access to the laboratory and student support services, providing increased access for students with job and family obligations. Heartland Community College will share their model through regional and national Career and Technical Education conferences. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000440 | Advanced Industrial Instrumentation Control Technician Education | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/06/2020 | Esperanza Zenon | ezenon@rpcc.edu | LA | River Parishes Community College | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 07/01/2020 | 06/30/2024 | $293,706.00 | Ernest Carrier, John Sluder | 925 W EDENBORNE PKWY | GONZALES | LA | 707.378.134 | 2.257.438.601 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project will contribute to development of a skilled technical workforce by improving an Industrial Instrumentation degree program. The improved curriculum will include training in advanced automation control and troubleshooting skills in chemical manufacturing control systems. The degree will emphasize the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) operational model, Industry 4.0 troubleshooting methods, and modern Human Machine Interface. The river region of southern Louisiana has a growing demand for Industrial Instrumentation Control Technicians with experience in advanced automation control and troubleshooting skills. These technicians are vital to the daily operations of petro-chemical plants and are responsible for troubleshooting, tuning, and programming automation components. As a result, there is an ongoing need to advance the skills of industrial instrumentation control technicians in IIoT operations and in Industry 4.0 methods. The degree will also emphasize 21st century technical skills, such as critical thinking and information literacy, to produce a well-educated, productive technical workforce for this diverse, rural region. The project will deconstruct and redesign an existing Industrial Instrumentation degree program by using the Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT) evaluation plan. Content will be developed by working closely with industry partners to develop an Introduction to IIoT course and an Industry 4.0 capstone course. In addition, selected modules in the new courses will be incorporated into the Process Technology degree coursework. This project has three targeted outcomes: 1) Researching intrinsically safe portable Human Machine Interface devices that communicate equipment and personnel GPS positioning, process systems automation control, and industrial plant process health; 2) Designing coursework to address the interface of the IIoT – Operational Technology/Information Technology communications requirements and Industry 4.0 troubleshooting skills; and 3) Implementing core STEM skill modules that address the academic needs of a diverse, rural student population. The courses will immerse students in an integrated approach to plant operations and troubleshooting. These courses will be developed out of an acknowledged need in the business community for technicians who work in cross-disciplinary teams in which instrumentation technicians and process technology workers are able to envision plant controls as a system. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000462 | New Pathways and Partnerships to Prepare Highly Skilled Automotive Technicians | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/22/2020 | Harry Bennett | lee.bennett@vvc.edu | CA | Victor Valley College | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 07/01/2020 | 06/30/2024 | $300,000.00 | Steven Coultas | 18422 BEAR VALLEY RD | VICTORVILLE | CA | 923.955.850 | 7.602.454.271 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The rate of technological advancement in the automotive industry increases every year, as each automobile manufacturer releases new models that incorporate new technology. To help keep pace with these advances, this project plans to develop a pipeline from high school through college and into the automotive technician workforce. Students in the pipeline will be able to earn certificates or an Associate of Science degree in Automotive Technology. In addition, faculty will update their knowledge about innovations in automobile design and function, so they can improve their courses. The project includes collaborations with local industry to expand student opportunities and meet the needs of local businesses. By educating current and future automotive technicians, the project will provide access to a well-paying profession. As a result, this project has the potential to have strong, positive impacts for the rural, high poverty community in which the project is situated. This project is grounded in a professional learning exchange among students, faculty, and master automotive dealership technicians. The project will enable participants to move as a cohort through a curricular pathway with integrated support services to boost retention and completion rates. Aspects of this support include a tailored First Year Experience course, a dedicated academic counselor, and general education classes with automotive themes. Students will earn an Associate of Science degree and/or certificates in automotive technology that meet both industry preparation standards and the needs of local employers. As part of their education, students will complete eighteen months of on-the-job learning in local dealerships and have opportunities to earn industry recognized certifications. The education program will prepare students for the industry-recognized Automotive Service Excellence certification test for master technicians. Local dealerships are the leading employer of automotive technicians and the proposed project will formalize newly created partnerships between the college and these businesses. For example, automotive technology faculty members will perform externships alongside dealership technicians, thus allowing faculty to increase their knowledge of and their ability to incorporate technical advances into their courses. Representatives of local automotive dealerships will serve on an advisory committee and as professional experts in the college classroom. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202003 | Integrating Electric Vehicle Technology in Legacy Automotive Programs | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/03/2022 | Donna Farrell | dsfarrell@northeaststate.edu | TN | Northeast State Technical Community College | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $349,340.00 | Nathanial Weber, Nichole Manz-Young, Ernie Morelock | 2425 HIGHWAY 75 | BLOUNTVILLE | TN | 376.176.350 | 4.233.233.191 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Tennessee ranks first in the Southeastern United States for electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing, with more than 162,000 electric vehicles manufactured in the state since 2013. General Motors and Ford have both announced major new investments in EV production in Tennessee since 2020. As EV technology continues to advance at a rapid pace and the number of electric vehicles on the road continues to increase, it will be necessary to establish multiple training programs throughout the state, including stand-alone programs and those that are integrated into legacy automotive programs. This will address the growing need for EV maintenance and repair technicians statewide and beyond. Northeast State Community College has trained automotive technicians for more than fifty years, enrolling an average of sixty students each year in its Automotive Service Technology program. This project will study the effectiveness of and document the unique challenges associated with integrating EV technology into a legacy automotive training program. Outcomes of this effort will include faculty professional development, a job skills analysis, and curricular revisions, all of which will improve outcomes for students in this high need area. Northeast State will leverage existing relationships with industry partners and a recent partnership with the National Electric Vehicle Consortium (NEVC) to secure faculty professional development, conduct a job tasks analysis to identify critical EV maintenance and repair skills and competencies, review existing EV maintenance and repair curriculum, develop curriculum to address gaps, pilot the curriculum, and conduct targeted recruitment to increase representation of women in the program. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2035556 | Rural Electronics Education Hub Pilot in the Upper Mississippi River Basin | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/21/2021 | Marc Kalis | mkalis@southeastmn.edu | MN | Minnesota State College - Southeast Technical | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 01/01/2021 | 12/31/2024 | $516,513.00 | Alice Zimmer, Calvin Clemons | 1250 HOMER RD | WINONA | MN | 559.876.821 | 5.074.532.752 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Technology sectors in the United States continue to face a widening workforce skills gap and declining STEM workforce pipelines. Up to 2.4 million unfilled jobs in these sectors are predicted by 2028. In Minnesota and the upper Mississippi River Basin, workforce surveys identified the need for more than 1,000 electronics technology positions by 2026. As businesses transition to electromechanical equipment, and apply automation and smart manufacturing, skillset requirements for workers shift, creating a skills deficiency in candidate and incumbent workers. Rural businesses have additional challenges in building a skilled workforce, including a lack of success at attracting females, underserved/underrepresented populations, or Native Americans into their workforce. The recent impact of a viral pandemic has also highlighted a need to address blended and distance instructional delivery to reach these workers of tomorrow. This project will support the regional need for electronics technicians through a dual-credit Introduction to Electronics Certificate that allows students to obtain high school credit and college credit simultaneously. The Certificate will support entry of high school students, college students, and adult workers into electronics pathways by providing courses that meet requirements of associate degree programs. The overarching goal of the project is to expand the pipeline of skilled technicians into electronics technology careers. To do so, this project will create a replicable certificate program that bridges the gaps between K-12 schools, post-secondary institutions of higher education, and the manufacturing sector. The project will support: 1) a sustained pipeline of workers through a dual enrollment Introduction to Electronics Certificate with articulated paths to Associate of Applied Science programs; 2) mediated and distance learning materials with simulation, blended delivery, and portable lab modules; 3) a Culture Change Model, drawing on multiple regional influencers for support and action research by educators, industry, vendors, and peer academic colleges; 4) faculty professional development on training technologies and manufacturing industry needs; 5) a diversity outreach strategy for females, underserved/underrepresented and Native American populations into electronics; and 6) collaborative relationships with four-year institutions to further develop career pathways in electronics. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202016 | ATE Advanced Aerospace Welding (AAW) | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/25/2022 | Kimberly Preece | preece@mctc.edu | WV | Mountwest Community & Technical College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 08/01/2022 | 07/31/2025 | $552,031.00 | Samuel Cochran, Carol Howerton | 1 MOUNTWEST WAY | HUNTINGTON | WV | 257.019.804 | 3.047.103.527 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Mountwest Community and Technical College (MCTC) will partner with the Robert C. Byrd Institute (RCBI) at Marshall University to implement a project aimed at revitalizing an ailing regional economy that was previously dependent on the coal industry. MCTC and RCBI propose to expand the existing welding technician program by designing and implementing a curriculum that includes a skillset in aerospace welding. The project activities will include a comprehensive effort to create flexible learning options within manufacturing programs, strengthen student support, and address underrepresentation of female and underserved students. Program improvements will not only strengthen aviation maintenance education but also position the program to better meet workforce needs of employers across the tri-state manufacturing sector of Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia. The project will pursue the following objectives: 1) enhance MCTC/RCBI’s Welding Technology program to include stackable credentials, including a skillset in aerospace welding, 2) design of a new modular curriculum and the addition of up-to-date equipment to meet instructional needs and prepare students to contribute to the region’s growing aerospace industry, 3) provide enhanced support services and career-learning experiences in order to help students, especially women and those who are underserved, attain their college goals and meet the needs of the region's manufacturing employers, and 4) work with the K-12, universities, and employers to create robust career pathways that have documented entry/exit points and are supported by articulation agreements and aligned skill sets. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202226 | Building a data driven pathway in data science leading to student success | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/01/2022 | Joachin Arias | ariasjj@lahc.edu | CA | Los Angeles Harbor College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $349,534.00 | Lorrie Kato | 1111 FIGUEROA PL | WILMINGTON | CA | 907.442.311 | 3.102.334.041 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Businesses of all types recognize the transformational value of “big data” in decision making and planning and are facing a growing need to hire employees with data analytic skills. Guided by the expertise of industry leaders in the areas of big data, data science, and data analytics, Los Angeles Harbor College (LAHC) will create two stackable Data Analyst certificates designed to provide technician-level skills for entry-level employment to address the demand for employees with “big data” skills. Educational pathways will be developed that will integrate several established traditional and non-traditional STEM degrees, such as business, psychology, biology, and education, allowing community college students to acquire a foundation in data analytics, increasing entry level employability, and allowing them to work in sectors with “big data” needs. In addition to preparing students for technician-level employment, the use of credit-bearing, transferable coursework will allow LAHC to establish a data science transfer pathway to a growing number of baccalaureate institutions offering data science programs. The project will create a Data Analyst certificate designed to provide foundational data science and analysis skills that will increase the employability of any LAHC student. The objectives of the project include: (1) identifying the knowledge and skill set needed for employment in high demand data analytics technician jobs, (2) developing a new industry-focused Data Analyst Certificate using existing, credit-bearing courses to create new, industry-focused STEM pathway for students at LAHC, and (3) recruiting and enrolling current and new students into the program to complete the Data Analyst Certificate. A Data Science Advisory Board will be formed to develop the learning outcomes for the program and to identify internship sites to provide industry-based learning opportunities. To ensure the courses and data analyst technician program objectives and outcomes align with the current need in the industry, a data science analyst skills assessment will be conducted. The evaluation plan will use a mixed methods approach, matching the method to the outcome. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2100121 | Increasing Diversity in the Cybersecurity Talent Pool through Cyber Camps and Competitions | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/16/2021 | Richard Grotegut | rgrotegut@gmail.com | CA | Contra Costa Community College District | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 10/01/2021 | 09/30/2024 | $545,733.00 | Irvin Lemus, Denise Moss, Bijan Houshiar | 500 COURT ST | MARTINEZ | CA | 945.531.200 | 9.252.296.946 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project addresses the well-documented need for skilled cybersecurity technicians in the Bay Area. Unmet demand for cybersecurity professionals keeps growing in the region and projections indicate that by 2022 there will be over 180,000 jobs for the Cybersecurity/Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector in the Bay Area, many of which will go unfilled. To help meet this demand, this project aims to increase the number of high school and community college students pursuing and completing a certificate of achievement or an associate degree in ICT from a Bay Area community college. To generate and maintain interest, the project team will engage students and teachers in an innovative year-long cybersecurity competition pathway program beginning with summer Cyber Camps and continuing with year-long activities and competitions. Two goals will guide the project team's efforts. First is to use the summer cyber camps and competitions to increase student access to and learning within an ICT program of study with a Bay Area community college. Second is to address the local need for more and better prepared high school and community college teachers in ICT. The Contra Costa Community College District will leverage this project to increase the number of high school and community college students pursuing post-secondary education and eventually joining the cybersecurity workforce. Community college students will serve as Student Technical Mentors, gaining experience providing problem solving and technical support to the high school and community college competition teams, reinforcing their own understanding of cybersecurity concepts, and preparing them for entry-level technician jobs in ICT/cybersecurity. The project design will be of interest to other institutions and the project's documentation and implementation guide will allow schools to adopt and adapt a cyber camp and competitions program either as a supplemental after-school-program or one that is integral with a school’s existing computer career pathways. The formative and summative evaluation of the project will make use of qualitative and quantitative data to ensure that the project remains on track and is meeting the stated goals. