Concurrent Sessions
Wednesday and Thursday, July 31 and August 1

WEDNESDAY, July 31, 10:15-11:00

Developing Modules for Bioindustrial Manufacturing Workforce Readiness

BioMADE, in partnership with Delgado Community College, is developing modules that will help prepare laboratory and operator technicians to enter the bioindustrial manufacturing workforce. Entry-level technicians will be a key portion of the predicted 1.1 million positions to be created in the bioindustrial workforce in the near future. This session will involve participants in module revision and development. Participants will review the pilot modules, identify questions and revisions, and generate strategies for implementing modules in existing courses and programs.

Louise Petruzzella, Senior Project Manager, Advancing Progress in Industrial BioManufacturing to Accelerate Workforce Readiness, BioMADE, Emeryville, California; Amanda Rosenzweig, Assistant Dean, School of STEM, Advancing Progress in Industrial BioManufacturing to Accelerate Workforce Readiness, Delgado Community College, New Orleans, Louisiana; Hayley Orndorf, Curriculum Developer, Advancing Progress in Industrial BioManufacturing to Accelerate Workforce Readiness, BioMADE, St. Paul, Minnesota

STEM Collaborations with Advanced Manufacturers and Industry

In late 2023, there were over 600,000 U.S. manufacturing jobs open. Manufacturers consistently cite the lack of a skilled workforce as one of the biggest challenges in advanced manufacturing. Manufacturing USA Institutes can partner with and assist educators as they navigate the career pathways and skills students will need to excel in industry. This panel will highlight local, regional, and national collaborations established by Manufacturing USA Institutes between industry members and educators to support the workforce of 2024 and beyond. Looking to get involved? This session is for you.

Brad Conrad, Education and Workforce Development Manager, NIST, Manufacturing USA, Gaithersburg, Maryland

Effective Industry and Student Engagement with Speed Networking

Looking for a simple strategy for increasing recruitment, retention, and success of students? Want to develop new industry connections? Looking for an easy way for your alumni to stay connected with your program? Then Virtual Speed Networking is for you. In this session learn how colleges from across the U.S. are implementing this strategy in their programs, what the impacts have been, and what tools are available for you to host your own speed networking event.

Julie Griffin, Bio Blend Career Coach, Increasing Student Retention and Recruitment through Alumni Programs, Speed Networking, and Industry Engagement (DUE #2202011), Johnston Community College, Clayton, North Carolina; Karen Leung, Biotechnology Instructor and Internship Coordinator, Co-Principal Investigator, Increasing Student Retention and Recruitment through Alumni Programs, Speed Networking, and Industry Engagement (DUE #2202011), City College of San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Adam McKee, Research Assistant Professor and Grant Evaluator, Increasing Student Retention and Recruitment through Alumni Programs, Speed Networking, and Industry Engagement (DUE #2202011), Pullman, Washington

Faculty Externship Project

This presentation will explore how the NCyTE center can aid existing faculty in enhancing their technical skills and gaining up-to-date knowledge of the workplace. It will emphasize the high demand for graduates from academic cybersecurity programs in both the private sector and government. The presentation will underline the necessity for faculty to be well-versed in the workplace, work roles, and projects their students will engage in upon entering the workforce. The focus will be on how integrating this knowledge into their teaching can produce graduates who are better prepared for their future careers.

Kyle Jones, Professor, NCyTE, Sinclair, Dayton, Ohio; Eric Renegar, Professor, NCyTE, Sincalir, Dayton, Ohio

Harnessing the Power of Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education: Opportunities and Challenges

In the rapidly evolving landscape of higher education, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force, offering unprecedented opportunities for innovation in teaching, learning, and administration. This session aims to explore the multifaceted applications of AI in postsecondary and the workforce, discuss the associated challenges, and envision future directions.

Robert Owens, Director, Post Secondary, Training Solutions, CompTIA, Downer Grove, Illinois

Need an ATE Evaluator? Look No Further

ATE grantseekers should work with an evaluator early on. Yet institution-specific procurement policies can impact when, how, and to what extent they can engage an evaluator. This session will provide an overview of procurement policies that evaluation contracts may be subject to and strategies for navigating them. Joined by ATE evaluators accepting new contracts, attendees will engage in a matchmaking activity that encourages them to share their planned ATE projects, ask questions that can help them get started with an evaluator, and make in-person connections with evaluators who could be a good fit for their planned ATE projects.