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2100370 | Developing a Biotechnology Degree Program to Train Skilled Biotechnicians in Chicago | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/19/2022 | Clifford Wilson | cwilson20@ccc.edu | IL | City Colleges of Chicago | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 06/01/2021 | 05/31/2024 | $348,585.00 | Craig Flowers, Cindy Carlson | 180 N WABASH AVE STE 200 | CHICAGO | IL | 606.013.608 | 3.125.531.605 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to help fill the growing demand for biotechnicians in the Chicago area. Biotechnology has industrial applications that range from agriculture to manufacturing. It is also a crucial tool in the basic research development needed for such applications. The demand for biotechnicians is growing across the nation and these jobs pay higher than average wages. Regardless of its specific uses, the work of biotechnology involves common laboratory equipment, techniques, and regulatory record keeping. As a result, trained biotechnicians can readily transfer across different application areas, for example from basic research to biofuel manufacturing. As in many other STEM fields, the biotechnology workforce lacks diversity. However, a diverse workforce is an asset that can improve problem-solving and innovation. Consequently, in addition to increasing the number of trained biotechnicians, this project also focuses on broadening participation in biotechnology. The project is led by Kennedy King College, a primarily Black institution in one of the most impoverished urban areas of Chicago. The project’s major goal is to develop a new associate degree program in Biotechnology. This degree program will enable students to gain biotechnology skills that are needed by regional industries. To this end, the project team will work with an industry advisory council to adapt and update existing courses to better align with industry standards. This advisory council will also help faculty remain current about industry needs, as well as provide students with internship opportunities. Research shows that course-based undergraduate research experiences can improve scientific thinking, scientific identity, and problem-solving skills. Therefore, the project team will develop a course-based undergraduate research experience in General Biology, a foundational course in the biotechnology program. Active learning pedagogies will be incorporated into courses within the program. The project team will also partner with local high school advisors to develop a biotechnology career pathway map and advisory tools to increase high school student interest in biotechnology. In addition, Kennedy King College will host an annual Biotechnology Career Day for high school students. To help recruit students from communities that are not yet equitably represented in biotechnology, the project team will establish a summer biotechnology program for high school students. Results from project evaluation will inform industry and education stakeholders about how to effectively modify and expand an existing foundation to decrease the time and expense needed to fully deploy a new degree. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2100382 | Building Southeastern Pennsylvania's Advanced Technical Workforce in Gene and Cell Therapy | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/21/2021 | Margaret Bryans | mbryans@mc3.edu | PA | Montgomery County Community College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 09/01/2021 | 08/31/2024 | $573,347.00 | JAMES BRETZ | 340 DEKALB PIKE | BLUE BELL | PA | 194.221.412 | 2.156.416.466 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The number of Southeastern Pennsylvania companies that develop and manufacture gene therapies and cell therapies has increased. As a result, a regional need exists for highly skilled technicians in these fields, especially in the commercial manufacturing area. This project aims to address this need by increasing the number of graduates from local community colleges who enter this advanced therapy field. Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) is the lead institution in the Northeast Biomanufacturing Center and Collaborative. It has an extensive track record in developing and disseminating curriculum for biopharmaceutical bioprocessing technician education. In this project, MCCC will work with local industry partners to determine skills and competencies needed in the advanced therapy technical workforce, develop curriculum in cell and gene therapy manufacturing, and facilitate adoption of the curriculum at local two-year colleges. The new curriculum will provide students with a strong foundation in the skills and knowledge for developing, manufacturing, and testing these advanced therapies, as well as hands-on experience with industry-relevant bioprocessing equipment. The project will assess the competencies, skills, and curriculum needs of local biotechnology programs at two-year institutions, provide mentorship for enhancing or building new courses where needed, provide educators with professional development relevant to the new curriculum, and connect them to local industry. Students from communities that are underrepresented in the biomanufacturing sector, including students of color and/or first-generation college students, will have increased access to successful bioprocessing careers, as the project builds a pipeline from high school to community college to the advanced therapy workforce. Project aims include: (1) improving student education and training by developing and disseminating a local industry-endorsed advanced therapy curriculum; (2) promoting and facilitating adoption of new curriculum at local community colleges through mentorship, industry engagement, and professional development; and (3) increasing awareness of the biomedical/bioprocessing career path among high school students, with emphasis on inclusion of underrepresented populations. The project will build upon the work of the Northeast Biomanufacturing Center and Collaborative and its current open-source curriculum modules on biologic bioprocessing, adding new industry-guided curriculum based on required skills and knowledge for the advanced manufacturing workforce for the cell and gene therapy industry. Developing this skilled workforce is key for the Greater Philadelphia region to become an advanced therapy manufacturing hub, a possibility with significant positive economic impacts. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2100136 | Creation and Modernization of Technological Education in Electronics and Welding through Open Educational Resources that are Free to Share, Use, and Revise | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 10/15/2021 | Stephanie Bostwick | stephanie.bostwick@lwtech.edu | WA | Lake Washington Institute of Technology | Standard Grant | Nasser Alaraje | 09/01/2021 | 08/31/2024 | $365,000.00 | Priyanka Pant, Katherine Kelley | 11605 132ND AVE NE | KIRKLAND | WA | 980.348.505 | 4.257.398.156 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project is designed to modernize technical education in Electronics and Welding by developing and sharing openly licensed course materials. These materials, known as Open Educational Resources (OER), can be retained, reused, redistributed, revised, or remixed without permission from their creator. As a result, their content is dynamic and free of cost. Although OER are common for general education, the highly technical fields of manufacturing technology have not widely transitioned to use of OER. This project plans to create OER for education in Welding Technology and Electronics Technology. OER reduces barriers to education by reducing costs and ensuring course materials are available immediately. In addition, instructors can easily adapt materials to make meaningful connections to diverse student experiences and interests. It is expected that the project will broaden participation in manufacturing technology programs by including more women, veterans, people with disabilities, adult learners, and people from communities that are underrepresented in STEM technical fields. In doing so, the project will directly serve the national interest in developing and maintaining a diverse skilled technical workforce. The project objectives are to: 1) create or adapt and incorporate digitally accessible OER, including student learning assessments, for six courses, allowing hybrid and online delivery; 2) train faculty in OER, accessibility, the online environment, and instructional design; and 3) engage industry partners to collaborate with faculty in reviewing and modifying course materials for content and accessibility and to provide industry experience for students through internships. External evaluators will provide ongoing review of activities and a summative evaluation. Project deliverables will be disseminated through OER repositories for use worldwide. The instructional changes, faculty professional development, and collaboration with industry partners are designed to prepare a more diverse, better trained technician workforce ready to meet critical regional needs. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2100146 | Supporting Diversity to Increase Innovation: Building New Mexico’s Computer Information Systems Technician Workforce through Equity and Inclusion | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/21/2021 | Sandy Wilson | swilson97@cnm.edu | NM | Central New Mexico Community College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 07/01/2021 | 06/30/2024 | $298,757.00 | Ivonne Nelson | 525 BUENA VISTA DR SE | ALBUQUERQUE | NM | 871.064.023 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The Department of Labor estimates that more than a million computing-related job openings will be available in the U.S. by 2024. It also estimates that more than two thirds of these jobs could go unfilled due to an insufficient pool of qualified applicants. Addressing the underrepresentation of women and other minoritized groups in the computing workforce will help to close this predicted employment gap. Evidence suggests that the resulting increased diversity of the workforce can also lead to increased productivity and better problem solving in the workplace. This project will investigate how to recruit, retain, and prepare women and minoritized students to pursue careers in Computer Information Systems (CIS). Project goals include: 1) providing CIS faculty at Central New Mexico Community College with resources to support and retain traditionally underrepresented groups in CIS technician majors; 2) introducing high school students to careers in CIS, with a focus on girls and students from other minoritized groups; 3) preparing these students for success in postsecondary CIS pathways; and 4) strengthening high school teachers’ knowledge and understanding of CIS careers. Project efforts will focus on the entire pipeline, from high school teachers and students to college faculty and students in the CIS program. The project intends to broaden participation in CIS by recruiting high school students from minoritized groups, including women, into CIS career pathways and supporting their success within the pathway. The project will leverage multiple approaches including providing high school students with CIS skills workshops, paid internships, and courses that provide dual enrollment credit. It will also train college faculty to better support the educational journeys of all their students using customized curriculum. Quantitative instruments will be developed to monitor the impact of activities on high school students. Descriptive statistics will be used to determine the baseline perceptions of CIS and confidence in ability to learn CIS skills. The student cohort will be surveyed over time to measure changes in attitude and behavior, as well as changes in their intention to pursue CIS education after high school. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2202236 | Providing Opportunities for Women in Next Generation Electric Vehicle Technologies | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/13/2022 | John Frala | JFrala@riohondo.edu | CA | Rio Hondo College | Standard Grant | Nasser Alaraje | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $504,839.00 | 3600 WORKMAN MILL RD | CITY OF INDUSTRY | CA | 906.011.616 | 5.624.637.368 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project serves the national interest by developing a new Women’s Academy called Providing Opportunities for Women in Next Generation Electric Vehicle Technologies (WINGS-EV). WINGS-EV, as a learning community model, is industry-driven, standards-centered, and STEM-based, and will result in the development of new educational materials, curricula, coursework, lab exercises, internship opportunities, and comprehensive student support services. Even as the automotive industry moves forward with electric mobility and self-driving cars, it is held back by a deepening talent crisis. Today, women account for only 27 percent of the US auto manufacturing workforce as compared to roughly 47 percent of the overall labor force. Rio Hondo College’s WINGS-EV Women’s Academy will extend current research on barriers faced by women desiring to enter the electric vehicle technician workforce and barriers that arise in transitioning from high school to a community college (especially those that serve underserved communities) to baccalaureate-granting institutions. As a learning community model, WINGS-EV intentionally links together courses or coursework to provide greater curricular coherence, more opportunities for active teaming, and interaction between students, faculty, and industry partners. There are two overarching goals of WINGS-EV: 1) to meet the workforce needs of employers who require trained, qualified, and experienced technicians; and 2) to increase the number of female students in the hydrogen and electric battery technicians’ program. The broad impacts of WINGS-EV include integrating the high-performance electronics, computer management skills, customer management, and advanced technology diagnostic skills that ready participating students for employment. At the same time WINGS-EV will assist diverse high school populations by encouraging female students to enroll in dual enrollment, thereby attaining two- and/or four-year technology degrees more quickly. By focusing on recruitment, retention, and support strategies required to increase female enrollment for one specific automotive subject (EV technicians), future growth can be accommodated by adopting the same strategies for other interdisciplinary STEM fields within technology education programs. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2055631 | Path to Information Technology (IT) Practice: Increasing Credential Completions in IT within the Southern Tier of Virginia | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/14/2023 | Crystal Pendergrass | crystal.pendergrass@southside.edu | VA | Southside Virginia Community College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 10/01/2021 | 09/30/2024 | $495,026.00 | Chad Patton, Chad Patton, Meredith Dawson, Vondrenna Smithers | 109 CAMPUS DR | ALBERTA | VA | 238.212.930 | 4.349.491.000 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | It is well documented that the Information Technology (IT) workforce is chronically understaffed, and predictions show that the shortage of IT workers will reach alarming levels in a few years. The goal of this project is to increase the number of students from Southside Virginia Community College, especially those from populations currently underrepresented in the IT professions, who are ready to enter the regional IT workforce. The project will target high school students in dual enrollment programs, as well as adult learners, employing a culturally responsive model that will increase enrollments and retention. Project goals will be attained by the deployment of a program infrastructure that incorporates a comprehensive recruitment strategy, with a specific focus on students from groups traditionally underrepresented in IT careers, coupled with academic support strategies and identity-building and self-efficacy activities to ensure student success. The project team will study methods to increase recruitment and attainment of success in community college IT programs, especially among students traditionally underrepresented in IT careers. Increased educational attainment is positively correlated with higher standards of living, increased wages, and overall prosperity and welfare. This project has the potential to improve the understanding and implementation of culturally responsive advising for all students, but especially for those traditionally underrepresented in IT professions. Results from this work will inform the Governor's G3 Initiative ("Get a Skill. Get a Job. Get Ahead") in Virginia, which is focused on getting credentialed students back to school to upskill for emerging technical careers. Providing opportunities for students, specifically those who are marginalized, will help address the gap in the IT industry by increasing the number of women and underrepresented minorities obtaining credentials. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202015 | Improving Advanced Manufacturing Technician Education Using Industry Partnerships | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 08/29/2023 | Marcella Gale | galem@centralvirginia.edu | VA | Central Virginia Community College | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 06/01/2022 | 05/31/2025 | $464,846.00 | Joseph Rowell, Jesse Thorpe, William Murphy | 3506 WARDS RD | LYNCHBURG | VA | 245.022.448 | 4.348.327.641 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | There is growing demand from industry for technicians with advanced manufacturing skills in the central Virginia region. Building partnerships between academia, industry, non-profits, and economic agencies is an effective approach to improving educational pathways and leveraging local resources to help train students to meet this demand. The project team will work with industry partners to identify the skills that are needed so that students will be successful in the technician workforce. Community colleges rely heavily on adjunct instructors from industry to train students. Courses in advanced manufacturing technician degree programs require adjunct faculty with current and applied knowledge and skills which are continually changing in the rapidly automating manufacturing environment. This project will help industry employees engage in technician education programs as adjunct instructors, providing qualified educators for these programs. Better industry partnerships will help support recruitment and retention of students to produce more advanced manufacturing technicians. Industry employees will serve as adjuncts in the classroom to improve student competencies and outside the classroom to engage secondary and underrepresented students in advanced manufacturing. This project will advance understanding of the effectiveness of industry-academic partnerships in leveraging local resources and growing the advanced manufacturing workforce. The goal of this project is to improve advanced manufacturing technician training by: (1) growing industry partnerships to improve instruction and curriculum content, (2) training industry professionals to serve as faculty in technical education degree programs, and (3) strengthening career pathways for students through partnerships between industry, local economic agencies, and non-profits. This project will organize multiple Collaborative Working Groups for different industry sectors that have representatives from regional advanced manufacturing companies that currently have or will need technicians. These groups will review technical degree programs and make recommendations, participate in student outreach activities, and develop internship opportunities for students. A new online training course will be developed to provide training for industry adjunct faculty on effective teaching practices, the use of instructional technology, and communicating with students. This project will provide opportunities for secondary students to learn about technician careers in advanced manufacturing by bringing students to campus to participate in hands-on learning activities in the lab facilities. The project team will work with an ATE center and an ATE Coordination Network to disseminate project results including presentations and open educational resources. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2200972 | Improving Biotechnology Outcomes Through Pre-Professional Experiences and Industry Partnerships | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/28/2022 | Michelle Stieber | mstieber@cerritos.edu | CA | Cerritos College | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 10/01/2022 | 09/30/2025 | $349,641.00 | Santos Rojas | 11110 ALONDRA BLVD | NORWALK | CA | 906.506.203 | 2.138.602.451 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Over the past six years, Southern California has become one of the nation’s leading centers for biotechnology, with a focus on biomanufacturing as well as biological and chemical technology. In the last decade, more than 93,000 workers have been hired by 2,800 companies in the region. In order to meet industrial needs, Cerritos College will establish the Cerritos College Biotechnology Initiative with the goal of providing an accessible academic pathway to high wage jobs with high growth potential. The Biotechnology Initiative will create new certificate and degree programs, offer enrichment activities to increase awareness, provide professional development, and strengthen partnerships with regional employers. This initiative should generate new knowledge regarding effective strategies to create interest in biotechnology careers through pre-professional experiences that will ultimately result in a more highly skilled technical workforce. Cerritos College will develop and implement an academic pathway with three new courses that will result in a biotechnology certificate and may also be used to complete an associate's degree. This project is expected to enroll 42 students each year. To attract current students into the program, a new biotechnology focused lab module will be implemented in the high enrollment general biology course featuring experiments on antibody testing and effective manufacturing practices. To further support the initiative, faculty from Chemistry and Biology will participate in 27 hours of professional development activities that will increase their knowledge of relevant biotechnology experiments and content, and optimize their ability to recruit students through more personalized “shoulder tap” methods. In order to professionalize students, the Biotechnology Initiative will feature a seminar series, field trips, mock interviews, and community service activities. An in-depth evaluation plan will assess the success of the program and the degree to which certificate and degree completers are able to meet the needs of regional employers. Results from the project will be disseminated regionally through professional organizations and nationally among the two-year college community. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2202007 | Preparing Students for the Industry 4.0 Technician Workforce | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/15/2022 | Edward Garner | epgarner@waketech.edu | NC | Wake Technical Community College | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 07/01/2022 | 06/30/2025 | $520,783.00 | Juan Benitez, Hessam Ghassemi, Christopher Irwin | 9101 FAYETTEVILLE RD | RALEIGH | NC | 276.035.655 | 9.198.665.076 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Manufacturers are implementing new Industry 4.0 technologies to improve the performance of their production systems and supply chain. Highly skilled technicians are essential for designing, programming, and maintaining software and hardware used in these technologies. Technical education programs need to keep pace with the new technologies that students will encounter when they enter the workforce. This project will develop an Industry 4.0 hands-on training program to prepare students in five technology degree programs for multiple career pathways. Students will learn skills that cut across multiple disciplines such as troubleshooting, preventative maintenance, and project management. The project team will conduct an industry survey to determine what skills are needed in an Industry 4.0 environment. Based on the survey results, a set of six technology courses will be revised to create a new certificate program with industry certifications. A new Industry 4.0 laboratory will be developed to provide hands-on training on Industry 4.0 technologies. The project team will implement best practices in recruiting strategies for students from traditionally underrepresented groups to broaden participation in the technical workforce. The project goals are to: (1) identify skills needed for Industry 4.0 in collaboration with industry and existing ATE centers, (2) revise six courses across multiple degree programs to create a new certificate program, and (3) increase the number of students from underrepresented groups in five technician degree programs. The project team will collect data from industry in the region and two ATE centers using a skills survey that is focused on Industry 4.0 technologies. Survey results will be used to identify new skills requirements and revise six courses used in multiple degree programs, namely, Programmable Logic Controllers, Environmental Health and Safety, Introduction to Mechatronics, Circuit Analysis, Introduction to Maintenance Procedures, and Bioprocess Equipment Maintenance. A new Industry 4.0 certificate program will be created using this set of courses. An Industry 4.0 laboratory will be developed with input from industry and two ATE centers. The laboratory will provide hands-on learning experiences for students with multiple automation stations that include the sensors, actuators, and controller necessary for automating a process. The project team will implement effective advising strategies for recruiting and retaining students from underrepresented groups. The survey results, curriculum, and educational materials from this project will be disseminated across the North Carolina Community College System and at national technical education conferences. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2132510 | Community College Presidents Initiative - STEM (CCPI STEM) | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 11/14/2023 | Clayton Railey | raileyca@pgcc.edu | MD | Prince George's Community College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 10/01/2021 | 09/30/2025 | $4,638,192.00 | George Boggs, Elizabeth Hawthorne, Charlene Dukes, Vera Zdravkovich | 301 LARGO RD | UPPER MARLBORO | MD | 207.742.109 | 3.015.460.722 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | According to the National Science Board, by 2022 the U.S. will experience a workforce shortage gap of approximately 3.4 million skilled technical jobs. This and other similar statistics are a call to action for community colleges to address the impending shortage and existing need for STEM education and workforce development. This project, the Community College Presidents Initiative in STEM (CCPI-STEM), serves the national interest through its efforts to galvanize, enlighten, and inspire community college leadership including college presidents, board members, and vice presidents to promulgate and support local, state, and regional STEM Education, NSF ATE funding, and Workforce Development on their campuses. The project has two major emphases: (a) the important leadership role of administrators and Boards of Trustees in community college external funding for STEM education, and (b) the institutional infrastructure and capacity necessary for effective grant development and implementation, overcoming challenges to success. Four objectives will guide the execution of this project. First is to catalyze the engagement of community college presidents, boards of trustees, and other senior administrators in developing STEM action items for their colleges and communities. Second is to identify and analyze the needs and issues of interest and importance to community college leaders by region. Third is to develop and pilot test instructional curricular materials for existing and future community college presidents and leaders that will strengthen their understanding of STEM education issues. Fourth is to strengthen collaborations with the business community that investigate and promote the economic impact of the ATE program. Seven Regional Networks (RNs), each led by a community college president in close collaboration with national organizations including AACC, ACCT, and the League of Innovation, as well as with representatives of business and industry will be developed. Each RN will formulate its own list of initiatives with input from member community colleges, businesses and its community at large. CCPI-STEM will also work with external organizations, such as Economic Modeling Specialists Intl. (EMSI) and Burning Glass, to assess the economic impact of ATE awards in select colleges. Curricular materials on ATE funding and program implementation will be developed and tested in collaboration with leaders of community college graduate programs. Diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM education will be addressed in the initiatives of the RNs and through the prism of external funding and institutional infrastructure. CCPI-STEM results will be broadly disseminated through the RNs, a website, and national, regional and local conferences and venues. Specific guides and publications, including “Models that Work,” will be developed and broadly disseminated. The CCPI-STEM Annual Summit, to be held in conjunction with the AACC National Convention, will provide a forum for interaction and dissemination on a national level. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2100114 | Attracting the Next Generation Cybersecurity Workforce | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/15/2021 | Shamsi Moussavi | smoussavi@massbay.edu | MA | Massachusetts Bay Community College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 10/15/2021 | 09/30/2024 | $598,712.00 | Giuseppe Sena | 50 OAKLAND ST | WELLESLEY HILLS | MA | 24.815.307 | 7.812.393.123 | EDU | 741200 | 102Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project will address the well-documented need for skilled Cybersecurity technicians in the MetroWest and Greater Boston regions of Massachusetts. Moreover, the project team aims to increase the racial and gender diversity of the overall Cybersecurity workforce that will satisfy those local workforce demands. A replicable and sustainable educational ecosystem will be developed that will recruit, retain, and graduate students in the Cybersecurity program at MassBay Community College. Through collaborations with regional industry and high school partners, the program will encourage high school students to pursue degrees, and careers, in Cybersecurity. Retention efforts will ensure that students majoring in Cybersecurity achieve a mastery of the knowledge and the practical skills needed to meet industry expectations. Students will be provided with mentoring, career advice and support, and internship opportunities to ensure their success and entry into the Cybersecurity workforce. The educational experience provided by MassBay will be based on the development of a "Cyber Range," which is an Internet-based computer network platform that provides students with hands-on experience in Cybersecurity. Exercises will be developed to give high school and college students practical experiences in Cybersecurity. These exercises will be developed in collaboration with industry partners, using their security products, to provide students with real-world experiences in Cybersecurity. The project's Cyber Range will be used to create workshop activities for high school students, develop training materials to instruct and educate students to become peer-mentors, and offer train-the trainer workshops to high school teachers and MassBay faculty. High schools, youth serving organizations, and industry partners will use the Cyber Range to host cyber competitions, hackathons, mentoring, and internships to make students aware of and motivate them to pursue degrees in Cybersecurity. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2131150 | ATETV presents: Technician Navigator | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/08/2023 | Mary Ellen Gardiner | megardiner@pelletproductions.com | MA | Pellet Productions, Inc. | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 10/01/2021 | 09/30/2024 | $611,023.00 | Esperanza Zenon, Patressa Gardner | 2 HAVEN ST | READING | MA | 18.672.959 | 7.816.709.911 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | In its 2019 report on the skilled technical workforce, the National Science Board noted that skilled technical workers represent 13% of the U.S. workforce aged 25 and older. Furthermore, these workers “contribute to all parts of the economy and the Science & Engineering enterprise” by exercising “critical thinking, design, digital, math, and coding skills to work as auto mechanics, health care technicians, electricians, welders, computer systems analysts and administrators, and operators of ‘smart’ infrastructure.” This project will bring awareness to the educational pathways leading to work and career opportunities in the skilled technical workforce, bolstering connectedness among ATE students - and more generally all students in the two-year sector, educators, and industry stakeholders. A STEM-capable and competitive workforce leads to innovation, success in industry, new discoveries in research and development, and advancements in STEM achievements. This ultimately yields a more economically prosperous nation, renewed global competitiveness, and greater economic security and prosperity, all of which are goals of the ATE program. Technician Navigator will produce an ATETV repository of authentic original content produced by current practicing technicians for future technicians that will include blogs, videos, audio materials, and forums. These materials will inform and engage students, families, and educators. Through virtual events and one-on-one sessions developed by faculty and industry representatives, technicians will guide prospective students through the college decision-making process, supporting them through enrollment. Creating contextual experiences to increase the quality, quantity, and diversity of a skilled technical workforce is at the heart of this project. Contextual experiences meet prospective students where they are instead of trying to attract their attention, and then use a series of connected experiences that incrementally guide them along their journey to enrolling in technician education programs at community and technical colleges. This will be a first-of-its-kind experiential resource designed to attract and recruit students into technician education programs and walk them through the process of enrolling in technician education programs. It is expected that Technician Navigator will serve the ATE community as a tested model for student recruitment with digital tools and resources for use in other ATE community outreach efforts. Content and contextual experiences will establish a community, connect people and programs, and generate excitement and interest through authentic materials and experiences. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2100339 | Educating Technicians to Use Precision Technology for Innovative Livestock Management | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/03/2021 | Jay Olsen | Jay.Olsen@snow.edu | UT | Snow College | Standard Grant | Keith Sverdrup | 05/15/2021 | 04/30/2024 | $304,580.00 | Matthew Goble, Kendra Bagley | 150 COLLEGE AVE | EPHRAIM | UT | 846.271.550 | 4.352.837.072 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The livestock industry is an important part of Utah's economy, especially in the rural six-county region served by Snow College. Livestock managers apply biological and chemical principles to livestock growth and production. In livestock operations, feed is the largest annual expense. Thus, to increase profitability, livestock farmers and ranchers must find ways to minimize feed costs. An emerging technological approach to feed costs and sustainability is Innovative Livestock Management. This approach includes the use of complex technologies, such as precision irrigation and geospatial monitoring of grazing and feed production to maximize fodder production. In addition, Innovative Livestock Management includes composting technologies to manage livestock waste, while maintaining and improving water quality, increasing environmental sustainability, and producing marketable compost that can further increase profitability. This project will support development of the first Innovative Livestock Management program in Utah. Through this program, students will learn about innovative livestock management approaches and gain the related technical skills to improve economic success, profitability, and sustainability of livestock production. Graduates will be able to apply these skills to manage large industrial ranching operations or small family-owned farms. As a result, this project can strengthen Utah’s agricultural economy, while improving water conservation and water quality. In addition, the new Innovative Livestock Management program, which focuses on scientific, technical, and management skills, may be replicable at colleges throughout the nation. The new Innovative Livestock Management program will offer stackable certificates and an A.A.S. degree. It will also develop articulation agreements that enable students to transfer to four-year institutions and earn advanced degrees. The program will offer a curriculum that includes two new classes, "Forage and Grazing Management" and "Composting and Regenerative Livestock Waste Management," along with modifications of existing courses in irrigation management, animal feeds and animal science, and drones and aerial imagery. Graduates will be able to assume management responsibilities by applying their knowledge and skills in data-driven precision technologies in 1) the planting of forage varieties, 2) the use of fertilizer and irrigation to improve feed production, 3) livestock waste management and composting, 4) the use of drones, GPS, and GIS for monitoring both grazing and feed production, and 5) evaluation of animal performance. An advisory committee of representatives from local livestock industries, including family farms, will guide program development to ensure that it appropriately addresses specific management needs. An additional component of the project will be the development of a pathway that connects high school students in agricultural courses to this program. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000696 | Technician Training in CRISPR-based Gene Editing | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/09/2020 | John McDowell | jmcdowe8@dtcc.edu | DE | Delaware Technical & Community College Stanton-Newark Campus | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 07/01/2020 | 06/30/2024 | $574,327.00 | Eric Kmiec | 100 CAMPUS DR | DOVER | DE | 199.041.383 | 3.024.543.900 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | CRISPR-based gene editing is revolutionizing biological research as a mechanism to efficiently and precisely modify the genome of almost any organism. As a result of the wide incorporation of CRISPER-based technologies in genetic engineering, there is a need for a biotechnology workforce that is trained in its use. Community colleges are adept at meeting rapidly changing workforce needs such as this. To this end, Delaware Technical Community College proposes to develop and incorporate CRISPR-based gene editing training into its biotechnology curriculum. This work will be done in collaboration with the Gene Editing Institute at ChristianaCare, a Delaware-based healthcare organization. The project also aims to provide workshops to train community college faculty across the nation in CRISPR-based gene editing techniques. The trained faculty can in turn educate large numbers of students about this gene editing technique, to better prepare students for the current biotechnology workforce. This partnership combines the content expertise of staff at the Gene Editing Institute with that of faculty at Delaware Technical Community College to develop and implement a high impact CRISPR-based gene editing curriculum and to offer training workshops for faculty. The project includes engagement with industry partners and national experts in bioethics. The professional development workshops will enable participants to broaden biotechnology instruction related to CRISPR use, as well related ethical issues. Through these activities, the project expects to serve nearly 100 bioscience students at Delaware Technical Community College and 90 community college faculty. The intention is to help students gain the knowledge and skills needed to contribute to a rapidly expanding field with a wide range of applications. The specific aims of the project are to: (1) continue to update and provide effective training in state-of-the-art gene editing techniques to prepare students in a two-year biotechnology program to enter bioscience careers or further education; (2) disseminate an advanced, current curriculum and model high impact teaching practices to community college instructors through three and five day gene editing workshops. The employability skills of graduates will be strengthened and broadened with the use of classroom activities that involve analysis and interpretation of bioinformatic data, technical oral presentations, understanding and evaluation of scientific literature, and group work as examples. As a result of these efforts, the project team expects to contribute to the national need for technicians who are skilled in gene editing technologies. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000193 | Expanding Pathways from High School into the Biotechnology Workforce | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/09/2022 | Jaclyn Madden | jmadden@harford.edu | MD | Harford Community College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 09/01/2020 | 08/31/2024 | $493,912.00 | Susan Walker, Pamela Pape-Lindstrom | 401 THOMAS RUN RD | BEL AIR | MD | 210.151.627 | 4.434.122.160 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The nation’s capital region, including Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., is an expanding hub of biotechnology innovation and industry. Consequently, the number of biotechnology jobs is projected to increase in the region, as well as nationally. Despite the growing workforce demand, the public has a limited understanding of the biotechnology field or its promising career options. In addition, high school students, including students from economically challenged, underrepresented, and/or rural backgrounds, have limited exposure to the range of possible college and career choices. This project aims to increase the number and diversity of biotechnicians entering the workforce. To achieve this goal, the project will engage students and their families in workshops to improve their understanding of biotechnology as a vibrant career and to raise awareness of other educational and career opportunities. The project will target high schools with majority-minority enrollment and/or rural status, thus increasing opportunities to enroll students from groups traditionally underrepresented in STEM and in college-level biotechnology programs. This project has the potential to provide opportunities for upward socioeconomic mobility for the members of underrepresented communities in STEM by equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed in biotechnology careers. To address the growing industry demand, the project specific aims include to: (1) develop an associate degree in STEM with a concentration in biotechnology; (2) refresh the curriculum of an existing biotechnology certificate; (3) increase awareness of biotechnology careers and the number and diversity of students completing biotechnology curricula; and (4) provide summer internships for students to develop employability skills in biotechnology. The project includes partnerships with local public-school districts to recruit students into a newly created associate degree in STEM with a concentration in biotechnology. In collaboration with local industry partners, the project will provide summer internships to help students gain professional, field-specific, and career-readiness skills. The project expects to increase and diversify the biotechnology workforce by engaging high school students and their families in community-based outreach events that use hands-on biotechnology activities. Academic and career information, including degree programs, job descriptions, and salaries, will be disseminated at these events. Additionally, the project will create summer professional development opportunities emphasizing biotechnology for high school teachers and a week-long summer institute on the Harford Community College campus for high school students considering biotechnology as a career option. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2055555 | Smart Start to Skilled Technical Careers in Energy Management Technology | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/26/2023 | Jennifer Brinker | jennifer.brinker@nwtc.edu | WI | Northeast Wisconsin Technical College | Standard Grant | Nasser Alaraje | 07/01/2021 | 06/30/2024 | $489,293.00 | Holly Valentine, Brooke Holbrook | 2740 W MASON ST | GREEN BAY | WI | 543.034.966 | 9.204.985.615 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The future of energy use is changing as smart technologies integrate with traditional mechanical systems to control lighting, ventilation, security, and other functions in residential and industrial buildings. For example, modern building controls now include devices such as Wi-Fi enabled lighting controls with daylight sensors, carbon-dioxide sensors to control ventilation rates, and power load alarms for critical needs like food refrigeration. As a result, the need for skilled energy technicians has grown and the skills they need are more complex. In Northeast Wisconsin, the demand for energy management technicians continues to exceed the supply of qualified applicants. Thus, new strategies are needed to address shortages and create a workforce of skilled technicians to manage these technologies. In this project, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College will partner with local employers to increase the number of skilled energy management technicians. Specifically, the project intends to develop an energy management educational program that bridges mechanical equipment engineering skills with information technology and computational skills. The program will be designed to prepare a skilled technical workforce that will address energy management needs in an increasingly internet-connected, global society. Faculty in the existing Energy Management Technology program and the College’s K-12 relations manager will collaborate with industry and secondary education representatives to educate students, instructors, and educational leaders about today’s smart technology-driven building control systems. Through this partnership, the project plans to: create an Energy Controls Career Pathway Certificate as an entry-level pathway credential; increase energy career and education awareness, with attention to recruiting more women to a field traditionally dominated by men; provide curriculum, hands-on resources, training, and supports for high school instructors to deliver a one-credit course in the Certificate; and launch the full Certificate as an entry-level credential through dual credit delivery for high school juniors and seniors. This project has the potential to create a replicable model for meeting employer demand for skilled technicians. Ultimately, it is anticipated that the project will support reductions in the cost of smart energy installations and maintenance, benefiting the environment, as well as consumer health and finances. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000888 | Collaborative Research: Developing Business Communication Skills in Manufacturing Technician Education | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/14/2021 | Sue Smith | sgsmith@ivytech.edu | IN | Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana | Standard Grant | Connie Della-Piana | 08/15/2020 | 07/31/2024 | $217,452.00 | Aaron Baute, David Gray | 50 W FALL CREEK PARKWAY NORTH DR | INDIANAPOLIS | IN | 462.085.752 | 3.179.167.980 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The advanced manufacturing and production fields have growing need for skilled technicians who can communicate effectively in teams. In response to this workforce demand, the project team will develop and test an adaptive virtual reality (VR) platform to help manufacturing technician students learn business communication skills. The platform will deliver interactive case studies that allow students to practice business communication skills needed in a smart factory context. To support integration of these adaptive VR case studies within courses, faculty in advanced manufacturing programs will participate in extensive professional development as they collaboratively develop new VR business communication case studies. In addition, the project will support faculty externships in industry to enhance their knowledge of current trends, skills requirements, new tools, and career opportunities in advanced manufacturing. This knowledge will help them improve their teaching and better serve their students. To strengthen the alignment between coursework and job tasks, the project draws on the long-standing partnership between Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana, Purdue University, and industry partners. Recognizing that the incumbent manufacturing workforce is maturing, the project also focuses on fostering and investigating the communication skills that facilitate the transfer of highly specialized technical skills, knowledge, and expertise across the multiple generations in the manufacturing workforce. The intellectual merit of the project rests on the implementation of a research and development cycle that facilitates the development, testing, investigation, and revision of project activities and deliverables for improvement and goal attainment (e.g., advanced manufacturing technicians who develop the technical knowledge and skills, as well as the soft skills to work efficiently and effectively in modern manufacturing). To answer a priori and emerging questions, the project will conduct a mixed methods study to advance knowledge of the effectiveness of integrating the learning of technical knowledge/skills with soft skills in curricular and educational materials (i.e., case studies within a virtual reality platform). The quantitative and qualitative study will examine the integration of manufacturing and communication job tasks through pre-post outcomes assessments, structured interviews and focus groups, descriptive and trend analyses, analyses of the quality of deliverables and products, and thematic content analyses of information from interviews, focus group discussions, and open-ended survey questions. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000682 | Collaborative Research: Preparing the Workforce for Industry 4.0's Intelligent Industrial Robotics | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/07/2020 | Nancy Wilson | nwilson@lawsonstate.edu | AL | Lawson State Community College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 07/01/2020 | 06/30/2024 | $126,000.00 | Rich Raymond | 3060 WILSON RD SW | BIRMINGHAM | AL | 352.211.798 | 2.059.251.666 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | According to the International Federation of Robotics, nearly 75% of the global market for next-generation industrial robotics is in China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. To remain competitive, U.S. industries need to rapidly accelerate the use of intelligent robotics. As a result, the nation needs to train highly skilled technicians who can program, use, maintain, and repair intelligent industrial robots. This collaborative project will address the nation’s shortfall of qualified technicians in intelligent industrial robotics. It intends to do so by establishing a collaboration between academic institutions and major manufacturers in the eastern and central regions of Tennessee and Alabama. Together these partners will define the necessary skillset for the next-generation industrial robotics technical workforce. They will also develop a curriculum that will allow students to learn those skills. This project will result in one of the first programs in the nation for workforce training in intelligent robotics and artificial intelligence technologies. This effort will thus support U.S. businesses and industries to rapidly and effectively incorporate next-generation robotics in their workplace. The project has the following specific aims: 1) develop intelligent robotics curricular modules; 2) implement train-the-trainer workshops for educators; 3) identify skill sets needed for handling the next-generation robotics; 4) develop a knowledge base of next-generation robotics for secondary and post-secondary educators; and 5) increase public awareness of next-generation robotics. By using a collaboration among four academic institutions in the eastern and central regions of Tennessee and Alabama, and involving major manufacturers in the region, the project expects to deliver outcomes that will be sustainable and can be replicated or adapted at other institutions. This project intends to develop one of the first programs in the nation for workforce training at community and technical colleges in intelligent robotics and artificial intelligence technologies. Since community and technical college supply a significant percentage of the industrial workforce, this project has the potential to help U.S. businesses and industries rapidly and effectively incorporate next-generation robotics in their workplace. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000867 | Advanced Technological Education Coordination Network for Knowledge Sharing in Robotics/Automation and Cybersecurity | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/06/2020 | Evelyn Brown | evelyn_brown@ncsu.edu | NC | North Carolina State University | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 07/01/2020 | 06/30/2024 | $443,619.00 | Jami Dale, Zackary Hubbard | 2601 WOLF VILLAGE WAY | RALEIGH | NC | 276.950.001 | 9.195.152.444 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Technologies involving robotics/automation have become prevalent in US manufacturing and service sectors. Business leaders who adopt these technologies must prioritize cybersecurity to ensure the safety and security of their cyber-physical systems. As a result, the interrelated areas of robotics/automation and cybersecurity are vital to US manufacturers. This project will create an Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Coordination Network that includes community colleges with active ATE projects, Manufacturing Extension Partnerships, Manufacturing USA Institutes, and the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education. The goal of this Coordination Network is to increase members’ understanding of the knowledge and skills required to operate and maintain connected machines securely in a manufacturing setting. Through workshops, virtual communication, and other modalities, this Coordination Network intends to facilitate the sharing of best practices about how to develop community college students’ knowledge and skills in robotics/automation and cybersecurity. It will also promote awareness of organizations and resources that connect students to work-based learning opportunities. This Coordination Network will connect community college students to potential employers in the Manufacturing Extension Parternships client base. By establishing connections and nurturing relationships among members, it is expected that the efforts of the Coordination Network will create synergies that magnify and broaden the impact of individual efforts. The Coordination Network's web portal will make education and training materials available to non-members. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2000904 | Preparing Robotics Technicians for Industry 4.0 | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 03/17/2020 | Richard Hartmann | rhartmann@starkstate.edu | OH | Stark State College of Technology | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 07/01/2020 | 06/30/2024 | $299,961.00 | Donald Ball | 6200 FRANK AVE NW | NORTH CANTON | OH | 447.207.228 | 3.304.946.170 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The fourth Industrial Revolution, also known as Industry 4.0, is already transforming the way companies create products. One consequence of Industry 4.0 is the integration of new technologies into manufacturing processes. Examples of these technologies include the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), autonomous robots, and cyber-physical systems. Given the rapidly changing tools and processes, manufacturers nationwide often struggle to find technicians with the skills needed in these new work environments. An especially critical need exists for qualified automation/robotics technicians. This project aims to address this urgent need in advanced manufacturing by educating technicians who have mechanical skills, together with knowledge of and skills in emerging robotic technologies. Working with industry and educational partners, Stark State College plans to improve training of automation and robotics technicians who will meet current and future industry demands. Potential societal benefits of this project include an updated, industry-aligned automation/robotics curriculum; a stackable technician educational pathway with lower time to degree; development of low-cost training units that simulate advanced manufacturing environments; and a professional development model to better prepare instructors to train tomorrow's automation/robotics technicians. The goals of the project include increasing capacity to effectively train automation/robotics technicians, improving the quality of technician education by better aligning it to workforce needs, and expanding awareness of advanced manufacturing careers among high school students and thus increase participation in automation/robotics programs at both secondary and postsecondary levels. The project aims to achieve these goals by: 1) updating the automation/robotics program curriculum to include training on Industry 4.0 technologies, such as IIoT; 2) creating a new IIoT-focused educational pathway to support student recruitment and retention from high school through associate degree completion; 3) developing low-cost training units to complement the new pathway and curriculum; 4) conducting IIoT boot camps and workshops to engage high school students; and 5) providing professional development to high school and college faculty to grow teaching proficiency and encourage curriculum adoption. Project deliverables and outcomes will be disseminated through regional and national meetings, publications, and webinars or other online mechanisms. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1800929 | Cybersecurity Education for Advanced Manufacturing Organizations | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 10/05/2020 | Tony Hills | thills@northweststate.edu | OH | Northwest State Community College | Standard Grant | R. Corby Hovis | 08/01/2019 | 07/31/2024 | $488,426.00 | Michael Kwiatkowski, William Chaplin, Roger Spears | 22600 State Route 34 | Archbold | OH | 435.029.517 | 4.192.671.335 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Keeping computers and information systems secure is a major challenge. Business, industry, and government need well-prepared technicians who can detect, investigate, and prevent cybersecurity breaches. The growth of cyber-threats has created a need for many more workers who have specific knowledge and skills to meet these workforce demands. The Ohio Cyber Range is a cloud-based, web-accessible environment where cybersecurity students, faculty, and incumbent workers can access educational materials and conduct lab exercises. It provides a virtual setting that simulates the information technology (IT) infrastructure found in a business workplace. Using this virtual cybersecurity training ground, students and faculty can explore real-world scenarios involving networks that would be expensive or impractical to set up in physical lab environments. This project will develop eight to ten cybersecurity training scenarios that focus on specific cybersecurity situations within advanced manufacturing. These scenarios will be deployed on the Ohio Cyber Range, along with associated guides, to facilitate wide usage. The scenarios will also be incorporated into IT courses at Northwest State Community College. The scenarios, the learning objectives, and the related materials will be developed with the advice of engineers and IT professionals from local manufacturing companies. Students and incumbent workers who use the scenarios around the state will be better prepared to meet the cybersecurity needs of Ohio employers. The project will develop training scenarios focusing on topics ranging from basic (e.g., basic networking, subnetting, and enumerating a network) to advanced (e.g., attacking/defending Human Machine Interface [HMI] passwords, attacking/defending Programmable Logic Controller [PLC] register values). Each scenario will have a detailed document that describes the background, instructions, tasks, goals, and learning objectives for the learning exercise associated with the scenario. An independent subject matter expert will review each scenario to ensure that it meets the stated learning objectives and is aligned with national and industry standards. Faculty at Northwest State Community College will incorporate scenarios into several courses, including Networking Fundamentals, Security Auditing, and Programmable Logic Controllers. The project team will offer workshops to faculty from colleges in Ohio and surrounding states to help them effectively add the scenarios to their own courses. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program, which focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1932929 | A New Approach to Evaluate Student Learning Outcomes Resulting From Participation in Remotely Operated Vehicle Competitions | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/29/2019 | Jill Singer | singerjk@buffalostate.edu | NY | SUNY College at Buffalo | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 10/01/2019 | 09/30/2024 | $751,458.00 | 1300 ELMWOOD AVE | BUFFALO | NY | 142.221.004 | 7.168.783.047 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | There is a growing national demand for students who possess content knowledge and skills that prepare them to enter college level technician education programs and the skilled technical workforce. Robotics competitions are popular venues for engaging students in STEM disciplines, and they connect students, mentors, and institutions to a variety of successful and engaging technology-based programs. The Marine Advanced Technology Education Center (MATE) has supported the Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) Competition since 2001 as a way to interest and engage students in STEM, help them develop 21st Century workplace skills, and enable them to envision themselves on career pathways. This project will support high school, community college, and college/university students who participate in regional and international ROV competitions to identify the knowledge and skills they need to gain through this activity, to see clearly the areas where they need to improve, and to use this knowledge to their advantage as they continue their education and/or prepare to enter the workforce. This project builds upon and extends findings obtained using a set of comprehensive post-competition surveys that support the value of the ROV competitions for participating students, and is strongly aligned with the goals of the ATE program. In addition to the MATE Center at Monterey Peninsula College (MPC), the project brings together the State University of New York College at Buffalo (Buffalo State), and the technical resources available through the Science Education Resource Center (SERC) at Carleton College. This project builds on EvaluateUR, a successful evaluation method developed at SUNY Buffalo State. EvaluateUR provides detailed data measuring a broad range of desirable student outcomes that include both content knowledge and outcomes that are critically important in the workplace, such as communication skills, creativity, autonomy, an ability to overcome obstacles, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. EvaluateUR also provides students with "metacognition" skills - the ability to understand their academic strengths and weaknesses and take greater ownership of their own learning. The project will adapt the innovative design of EvaluateUR to serve students participating in MATE's regional and international ROV competitions, support faculty advisors as they mentor students who are designing and building ROVs, and provide reliable feedback to MATE about the academic value of the competitions. The following objectives will be supported: 1) Ensure that all students involved in the competitions know at the outset of their participation what specific knowledge and skills they should be mastering in order to prepare for additional education and/or the workplace; 2) Measure more precisely for each student how much growth he or she has demonstrated toward achieving such mastery; 3) Accomplish these goals in a way that strengthens student metacognitive abilities; and 4) Create a database, for each institution participating in the competitions, of reliable, statistically validated findings showing student growth on specific knowledge and skills. It is also anticipated that other robotics competitions, such as FIRST, VEX, Botball, and the Association of Unmanned Vehicle System International's (AUVSI) suite of land, air, and sea programs, represent potential users of this methodology, and dissemination of project results will include these robotics communities as well as other national associations and the ATE PI community. This project is funded by the NSF Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 1902504 | Building a 1+3-Year High School to College Pathway to Prepare Students for High-demand Jobs in Information Technology | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/26/2019 | Chris Sullivan | chris.sullivan@seattlecolleges.edu | WA | Seattle Community College District Office | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 07/01/2019 | 06/30/2024 | $597,972.00 | Robert Bunge, Jane Hendrickson | 1500 HARVARD AVE | SEATTLE | WA | 981.223.803 | 2.069.342.026 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to create pathways for high school students to pursue training that leads to a Bachelor of Applied Science in Information Technology (IT) from Seattle community colleges, thus preparing the students for high-demand IT jobs. The pathways will enable high school students to earn up to one year of college credit toward the degree. As a result, it will be possible for them to complete their degrees in just three years after transfer to college. This project has the potential to demonstrate how coordination between high schools and community colleges with Bachelor of Applied Science programs in technical fields can help students embark and persist on pathways toward high paying careers. The project addresses the national need for a trained workforce for high demand jobs in areas such as Applications Development, Cyber Security, IT Networking and Data Analytics, while also diversifying the workforce. The project will pursue two primary goals: 1) Create an IT 1+3 Pathway, and 2) Recruit students into the IT 1+3 Pathway by launching an IT Academy at two Seattle Public High Schools with high populations of lower-income students. To achieve the first goal, the three community colleges within the Seattle Colleges District will align foundational college IT courses with high school dual credit IT curriculum, and work with high schools to chart the IT 1+3 pathway. To achieve the second goal, a community-based organization, Computing for All, will assist with community outreach to students and their parents/guardians to ensure the pathway serves a diverse cohort of students, including students from groups that are underrepresented in IT fields. An onboarding class will help students learn about IT careers while they build the skills needed to successfully pursue the IT degree. The partnering institutions will provide extensive support to students in the IT Academies. The support will include mentoring, tutoring, and field trips to help the students succeed in the academy and transition seamlessly to bachelor-degree pathways at local community colleges upon high school graduation. The City of Seattle will inform and advise the project to address digital equity issues for students and communities. A Technical Advisory Committee representing small, mid-size, and large IT companies in the region will inform the work of the IT 1+3 Project, ensuring it is responsive to the enormous need for qualified IT professionals in the region. The evaluation plan will include quantitative and qualitative measures to assess the project's impact on students, faculty, and schools. Once the IT 1+3 pathway is established, the project includes a plan to sustain the pathway through the normal operations of both the high schools and the colleges. The IT 1+3 Project builds on other NSF and ATE projects that are developing pathways to Bachelor of Applied Science degrees in Washington State, with the potential to result in a sustainable and replicable model for similar high school to college pipelines in IT and other technical fields. This project is funded by the NSF Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1801010 | Expanding Educational Opportunities for Nondestructive Testing Technicians | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/23/2023 | Duncan Estep | destep@lorainccc.edu | OH | Lorain County Community College | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 07/01/2018 | 06/30/2024 | $586,948.00 | Heather Cowles, Tracie Clifford | 1005 N ABBE RD | ELYRIA | OH | 440.351.613 | 4.403.655.222 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The demand among companies in the United States for skilled technicians in nondestructive testing (NDT) is growing at a steady rate. These technicians ensure the quality and safety of manufactured products in industries such as aerospace, construction, manufacturing, and transportation. Companies typically create their own internal training programs. The technician employees earn certifications that may only be recognized at a specific company or include only a few types of testing methods. A limited number of educational institutions offer courses or programs in NDT technology. To keep up with the increasing workforce demand for NDT technicians, the nation needs more educational programs that provide complete professional preparation. To meet this need, Lorain County Community College will collaborate with two national industry associations and leading employers of technicians to identify the required skills, student learning outcomes, and best practices for NDT programs. The project has the potential to enhance the preparation of future NDT technicians to meet the need in the nation's workforce. This project main goal is to develop the capacity of community colleges to educate students for jobs in the NDT technician workforce. The project will involve collaboration between Lorain County Community College, the American Society for Nondestructive Testing, the American Welding Society Foundation, and industry partners. It will build upon results from two prior NSF-funded projects at Chattanooga State Community College and Iowa State University that focused in this technology area. Both institutions will also collaborate to accomplish project activities. The collaborators will perform a job task analysis for one technician job level. The results will then be combined with existing job task analyses for the other job levels. This synthesis aims to create comprehensive competency models for NDT technicians. These competency models will be used to define the desirable student learning outcomes for an associate degree that includes stackable credentials. Educators, along with subject matter experts in industry, will review and validate these learning outcomes. A framework for implementing NDT courses and programs will be developed, documented, and disseminated. The existing professional development program, Weld-Ed Module 7, for high school, community college, and university faculty will also be refined and tested at Lorain County Community College. Approaches to promote awareness of NDT technology and career pathways will be developed and implemented. These strategies will emphasize the inclusion of underrepresented groups and veterans to enhance the diversity of the workforce. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1801039 | Recruitment and Retention of Women in Engineering and Engineering Technology | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/12/2023 | Mobin Rastgar Agah | MRastgarAgah@norwalk.edu | CT | Norwalk Community College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 09/01/2018 | 08/31/2024 | $224,999.00 | Nancy Flemming, Forrest Helvie | 188 RICHARDS AVE | NORWALK | CT | 68.541.634 | 2.038.577.263 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Because men make up more than two-thirds of the manufacturing workforce in the United States, women are an untapped resource of talent to help US manufacturers become more globally competitive. Working collaboratively with industry partners to address the regional demand for gender-diversity in engineering and engineering technology (E&ET) occupations, this project at Norwalk Community College in Connecticut aims to to attract more females to the college E&ET education programs. Building on research findings, the project will focus on the following student-centered objectives: (1) designing and implementing strategies for recruiting and retaining female students in E&ET programs; (2) retaining female students by implementing high-impact practices within courses and through student support programs; and (3) designing and delivering a contextualized Intermediate algebra course that includes research based methods for increasing success rates of female students. Because the college has recently been designated a Hispanic Serving Institution, the project will strive to increase in the number of Hispanic female students, further supporting the diversification of the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics workforce. A comprehensive evaluation will be completed to help determine which strategies work best and for whom. This project may provide a model that other community colleges and employers can use to increase workforce diversity. The new recruitment and retention strategies will build upon earlier ATE projects that have been conducted at peer institutions and use resources that have been developed to address the gender gap in E&ET programs. Panel discussions with local business and industry partners will aim to raise awareness of the program on campus and encourage faculty to enhance their course curricula. Using online training and campus workshops, faculty will learn about tools and techniques for supporting diverse learners and how to apply these techniques to their courses. The project will design and pilot a contextualized Intermediate Algebra course, because most of the college E&ET students start at that level, and it is a required course for undecided students. Female students enrolled in that course will be encouraged to pursue a degree in E&ET. The course will include female friendly examples, group work in class, and team projects where women can develop a sense of community and ownership over their learning. This course will be a model for other faculty members who aim to incorporate context- and female-supportive practices in their curriculum. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 1700352 | Lasers and Fiber Optics Regional Center | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/19/2023 | Chrys Panayiotou | cpanayio@irsc.edu | FL | Indian River State College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 09/01/2017 | 08/31/2024 | $3,070,743.00 | Alexei Glebov, James Pearson, Gary Beasley, Dorian McIntire | 3209 VIRGINIA AVE | FORT PIERCE | FL | 349.815.541 | 7.724.624.703 | EDU | 741200 | 096Z, 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Lasers and fiber optics (LFO) undergird most twenty-first century advanced technologies. They are fueling innovations in medical instrumentation, photonics integrated circuits, telecommunications technologies, laser additive manufacturing, remote sensing, analytical instrumentation, and other industries. The economic impact of light-based technologies on the U.S. gross domestic product was $7.5 trillion in 2010. The Department of Labor projects that 1,710 LFO technicians will be needed annually between 2014 and 2024. U.S. colleges with LFO and photonics programs produce only 300 technicians annually. The demand is almost six times the supply. This project will support the education of the workforce needed to keep the U.S. as the world leader in laser and fiber optics enabled technologies. The ATE Regional Center, LASER-TEC, proposes to continue developing the LFO workforce for the southeastern U.S., and will expand the current network of 21 partner colleges. The industrial corporate network will increase to include companies from different sectors of the economy. The goals are to: 1) Increase and strengthen LFO academic programs to meet industry demand; 2) Create and offer LFO professional development programs for secondary school teachers, college faculty, and incumbent workers; 3) Develop LFO curriculum materials for secondary schools, colleges, and industry; 4) Develop, promote, and deliver outreach and awareness programs to secondary STEM teachers, advisors, counselors, and administrators; 5) Develop strategies and materials to recruit and retain underrepresented groups to promote diversity in LFO programs; and 6) Identify and disseminate LFO technicians' skillsets and employment needs in the southeastern U.S. LASER-TEC is working with AIM Photonics, Power America, Advanced Functional Fabrics of America, and other Manufacturing USA Institutes to provide the workforce education and training as new technologies are developed. |