Lyssa Wilson Becho, Principal Research Associate, EvaluATE, The Evaluation Center, Kalamazoo, Michigan

Launching My New NSF Project

Getting started on your new project can be overwhelming, but all advanced technology programs share similar issues. A panel of novice and experienced PIs will share lessons learned and best practices in starting and maintaining successful projects, including how to address unknown issues that can arise and affect your project outcomes. Come join us to learn the secrets of successful projects and PIs. Bring one of your big concerns to share. Interactive topics may include budgets, administrative support, time management, annual reporting, and industry engagement.

Moderator: Marilyn Barger, FLATE, Tampa, Florida. Panelists: Doug Laven, Mechatronics Faculty, Enhancing the Independent Mechatronics Technical Curriculum and Creating a New Pathway from Rural High Schools into Mechatronics Careers (iMEC 2.0), South Central College, N. Mankato, Minnesota; Jerry Muller; Ken Welborn

Micro Fluidics or Lab on a Chip: A Multidisciplinary Concept

The application of microfluidics is impacting markets from electronic thermal management to drug development. It is dependent upon knowledge of materials and traditional science and engineering courses. This presentation will discuss the basics of microfluidics along with the correlation and dependence upon basic scientific concepts. Examples of applications and classroom activities will be presented. A simple lab experiment will be demonstrated, and instructions provided.

Deb Newberry, MNTEC, CEO Newberry Technology Associates, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Creating an Industry-Recognized Energy Storage Certification Credential

The CREATE Energy Center, MREA, and the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) have joined together to put the U.S. on a path forward in energy storage systems technology. With support from NSF, this project is creating an industry-recognized energy storage credential that is administered by an independent third-party certification body (NABCEP) to advance industry standards and promote a skilled energy workforce. The credential will be known as the NABCEP Energy Storage Installation Professional Certification, or ESIP. This session will be relevant to those seeking to align curriculum to the new certification, and to others interested in the process required to create industry-recognized credentials in other fields.

Ken Walz, Principal Investigator, Energy Storage Certification Project, Madison College, Madison, Wisconsin; Shawn O’Brien, Executive Director, NABCEP; Nick Matthes, Solar Project Manager, Midwest Renewable Energy Association

Revolutionizing Electric Vehicle Education for Service and Manufacturing Technicians

The session will focus on the education and workforce needed in the automotive industry to adapt to the shift from fuel-powered to battery-powered electric vehicles (EV). A unique integrated approach has been developed, combining evidence-based programs to meet the needs of underrepresented groups and address the technology skills gap. Developed in collaboration with industry partners, this program will use a cross-disciplinary EV manufacturing and service industry technician education hybrid curriculum to increase and diversify the pool of qualified EV manufacturing and service industry technicians. Pilots will begin in fall 2024. Session participants will learn how they can review and use the content with their students.

Rebecca Short, Director of Operations, REVVED, Clemson University Center for Workforce Development, Greenville, South Carolina; Robert Elliott, Dean, Manufacturing and Maintenance, PI, REVVED, Trident Technical College, Charleston, South Carolina; Kapil Chalil Madathil, CoPI REVVED, Professor of Civil and Industrial Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina

WEDNESDAY, July 31, 11:15-Noon

InnovATEBIO Updates: Hub Activity, Summit, Workforce Report, and State Teams

In 2023, InnovATEBIO expanded hub work, helped to support the release of the CSBI National Workforce Report, and hosted the summit “Envisioning the Next Bioscience Workforce” to share information about emerging technologies and workforce trends. At the summit, 21 state teams worked together for the purpose of formulating bioscience workforce plans. Before the summit, the teams worked together in online sessions, maximizing the benefit of the face-to-face meeting. In this session, InnovATEBIO will discuss hub work, the workforce report, and the results of state teams focusing on the formation of the bioscience workforce. Next steps will be discussed with the audience.