| 2300641 | Training Industrial Technicians for Today and Tomorrow | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/14/2023 | William Freuck | wfreuck@np.edu | AR | National Park Community College | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 10/01/2023 | 09/30/2026 | $349,892.00 | Bill Allison, Robin Pelton | 101 COLLEGE DR | HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK | AR | 719.139.173 | 5.017.604.202 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | As manufacturing continues its rapid evolution towards total automation, multiple challenges have surfaced. Regionally, these challenges include emerging and unmet industry demand for technicians skilled in multi-craft technologies, with recruitment falling short for individuals with both the aptitude and desire for the field. The demand for technicians continues to grow with 206 job postings since May 2022 with an average monthly posting of 13 jobs within the area served by National Park Community College (NPCC). This project will fill the employment gaps that currently exist in advanced manufacturing while also preparing students for positions currently unfilled or yet to be created. With guidance from employers through a Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT) this project will create stackable credentials and multiple degree paths. These include opportunities for high school students to be introduced to the field initially through a formal education program, then to continue as and/or otherwise enroll new community college students in the same educational field, and finally to integrate incumbent workers in the same skills enhancements programming. Through this project, at least 20 students will be recruited to participate as high school students to earn certifications and pursue opportunities that can help them attain an associate degree. There are three opportunity zones in the vicinity of NPCC where on average 43% of residents live in poverty. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, only 32% of residents between the ages of 18-24 in the county where NPCC is located have completed some level of postsecondary education compared to the US average of 55%. Since the lack of postsecondary educational attainment is strongly correlated with of families living in poverty, this project offers the potential to ameliorate these conditions by focusing on recruitment of students from these opportunity zones. The goal of the project is to update and expand the current Industrial Technology program to be more aligned with industry needs. The majority of the challenges identified will be addressed and mitigated with the inclusion of industry credentialing and laboratory upgrades that integrate relevant, emerging technologies with the manufacturing industry. Additionally, faculty professional development will be critical in the overall success of these steps. Lastly, this project will also create the opportunity to incorporate alternate delivery modes by creating work-based learning opportunities in the form of internships, pre-apprenticeship, and apprenticeship programs. In addition to adding newly created credentials into the secondary school sector, thus further advancing the knowledge of high school students, multiple concentrations and “stop out points” will be available for students enrolled in the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) General Technology Degree. Stop out points include academic Certificates of Proficiency (CPs) and a Technical Certificate (TC) that can be applied towards degree attainment. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the nation and region’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2301051 | Advancing Technical Career Pathways for Uniquely Abled Adults | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/27/2023 | Craig Van Hamersveld | CVanHamersveld@DallasCollege.edu | TX | Dallas College | Standard Grant | Kalyn Owens | 07/01/2023 | 06/30/2026 | $640,677.00 | Robert Simon | 4343 IH-30 | MESQUITE | TX | 751.502.018 | 9.728.607.725 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national interest by developing a unique collaboration between educators, autism specialists, social service agencies, and the machine technology industry to create vocational opportunities for uniquely abled, Level I Autistic individuals. The project will leverage this dynamic network of experts to prepare students to enter high-demand technical careers as Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machinists, a career pathway in American manufacturing that matches with the unique abilities of most adults with Level I Autism. Eligible students will be supported to enter college, navigate a customized technical education program and transition into a job as a machinist. As a result, the project will increase the number of trained CNC technicians in the North Texas Region and increase the number of Level I Autistic individuals in the technical workforce. Ultimately, the project intends to fill significant gaps in customized training programs and employment opportunities for the autistic community in the local Dallas-Fort Worth area and serve as a model for the implementation of technical programs at the national level. This project will develop and implement a credit, CNC Mill & Lathe Operator Level I career pathway for uniquely abled, Level I Autistic students. This novel career pathway will focus on the following five critical areas to meet the needs of the target population and build a fast-track path to the workforce: 1) partnership development, 2) student support and resources, 3) curriculum improvements, 4) professional development, and 5) awareness for families, faculty, staff, employers, and community organizations. The project will convene a collaborative of industry partners, vocational rehabilitation providers, local independent school districts, and Dallas College internal stakeholders to establish the foundation for identifying, recruiting, and serving Level I Autistic individuals. In addition, the pathway will integrate a career readiness course to support the development of professional skills and better prepare participants for the workplace. Industry partners will provide experiential learning opportunities, host on-site tours, and provide classroom guest speakers. The Dallas College Student Care Network will provide extensive support and resources to participants such as mental and physical health services, childcare, transportation assistance, and access to food pantries. A learning laboratory will be designated exclusively for participants to ensure skill attainment in an environment that is tailored to their unique needs and growth in the project. Creating a technical career pathway for Level I Autistic individuals will enhance the diversity of the workforce and offer long term careers that provide a living wage. Through dissemination efforts as part of the North Texas Consortium of Community Colleges, this model will be introduced to other colleges and universities especially in the Dallas area and has the potential to be translated to other programs and careers. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2301179 | Connecting the Coast to the Cloud | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 05/04/2023 | Melissa Hayes | robin.hayes@mgccc.edu | MS | Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College | Standard Grant | Huihui Wang | 06/01/2023 | 05/31/2026 | $649,120.00 | Jamie Gruich, Vick Gauthreaux, Jamie Olson, Brian Donegan | 51 MAIN ST | PERKINSTON | MS | 395.733.374 | 6.019.286.278 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | As local industries implement cloud-based solutions, there is an increasing need of skilled technicians to implement, maintain, and troubleshoot cloud services. This project team plans to design the curricula for a degree in Cloud Administration Technology with the input from local industry representatives to meet industry workforce needs. Students will get training related to networking, Internet of Things (IoT), programming, virtualization, and cloud computing. The project will take an interdisciplinary approach to prepare students to transfer their knowledge and skills to the workforce. The proposed project has the potential to grow the local talent-pool of cloud service technicians and provide a model curriculum informed by industry's needs for other community colleges to use. The three main goals of this project are: (1) to design a new curriculum leading to an AAS degree and/or a certificate in Cloud Administration Technology, (2) to increase the supply and diversity of the IT workforce in the Mississippi Gulf Coast region by increasing the enrollment of military veterans, removing obstacles for attendance of other students, and incorporating devices specific to students with special needs, and (3) to improve curriculum for the existing certificate in IoT and Smart Technology. The project team intends to work with local industry and high schools to enhance existing courses and develop new courses, while making the program more accessible to all students. The proposed curricula will be disseminated on the ATE Central website and outcomes will be shared locally at the biannual advisory committee meetings. The project team will attend and present at the annual ATE PI conference, as well other professional development conferences and workshops. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2300902 | Training Electric Vehicle Technicians to Accelerate Massachusetts' Automotive Future | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/02/2023 | ERIC ALMEIDA | ealmeida@mwcc.mass.edu | MA | Mount Wachusett Community College | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 10/01/2023 | 09/30/2026 | $350,000.00 | John Pignataro | 444 GREEN ST | GARDNER | MA | 14.401.378 | 9.786.326.600 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The automotive technician career field is changing rapidly, and the U.S. is currently in the middle of an industry transition from traditional combustion engine vehicles to those with hybrid and battery electric vehicle (EV) technologies. A recent survey of Massachusetts car dealers and independent automotive repair facilities have all indicated that they are facing a shortage of automotive technicians trained in hybrid and EV technology. This project from Mount Wachusett Community College will address an emerging regional demand for technicians skilled in EV technologies by developing a new Hybrid and EV curriculum for an Advanced Automotive Technician Hybrid and EV certificate and degree program. Throughout the project, 40 students will be recruited into this new degree and certificate program in the repair and maintenance of electric vehicles. The project will train faculty and provide the program with Hybrid and EV training equipment. It will also develop a new state-of the-art industry informed curriculum, develop a prior learning assessment framework, and tools for incumbent workers. Finally, the project team will build internship opportunities and employer partner relationships to foster student engagement, and institute a recruitment and retention strategy for a diverse group of students. The project is expected to generate new knowledge on how to augment a traditional combustion engine automotive technician program with emerging Hybrid and EV technologies. This project will also provide a model for engaging incumbent workers to accelerate their progress towards a certificate or degree in Hybrid and EV. Finally, the project will build knowledge about creating a high school student pipeline for the Hybrid and EV technician fields, with an additional special emphasis on recruiting females into the field. The overarching goal of the project is to create an industry supported advanced automotive degree and certificate program in the repair and maintenance of Electric Vehicles that meets employer’s needs for skilled, knowledgeable, and more diverse EV automotive technicians. Approximately 40 students are expected to enroll in this certificate and degree program over 3 years, with an increase of female students and an additional 40 dual enrolled high school students. Three faculty will be trained in Hybrid and EV technology during summer learning experiences. Students new to the field completing ten Automotive courses with EV and Hybrid technologies embedded in them, will earn the certificate, needing only another 7 general education classes to earn the Associate Degree. Alternatively, incumbent workers with prior experience or completion of a prior learning assessment test will potentially be able to receive credit for up to seven core courses to earn their certificate and/or Associates Degree. The Business and Industry Leadership Team will inform and enrich the curriculum by mapping out the scope of skills and knowledge essential for Hybrid and EV Automotive Repair and Maintenance technicians. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2331455 | Collaborative Research: Resource Collaborative for Immersive Technologies (RECITE) | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/15/2023 | David Presley | dpresley@mscc.edu | TN | Motlow State Community College | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 10/01/2023 | 09/30/2026 | $104,607.00 | 6015 LEDFORD MILL RD | TULLAHOMA | TN | 373.887.972 | 6.154.558.511 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Extended reality (XR) technologies are being rapidly integrated into industry and society, yet their integration into technician education lags. These technologies, which include 360° photography and videography (360), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), and virtual reality (VR), have tremendous potential to enhance student learning and are poised to revolutionize the educational experience. This project will create an innovative ecosystem supporting XR technology utilization in technician education, foster new collaborations, develop community standards, and enhance technician workforce pathways to ensure national industry competitiveness. The project will improve STEM technician education through the accelerated integration of XR technologies into technician education programs. The goals of the project are: 1) Assess XR technology adoption and attitudes in NSF ATE program domains and create implementation and dissemination resources for two-year colleges; 2) Develop and implement XR technology faculty professional development for direct instruction; 3) Develop an XR technology website and products repository for ATE projects and Open Educational Resources using XR technology; and 4) Grow and broaden XR implementation by connecting high schools, academia, and industry. It is expected that the project’s findings will contribute to the development of best practices and inform the design of effective XR experiences for technician students, provide evidence-based recommendations on the use of XR technologies in technician education programs, establish design principles for XR simulations, aiming to create inclusive and accessible experiences for all users, including those with disabilities, varied learning styles, and diverse cultural backgrounds, and offer designers best practices to ensure these technologies benefit and impact all learners effectively. The project will fill critical gaps in the current understanding of how to effectively integrate XR technologies into technical education. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2301154 | Strengthening and Diversifying Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing Pathways | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/14/2023 | Michael Zimmerman | michael.zimmerman@nwktc.edu | KS | NORTHWEST KANSAS TECHNICAL COLLEGE, INC. | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 10/01/2023 | 09/30/2026 | $297,792.00 | 1209 HARRISON AVE | GOODLAND | KS | 677.353.441 | 7.858.903.641 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The Kansas region is facing a serious advanced manufacturing labor shortage that inhibits industry growth and economic development in low-income rural communities. This project from Northwest Kansas Technical College will establish an academic pathway with built-in micro-credentials that are aligned with the needs of industry to increase awareness of the industry to secondary students and potentially expedite employment in these high-demand fields. Over the 3-year project, 83 students from 5 regional secondary schools will be recruited to complete 3 courses in advanced manufacturing technology. The project will bring advanced manufacturing technology and equipment into the classrooms of the secondary schools for hands-on components of the courses. Educators at the secondary schools will receive professional development training on the equipment and technology in order to better serve students taking the courses and increase adaptation of the technology into other related courses and projects. Career opportunities in advanced manufacturing will be presented to students through regional industry partners that visit the secondary schools. Because the project will be focusing on reaching regional secondary students, there is a large focus to increase the diversity of students that complete the project, and continue their education with the goal of employment in a STEM field. The overall goal of the project is to increase the number of students entering the STEM workforce in the region with relevant classwork and industry experience. 83 students are expected to enroll over the 3 years of the project and 9 faculty members will be trained with a mixture of in-person, hands-on professional development and hybrid coursework. Students will take 3 courses that will introduce them to additive and subtractive manufacturing technology and processes, as well as the design principles used in both processes. Students will complete a capstone project to demonstrate skills learned and they will present their project to industry partners for review and feedback. College faculty members will work closely with members of the industry advisory committee to develop and integrate up-to-date industry-relevant material for students and proper professional development for faculty members. Advisory board members will send representatives to the secondary schools periodically throughout the timeline of the project to lead marketing efforts of the project and increase awareness of the industry. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2300884 | Growing Rural Iowa's Cybersecurity Workforce | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/08/2023 | Andy Alderson | andy.alderson@indianhills.edu | IA | Indian Hills Community College | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 10/01/2023 | 09/30/2026 | $564,203.00 | Kate Wilson, Nathan Tillotson | 525 GRANDVIEW AVE | OTTUMWA | IA | 525.011.359 | 6.416.835.111 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Data breaches and cyberattacks are becoming increasingly common and it is imperative that networks and computers are protected from malicious actions by outside entities. Unfortunately, businesses and organizations in rural settings are at a higher risk for cybersecurity incidents given the lack of trained cybersecurity technicians to protect the computing systems these organizations rely on. The goal of this project is to help address the Nation’s need for skilled cybersecurity professionals by developing an educational pipeline that will produce skilled cybersecurity technicians capable of protecting vulnerable computing assets in rural Iowa and beyond. The focus of the project will be to redesign and add new hands-on training tools to an existing cybersecurity and systems administration AAS program at Indian Hills Community College, which is located in rural southeast Iowa. The goals of the project will be accomplished by: (1) revamping the college’s cybersecurity and systems administration AAS program by integrating courses, modules and laboratory exercises developed by the National CyberWatch Center; (2) procuring and operating a cyber range for hands-on training; (3) launching a Capture the Flag competition to provide rural postsecondary students, secondary students and secondary educators with in-depth exposure to the field; and (4) hiring dedicated personnel to focus on increasing enrollment, retention and graduation in the AAS program. This project will advance our understanding of, and develop and test strategies aimed at increasing enrollment, retention, and completion among rural, two-year college cybersecurity students. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2300914 | Competency-Based Education for Automation Technologies to Improve Student Success | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/18/2023 | Paul Volkl | pvolkl@scciowa.edu | IA | Southeastern Community College Burlington | Standard Grant | Christine Delahanty | 08/01/2023 | 07/31/2026 | $649,499.00 | Ashlee Spannagel | 1500 W AGENCY RD | WEST BURLINGTON | IA | 526.551.698 | 3.197.522.731 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Manufacturing is the largest in-demand industry sector for skilled workers in southeast Iowa and is also the source of the most high-paying jobs in the region. Skilled technicians are needed who can successfully troubleshoot, repair, and maintain the machinery and equipment that powers the various manufacturing processes in operation at manufacturing facilities. The existing Industrial Controls, Automation, and Robotics Technology technician degree program currently has low retention and graduation rates, some of which is due to the variability of students’ technical skills on entry to the program. Industry stakeholders would like to see students completing the program sooner, with credential-earning opportunities, and in a manner where they can demonstrate their mastery of skill competencies. Competency-Based Education has shown promise in providing a learning environment in which students with different learning abilities can learn and demonstrate competency for a set of specific skills. A competency-based curriculum will allow students to work at their own pace asynchronously through structured competencies allowing them to master each competency prior to moving to the next one. This project will transform courses in the current degree program into a Competency-Based Education model to improve the retention and persistence rates of students. Recruiting activities will focus on increasing the number of students from disadvantaged socio-economic groups in the program. The goals of this project are to: 1) increase the number of graduates for a degree program in automation technologies; 2) create a flexible learning lab to increase student accessibility to hands-on learning experiences; 3) increase the number of high school students in dual enrollment courses; and 4) expand industry involvement to promote career paths for students. To achieve these goals, this project will redesign the courses in the current degree program using a Competency-Based Education modality which will include alignment to industry-recognized credentials and course-level competencies and the development of skills assessments and master course shells. High school students will have the opportunity to take dual enrollment courses that will decrease the time to graduation and increase student awareness of career opportunities. A Teacher Academy and externships in industry will provide high school teachers with the opportunity to learn about careers within the manufacturing sector involving automation technologies. A mixed methods approach to data collection and analysis will be used to assess the impact of the project on student enrollment, retention, and persistence. Project results will be disseminated to the technician education community through a project website, an annual report, conference presentations, and professional publications. This project will build upon the body of knowledge related to: innovative course delivery approaches; K-14 career pathways to increase student enrollment, retention, and completion; flexible learning labs to meet student needs; and expanded industry involvement to promote career paths for students. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2300938 | Strengthening Building & Construction Technician Training with Alternative Energy Sources to Advance Sustainability (B/C Alt-Energy Tech) | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/06/2023 | Alexandra Ion | alexandra.ion@fscj.edu | FL | Florida State College at Jacksonville | Standard Grant | Keith Sverdrup | 07/01/2023 | 06/30/2026 | $616,435.00 | laila kadi | 501 WEST STATE STREET | JACKSONVILLE | FL | 322.023.099 | 9.046.323.327 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This Advanced Technological Education Program Track 2 project aims to serve the national interest by improving curricula and educational materials in building and construction science technician education for the Northeast Florida region. By 2050, according to environmental scientists’ predictions, the United States will be entirely dependent on renewable energy. This includes going green in the building and construction science industry. Carrying out this transition of the nation’s energy infrastructure will require a robust construction technician workforce that integrates building science and energy-efficiency knowledge into their standard practice. Florida State College at Jacksonville’s project, Strengthening Building and Construction Technician Training with Alternative Energy Sources to Advance Sustainability, supports a significant effort to increase our capacity to educate students and regional technicians. The project goals are to: 1) create an Alternative Energies track, as part of Associate of Science degree programs that will prepare students to earn multiple industry-recognized credentials in alternative energies use in building and construction, 2) establish an Alternative Energies and Materials Laboratory for students to practice installation and performance analysis techniques, 3) design and build a low-cost classroom alternative energy and thermal conductivity trainer for teachers to use in secondary courses, and 4) create a career pipeline for K-12 populations, including underrepresented students, and professional development activities for secondary school teachers. Fifty (50) college students, 10 incumbent workers, 5 postsecondary faculty members, 20 high school teachers participating in faculty workshops and 40 high school students will gain knowledge and skills. Enrollment of underrepresented populations will increase by at least five percent through using diversity best practices. Dissemination will take place at regional and national levels. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2331454 | Collaborative Research: Resource Collaborative for Immersive Technologies (RECITE) | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/15/2023 | Luis Perez | lperez@cast.org | MA | CAST, Inc. | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 10/01/2023 | 09/30/2026 | $169,947.00 | 50 SALEM ST BLDG B | LYNNFIELD | MA | 19.402.600 | 7.812.452.212 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Extended reality (XR) technologies are being rapidly integrated into industry and society, yet their integration into technician education lags. These technologies, which include 360° photography and videography (360), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), and virtual reality (VR), have tremendous potential to enhance student learning and are poised to revolutionize the educational experience. This project will create an innovative ecosystem supporting XR technology utilization in technician education, foster new collaborations, develop community standards, and enhance technician workforce pathways to ensure national industry competitiveness. The project will improve STEM technician education through the accelerated integration of XR technologies into technician education programs. The goals of the project are: 1) Assess XR technology adoption and attitudes in NSF ATE program domains and create implementation and dissemination resources for two-year colleges; 2) Develop and implement XR technology faculty professional development for direct instruction; 3) Develop an XR technology website and products repository for ATE projects and Open Educational Resources using XR technology; and 4) Grow and broaden XR implementation by connecting high schools, academia, and industry. It is expected that the project’s findings will contribute to the development of best practices and inform the design of effective XR experiences for technician students, provide evidence-based recommendations on the use of XR technologies in technician education programs, establish design principles for XR simulations, aiming to create inclusive and accessible experiences for all users, including those with disabilities, varied learning styles, and diverse cultural backgrounds, and offer designers best practices to ensure these technologies benefit and impact all learners effectively. The project will fill critical gaps in the current understanding of how to effectively integrate XR technologies into technical education. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2301188 | Recruiting Rural Students and Veteran Populations into an Aviation Maintenance Associate Degree Program | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/08/2023 | Perry Sloan | perry.sloan@kctcs.edu | KY | Kentucky Community & Technical College System | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 07/01/2023 | 06/30/2026 | $344,846.00 | Dallas King, Dana Calland | 300 N MAIN ST | VERSAILLES | KY | 403.831.245 | 8.592.563.397 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The goal of this project is to address a documented regional and national need for Aviation Maintenance Technicians. Maysville Community and Technical College (MCTC) will develop enrollment strategies and a certificate program designed to attract rural students and veteran populations into MCTC’s Aviation Maintenance associate degree program. MCTC will partner with area high schools offering Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association or STEM programs, airport boards, Experimental Aircraft Association chapters, and aviation maintenance employers to create an aviation maintenance educational pathway through outreach activities and by aligning existing high school programs to the MCTC Aviation Maintenance Technology associate degree program. This project has two goals: 1) Address the documented needs of the aviation industry for maintenance technicians by aligning and streamlining secondary, postsecondary, and adult education pathways into the workforce 2) Address the documented needs of rural populations matriculating to technician programs through the creation of engagement and outreach activities for regional community exposure to educational and career opportunities in the aviation maintenance industry. Program evaluation includes both formative evaluation for refinement of project activities and summative evaluation to establish outcomes that will be used to improve the recruitment of rural student and veteran populations into aviation maintenance technician programs. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2301161 | Advanced Technological Education in Manufacturing | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/19/2023 | Bryan Coddington | bcoddington@blackhawk.edu | WI | BLACKHAWK TECHNICAL COLLEGE DISTRICT | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 10/01/2023 | 09/30/2026 | $345,365.00 | John Dorcey | 6000 S COUNTY ROAD G | JANESVILLE | WI | 535.469.458 | 6.087.576.344 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | As manufacturing continues to become more technologically advanced regionally and nationwide, industry has indicated that many more skilled technicians are needed to maintain, support, and implement these advancements. With an aging workforce moving into retirement, companies will need job-ready graduates who are capable of working independently within six months of employment rather than the typical 1-2 years. This project will research the effectiveness of implementing work-based learning in a technical education setting by shortening the time required for graduates to be job-ready and confident in their abilities. Over the 3-year project, 57 students will be recruited to complete credit-bearing courses in one of two cohorts that will result in an associate level degree within the manufacturing field of mechatronics. Through collaboration with a 20-member advisory council, and guidance from a Business Industry & Leadership Team (BILT) key competencies will be defined and implemented into the work-based learning courses that will utilize a faculty and student designed automated manufacturing cell to simulate real world work experience. The first cohort will complete the degree using the current courses while a second cohort will have select courses replaced with work-based learning to make up the two research groups. A skills assessment will be developed to measure the effectiveness of the two instructional methodologies and inform the need for future work. Because Blackhawk Technical College has a significant number of non-traditional students in the mechatronics program, this project has the potential to increase the number of workers who are underrepresented in STEM related fields. This project will also provide valuable insight into the effectiveness of work-based learning in preparing students for gainful employment. The goal of the project is to shorten the time required for graduates to become confident in their skills and be capable of working independently through relevant classwork and work-based learning experiences. 57 students are expected to enroll over the 3-years of the project. The first cohort (A) will consist of half of the students and will complete the credit-bearing coursework in its current form, as a control, while another cohort (B), will have four, single-credit courses replaced with 288 hours of work-based instruction. Cohort B will also have a mini capstone project added to select courses to further enhance hands-on learning opportunities. Qualitative and quantitative data will be used to determine the effectiveness of the work-based learning modality with results being shared regionally across the Wisconsin Technical College System and nationally through NSF ATE conferences. Collaboration between faculty, advisory council, industry partners, and the Business and Industry Leadership Team will provide students with relevant and up-to-date information on advanced technology within the workplace. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2302242 | Cybersecurity Enhancement and Expansion Program for Information Technology Programs at the College of Central Florida | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/19/2023 | Amy Osborne | osbornea@cf.edu | FL | College of Central Florida | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 10/01/2023 | 09/30/2026 | $302,105.00 | 3001 SW COLLEGE RD | OCALA | FL | 344.744.415 | 3.522.372.111 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The growing need for cybersecurity professionals is well documented. The Florida state legislature created “The Florida Center for Cybersecurity,” also known as “Cyber Florida,” in 2014 with the “vision of making Florida the most cyber-secure state in the nation.” To support this initiative and to increase the number of cybersecurity professionals in the region, the College of Central Florida (CF) will develop a new College Credit Certificate (CCC) focused on cybersecurity with a pathway into the workforce via industry partnerships and co-ops/internships. The project will implement outreach activities that target high school and community college students, adult students, and the larger community. The goal of the project is to address the increasing demand for a qualified cybersecurity workforce in the region by expanding CF’s capacity to attract, retain and successfully certify an increased number of students. The lessons learned from this project will contribute valuable empirical data on associate-level cybersecurity education and workforce training and will be disseminated to the education community. The proposed project will accomplish the following objectives: (1) Develop a new CCC with a focus on cybersecurity; (2) Increase the number and diversity of students enrolled in cybersecurity and IT programs and certificates; and (3) Increase the number of students who complete Cybersecurity /IT programs, and pass industry certifications. Local employers and the National Cybersecurity Training & Education Center (NCyTE) will guide the development of the new cybersecurity CCC. The project will examine whether offering a financial aid-eligible 30-credit hour CCC focused specifically on cybersecurity makes a difference in the number and gender of students it attracts. The new course curricula and materials as well as insights generated by the project implementation will be shared with other institutions across the country via CF website, Cyber Florida, and the NCyTE Center. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2301256 | Flexible Technical Education Pathways in a Building Automation Technology Program | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 09/12/2023 | Jeffrey Pedelty | jeffrey.pedelty@montcalm.edu | MI | MONTCALM COMMUNITY COLLEGE | Standard Grant | Kalyn Owens | 10/01/2023 | 09/30/2026 | $631,715.00 | Deborah Dawson-Gunther | 2800 COLLEGE DR | SIDNEY | MI | 488.859.723 | 9.893.282.100 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national interest by developing a Building Automation Technology program to prepare students for high-demand technical careers in the west-central Michigan region. In collaboration with industry and other academic institutions, courses will be designed and offered to technical education students in SMART HVAC systems, energy storage, production controls in manufacturing, and cybersecurity related to these control systems. The course curriculum will be aligned with industry certifications to better prepare students for the current and future needs of employers in the region. The result will be an increase in the number of skilled building automation technicians that enter the regional workforce each year of the project. Ultimately, this effort aims to fill significant gaps in the availability of customized training programs that meet the needs of industry in today’s data and automation driven society. This project team will collaborate with industry to complete the following activities: 1) create Building Automation Technology courses for Industry 4.0 HVAC systems, including SMART systems and effective data storage, 2) develop energy storage curriculum to support electric vehicles, 3) provide students with practical experience in data and production controls in advanced manufacturing and HVAC systems, and 4) include the creation of cybersecurity curriculum related to controls for advanced manufacturing and municipalities. Course curriculum will prioritize hands-on lab activities and work-based learning experiences as a way to actively engage students in practical and effective skill development. A flexible pathway model with multiple on and off ramps that result in certificates, industry credentials, apprenticeships, degrees, and/or the option to transfer will be implemented. An external evaluation will be conducted to assess project activities and outcomes with a focus on contributing to the body of knowledge on preparing skilled technicians to support the advanced manufacturing industry. A targeted dissemination plan will be carried out that shares project results with other Michigan state two-year colleges and at the national level through presentations to the broader technical education community. This project is funded by the Advanced Technology Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2300420 | Creating an Agriculture Workforce Pipeline of STEM Technicians Trained in Water Analysis | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/26/2023 | Peter Fandel | pf078@icc.edu | IL | Illinois Central College | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 08/01/2023 | 07/31/2026 | $349,397.00 | Bradley Rose | 1 COLLEGE DR | EAST PEORIA | IL | 616.350.001 | 3.096.945.011 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Illinois is an agricultural state with related commodities generating billions of dollars annually. The economic plan of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) emphasizes investing in research and innovation as one of its guiding priorities, with a focus on agriculture and agri-business. STEM technicians trained in water quality analysis and who can provide vital information to Illinois farmers are in high demand, and this demand is expected to continue. A consequence of large-scale agricultural production, however, is field nutrient loss as rain carries fertilizer run-off into local waterways, contributing to hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. The NSF ATE project at Illinois Central College (ICC) is designed to grow the Illinois economy and workforce while addressing environmental and health concerns generated by farmland nutrient loss. This project will create a pipeline of STEM technicians to meet the demands of regional employers, as well as contribute to scientific research by generating data for the Illinois’ Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (INLRS) to measure nitrogen and phosphorous field runoff. ICC’s project will accomplish these goals by: 1) improving student proficiency in conducting scientific experimentation and increasing student awareness of STEM technician careers; and 2) generating and sharing scientific data and agricultural strategies to support conservation and water quality. This project will provide students with hands-on experience in conducting scientific experimentation and will better prepare them to enter the STEM technician workforce via enhanced course curricula and work-based learning activities. Over three years, 55 students will successfully utilize instrumentation for water sample analysis with 20 of those students demonstrating increased awareness of the INLRS and the health and environmental impacts of nutrient loss. As part of the project, selected students will participate in internships with industry partners, and it is anticipated that a subset of students will secure employment in STEM technician jobs within six months of associate degree completion. Additionally, this project will increase awareness of STEM and agriculture education and career opportunities for students by: 1) engaging approximately 200 high school students and teachers annually through an Agricultural Showcase and Field Day; 2) delivering professional development to high school teachers and college faculty on STEM teaching-learning strategies; and 3) providing STEM-focused professional development to guidance counselors, advisors, and career counselors at ICC. External evaluators will assess student preparedness as entry-level STEM technicians as well as the scientific efficacy of specific agricultural conservation practices. Results and data from this project will be disseminated regionally through the Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership, the Illinois Corn Growers Association, the INLRS, and will be presented at the Illinois Association of Vocational Agricultural Teachers conference. Project results will be nationally disseminated through the Community College Alliance for Agricultural Advancement and through NSF ATE conferences. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2300974 | Advancing Progress in Industrial BioManufacturing to Accelerate Workforce Readiness | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/17/2023 | Louise Petruzzella | lpetruzzella@biomade.org | CA | BIOINDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING AND DESIGN ECOSYSTEM | Standard Grant | Virginia Carter | 08/01/2023 | 07/31/2026 | $510,430.00 | Amanda Rosenzweig, Thomas Tubon | 1400 65TH ST STE 200 | EMERYVILLE | CA | 946.081.020 | 6.518.676.588 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The rapidly expanding sector of biotechnology requires a workforce trained in all aspects of biomanufacturing. This project, in particular, is leading the development of workforce programming designed to increase career readiness and occupational competencies in the emerging space of bioindustrial manufacturing. While existing programs that lead to degrees and credentials in biotechnology provide critical core skills, they fall short of meeting the industry benchmarks for the skills and competencies in demand for industrial scale bioprocessing. New curricula are needed to teach critical engineering principles such as analysis, design, development, scale-up, and commercialization of bio-based processes and products. Expansion of the talent pool to leverage the existing biotechnology program infrastructure in our Nation’s community colleges will require the development and adoption of new curricular materials to integrate key benchmarks for bioprocess engineering. Instructional modules created as part of this project will guide other colleges with materials adaptation and course integration during the scale-out phase of the project. Three goals guide this project's collaboration between Delgado Community College (DCC) and Bioindustrial Manufacturing and Design Ecosystem (BioMADE). First is to formalize a Community of Practice (CoP) for workforce agencies, academic institutions, and industry/commercial entities to inform local, regional, and national workforce efforts in bioindustrial manufacturing. Second is to develop, test, and finalize key bioprocessing concept education modules that meet performance benchmarks for bioindustrial manufacturing. Third is to increase capacity of a diverse and inclusive workforce ecosystem as well as career entry through the deployment of curricular materials and dissemination efforts, such as industry-driven workshops, government interagency collaboration, and expanded community and technical college curriculum adoption. This project will fill knowledge gaps related to bioprocessing for careers in bioindustrial manufacturing. These efforts will contribute to a well-prepared, industry-qualified, and diverse biomanufacturing workforce. Not only will the proposed BioMADE project produce resources that will address skills and advancement opportunities for high-skilled technicians in the bioindustrial manufacturing industry, but it will ensure that that industry has the talent it needs to drive innovation and regional bioeconomic security. This project will increase the number and diversity of students who enter the bioindustrial manufacturing workforce in the deep South of the United States, but the resources generated will enhance existing biotechnology workforce programs more widely. BioMADE will disseminate these resources broadly through channels that impact our active and veteran military, existing biotechnology education programs, local workforce development agencies, and interagency/cross-government agency networks. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2300867 | Cyber Data Analytics Education, Curriculum, and Workforce Development | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/07/2023 | Debasis Bhattacharya | debasisb@hawaii.edu | HI | University of Hawaii | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 07/15/2023 | 06/30/2026 | $648,169.00 | Thomas Blamey | 2425 CAMPUS RD SINCLAIR RM 1 | HONOLULU | HI | 968.222.247 | 8.089.567.800 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project will help to address the Nation’s need for skilled cybersecurity professionals by developing a Cyber Data Analytics technician workforce development program. This program will deliver a blended education of cybersecurity and data science that will cover the risks, threats, and vulnerabilities faced by small businesses. The project will focus on associate degree students and will extend Cyber Data Analytics across multiple disciplines, by offering industry relevant courses to students from degree programs in business, healthcare, accounting, electronics, and criminal justice. A novel component of this project is the creation of culturally responsive curriculum content that will be localized for Hawaiian traditions and customs. This project will produce evidence-based modules for teaching Cyber Data Analytics that can be incorporated into existing curriculum in community colleges. The project will add to the knowledge base for technician education by studying the impact of this program on teachers and students. Moreover, the research will examine what aspects of the program increase student completion and job placement. Four objectives will guide the work of the project team. First is to create four new courses and a new online Certificate for Cyber Data Analytics. Second is to provide opportunities for students in non-computing associate degree programs to be introduced to field of Cyber Data Analytics. Third is to train faculty in community colleges in the use of the curriculum modules. Fourth, and finally, is to engage high school teachers in STEM CTE, high school counselors, and students from underrepresented groups such as women and minorities, to participate in entrepreneurship project-based learning opportunities. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2300876 | Building Connections to Meet Biotechnology Industry Demands through Technical Education | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 07/07/2023 | Julie Gonzalez | jegonzalez2@dmacc.edu | IA | Des Moines Area Community College | Standard Grant | Michael Davis | 10/01/2023 | 09/30/2026 | $350,000.00 | Lauren Kinkead, Andrew Guinness | 2006 S ANKENY BLVD | ANKENY | IA | 500.238.995 | 5.159.646.200 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | The growing demand for skilled bioscience lab technicians is important to the future economic success of Iowa. Increasing the biotechnology workforce is also recognized as a vital factor in the U.S. economy and national interests. The need for qualified, entry-level biotechnology laboratory technicians is expected to continue to grow through the upcoming decade. In order to meet the evolving needs of the biotechnology industry, it is important to inform high-school students about the many opportunities available to them within this field of study. One of the most effective methods for introducing high-school students to a career field and keeping them engaged in the pursuit of education is direct interaction with professionals in the industry. This three-year project from Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) will provide a Science Academy opportunity, allowing for high-school students to interact directly with biotechnology industry professionals through classroom visits, career fairs, and on-site tours, thus exposing students to the many career options available within the field. This method is especially effective for reaching populations who have been underrepresented in their pursuit of careers in biotechnology. Additionally, a Summer Workshop will be developed to educate high-school teachers on the use of biotechnology methods and bioinformatics in the classroom. The workshop will also provide opportunities for teachers to learn about the biotechnology industry through on-site tours and talks with industry professionals. Alongside high school outreach activities, a Business and Industry Leadership Team will be established to evaluate and modify DMACC’s biotechnology curriculum. This team will ensure that students completing the AS/Biotechnology Laboratory Methods Certificate receive high-quality, hands-on technical training that is directly applicable to entry level careers in biotechnology, and that students develop an educational foundation to support future growth in their roles within the biotechnology industry. As part of the DMACC Biotechnology Program curriculum updates, an introductory scientific computing course will be developed and equipment will be updated to align with industry standards. Integrating industry partners, secondary and postsecondary educators, and biotechnical professionals to learn and participate in growing programs such as this through academies, workshops, and conferences is designed to advance the STEM workforce and increase equity in opportunities in the field. The project goal is to increase the overall number of students entering the biotechnology workforce pathway and to ensure that biotechnology educational experiences align with industry needs. Approximately 75 high school students are expected to participate in the Science Academy throughout the duration of this three-year project, and an anticipated 48 teachers will receive instruction, networking with industry partners, and biotechnology activity materials during the Summer Workshop, to replicate these experiences for students at their schools. As a result of outreach and education provided through these grant activities, 85 students are expected to complete DMACC’s AS/Biotechnology Laboratory Methods Certificate combination degree. In order to ensure that the Biotechnology program remains astride with evolving industry, project faculty will receive training in cutting edge techniques and equipment, as directed by the advisory Business and Industry Leadership Team. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
| 2325397 | Extending the EvaluateUR Method to Expand the Community of Users | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 06/30/2023 | Jill Singer | singerjk@buffalostate.edu | NY | SUNY College at Buffalo | Standard Grant | Paul Tymann | 07/01/2023 | 06/30/2027 | $1,024,598.00 | 1300 ELMWOOD AVE | BUFFALO | NY | 142.221.004 | 7.168.783.047 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | Industries and businesses across the country have identified technical and professional competencies and skills they consider to be essential in today’s workplace. These skills include communication, problem solving, time management, and teamwork. Above all, industries and businesses want employees who can identify and think through problems and figure out how to solve them. If students are to succeed as employees (or as entrepreneurs) they will need to master these and related skills, be aware of what they know and don’t know, and understand how best to overcome any gaps in their knowledge and skills. Undergraduate research and internships, two high impact practices, have been shown to help students take ownership of their learning as they develop and apply problem-solving skills. Many technician education programs at community colleges also include internship opportunities for students at area businesses and industries. Indeed, community colleges play a vital role in preparing students to succeed in the workplace. To measure a broad range of desirable outcomes that include both content knowledge and skills that are critically important in the workplace, this project will use an evidence-based method called EvaluateUR in which students work one-on-one with faculty or research mentors. The approach also provides students with metacognitive skills that improve their problem-solving abilities. The EvaluateUR method helps community college students in technician education and other programs identify the knowledge and skills they gain from conducting research, to see clearly the areas where they need to improve, and to use this knowledge to their advantage as they enter the workforce. The overall goal of this project is to increase the number of undergraduate students who utilize the EvaluateUR method when they conduct research or serve in internships. This project will overcome barriers to implementation of the EvaluateUR method at all educational institutions, but with a focus on Community and Technical Colleges. Towards this end the project will pursue four objectives. First is to develop a student-only scored version of the EvaluateUR method for community college students conducting research applicable to multiple internship venues including government, business or industry internships. Second is to create a version of EvaluateUR (called EvaluateUR-CURE) for shorter duration research experiences such as those in course-based undergraduate research experiences (CURE). Third is to develop a no-cost version of the EvaluateUR method for faculty mentoring three or fewer students in summer or academic year research. Fourth, and finally, is to host an online forum for the community of EvaluateUR users to pose questions and share best practices. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education Program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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| 2300775 | Map Your Success | DUE | Advanced Tech Education Prog | 04/06/2023 | Tamara Biegas | tbiegas@harford.edu | MD | Harford Community College | Standard Grant | Keith Sverdrup | 09/01/2023 | 08/31/2026 | $427,181.00 | Tony Wohlers | 401 THOMAS RUN RD | BEL AIR | MD | 210.151.627 | 4.434.122.160 | EDU | 741200 | 1032, 9178, SMET | 0,00 | This project aims to serve the national interest by increasing pathways into its geospatial technology (GST) associate of applied science (A.A.S.) and for-credit certificate programs at Harford Community College (HCC). As GST is woven into government and industry applications, employers in the Mid-Atlantic and beyond increasingly need a workforce with the technical skills to create, develop, use, and analyze mapping and surveying technologies and products. Within GST, there has also been a call for research to better understand how to equip educators, build relevant curricula, and engage future GST learners. As one- and two-year GST training programs structured for nontraditional students can effectively move workers from entry-level, low-wage jobs into well-paying careers the project’s significance includes supporting students’ career advancement and financial security. Through the Map Your Success project’s diverse connections to schools, public and private employers, and communities where workforce development is needed, HCC expects to demonstrate the high value and relevance of GST careers. The project aligns with NSF’s mission and draws on Advanced Technological Education (ATE) scholarship, including the work of the ATE-supported GeoTech Center, to advance understanding of how GST programs integrate traditional STEM skills with social and behavioral sciences. The project will support the GST program to train in the competencies employers seek and can effectively open a new pipeline into GST jobs for community college students. HCC’s goals are to increase GST A.A.S. enrollment from 9 students to 20 students per year and enroll an annual average of 20 GST certificate students by the end of the project period. Project objectives are to (1) enhance the GST A.A.S. and certificate programs to align with workforce needs; (2) enroll an average of 20 GST A.A.S. students and 20 GST certificate students annually, reaching approximately 100 students over the three-year ATE project period, by engaging secondary educators, high school students, and current HCC students in GST outreach and education opportunities; and (3) retain and graduate an average of 80% of students in each program and support their advancement into relevant technical careers. HCC will learn from and partner with the GeoTech Center and the Maryland Geographic Alliance at Towson University to develop statewide professional training opportunities for secondary educators; create a new Unmanned Aerial Vehicles course; expand the existing GST Advisory Board; strengthen GST internships; hold annual International GIS Day events; and reach out to local high schools and underserved communities. Through Map Your Success project evaluation, HCC will investigate, generate new knowledge about, and disseminate findings on the pathways into GST careers from diverse entry points, as well as the benefits of effective partnerships in training the next generation of technically skilled mapping and GIS technicians. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. |
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