Linnea Fletcher, Executive Director, InnovATEBIO, The National Biotechnology Education Center, Austin Community College, Spicewood, Texas

Business and Industry Leadership Teams for Advanced Manufacturing Programs

The National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing (NCNGM) is using the Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT) model to determine the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) needed for careers in advanced manufacturing disciplines. Attendees will learn how the BILT model works and which BILTs have been completed for advanced manufacturing disciplines. Presenters from the NCNGM leadership team will share their experiences in developing BILTs and incorporating the information learned into programs as well as plans for BILTs in additional disciplines.

Karen Wosczyna-Birch, Executive Director and PI, National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing, National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing, Farmington, Connecticut; Ann Beheler, Director of BILT for NCNGM, Frisco, Texas; Doug Pauley, Associate Dean Training Development, Central Community College, Columbus, Nebraska; Tim Baber, Chair, Welding and Advanced Manufacturing Technology, National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing, College of the Canyons, Santa Clarita, California; Jerry Muller, Industrial Technology Coordinator/Trainer, National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing, Central Community College, Columbus, Nebraska

Smart Systems HyFlex Workforce for Ecosystem of Small Medium Enterprises, ManufacturingUSA, CHIPS

Through HyFlex scheduling, the Digital Transformation of Smart Systems Technologies degree has broadened access for incumbent workers, remote students, and underemployed baccalaureates. Beyond cyberphysical automation, students learn the use of emerging Industry 4.0 technologies such as digital twins, AVR, and industrial AI. Paid co-ops matched with employer needs are critical for high rates of completion (75 percent) and job placement (~100 percent) in a high-tech ecosystem of 50+ diverse businesses. Arguably, this program provides the most efficient blueprint for sustainably meeting (1) current high-tech workforce needs for 98 percent of employers and (2) the workforce ramp-up challenge for advanced manufacturing technologies accelerated by the Manufacturing USA Institutes and reshoring initiatives of the CHIPS Act.

Sam Samanta, Professor of Physics, Coordinator of Smart Systems Technologies, Finger Lakes Community College, Victor, New York

Web-Based Simulation and Remote Access Visualization Tools for Engineering and Technology Curricula

Simulation and visualization tools promote students’ understanding of phenomena at nanoscale. This session will focus on application of web-based simulation tools and remote access visualization (RAIN, Nanohub, Physicell, Phet, Compucell3D) for teaching, research, and collaboration in the areas of nanotechnology, material science, environmental science, electrical engineering, biological sciences, physics, chemistry, photonics, and other areas. Educators can use these web-based tools to enhance students’ learning of complex concepts at nanoscale without acquiring expensive equipment. Simulation experiences at GVSU for photovoltaic applications will also be presented.

Ahmed Khan, Professor, Fulbright Scholar, President, WL/Radiance International, Oak Brook, Illinois; Atilla Ozgur Cakmak, Assistant Professor, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, Michigan

Pathways to Inclusion: Empowering Educators in Accessibility Strategies

Join us in exploring vital tools and strategies designed to promote accessibility and equity in education. From your syllabus to online content to classrooms and labs, participants will gain practical insights into fostering an inclusive atmosphere. By embracing Universal Design for Learning principles and collaborating with disability services, educators can ensure all students have equal opportunities to thrive. Join us and empower yourself to create a welcoming space for diverse learners in the community college setting.

Camille Collins, Biotechnology Instructor, Johnston Community College, Clayton, North Carolina; Melissa Robbins, Biotechnology Department Chair, Johnston Community College, Clayton, North Carolina

Leveraging Professional Learning to Integrate Emerging Technologies into Teaching Practice

Institutions tasked with responding to critical workforce needs in emerging technologies often face difficulty integrating those technologies into existing classroom structures and programs. One solution to this problem is professional learning (PL), or educator-targeted training to help those educators change their pedagogical practice. This session will provide an overview of best practices in designing PL programs based on research, and will share results from two recent PL programs intended to help practitioners integrate topics from the data center industry into instruction.

Josh Labrie, Director of NOVA SySTEMic, Data Center Operations Program Development: A National Approach to Improving Capacity for Data Center Education, Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale, Virginia; Chris Russell, IET Project Manager, Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale, Virginia

A New NSF ATE Solicitation! 2024 Changes, Funding Opportunities and Help with Proposal Development

NSF ATE lead Program Officer, Dr. Celeste Carter, will address changes in the recently released 2024 ATE Solicitation and associated funding opportunities. NSF ATE proposals are complex and can be daunting for two-year colleges. Understanding expectations and nuances of this funding opportunity contributes to proposal success. Mentor-Connect’s comprehensive, no-cost help (customized mentoring options, technical assistance, resources specific to ATE proposal development, and STEM faculty leadership development) for prospective two-year college grantees is often the key to success. Since 2012, Mentor-Connect has assisted 261 colleges with a 71 percent funding success rate for those new to ATE.

Elaine Craft, PI, NSF Grants, Mentor-Connect: Leadership Development and Outreach for ATE Forward, Florence-Darlington Technical College, Florence, South Carolina; Dr. V. Celeste Carter, Lead Program Officer, Advanced Technological Education Program (ATE), National Science Fountation, Alexandria, Virginia

Silicon Electronic-Photonic Integrated Circuit (EPIC) Training for Community College Faculty

We will introduce a new ATE consortium, the Northeast Consortia for Advanced Integrated Silicon Technologies (NCAIST), whose mission is to STEM-skill educators for advanced manufacturing of Si electronic-photonic integrated circuits (EPIC). Working with AIM Photonics, a U.S. Manufacturing Innovation Institute, NCAIST will accelerate the transition of technician education content and teaching methodologies from AIM-affiliated universities to community and technical colleges. An EPIC teaching kit developed by AIM Photonics will introduce modules and lab activities for classroom use.

Abraham Michelen, Managing Director, Northeast Consortia for Advanced Integrated Silicon Technologies (NCAIST), SUNY Poly, Albany, New York; Robert Geer, Professor, Director, NCAIST, SUNY Poly, Albany, New York; Marina Bograd, Professor, Co-Pi, NCAIST, MassBay Community College, Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts

CREATE’s Greatest Hits: Energize Your Educational Program

In this session we will highlight CREATE’s (Center for Renewable Energy Advanced Technological Education) most successful energy education efforts. You’ll participate in a lesson activity to learn how we produce our popular educational materials and curriculum. We’ll briefly examine our website to showcase our teacher education materials and offerings. Then we’ll do an in-depth review of the in-demand teacher workshops we offer. Leave with ideas, classroom lessons, and expertise in how to organize and implement teacher workshops, and an invitation to future CREATE teacher workshops. (Our materials comply with Section 508 student accessibility requirements of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.)

Scott Liddicoat, Curriculum Writer and Workshop Trainer, Center for Renewable Energy Advanced Technological Education (CREATE), Green Bay, Wisconsin; Joel Shoemaker, Renewable Energy Teacher and Workshop Trainer, Center for Renewable Energy Advanced Technological Education (CREATE), Madison Area Technical College, Madison, Wisconsin

Beyond the Hype: Extended Reality (XR) Challenges and Opportunities in Technician Education

Featuring educators who have actively implemented extended reality (XR) on their campuses, this session will cover how XR was introduced, the obstacles faced, its application across various disciplines, and its effects on faculty and students. Attendees will gain insights from firsthand experiences and receive actionable advice for incorporating XR into their educational settings. The session is tailored for those interested in understanding the practical aspects of XR integration in two-year colleges, offering a comprehensive view of its educational potential, implementation strategies, and remote XR training opportunities.

David Anderson, Director, Resource Collaborative for Immersive Technologies (RECITE), St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minnesota; David Presley, XR Laboratory Administrator, Resource Collaborative for Immersive Technologies (RECITE), Motlow State Community College, Tullahoma, Tennessee; Josh Webb, Associate Director, EARTh Center, Resource Collaborative for Immersive Technologies (RECITE), Central Carolina Community College, Sanford, North Carolina; Eric Wooldridge, Director KCTCS AMC, Resource Collaborative for Immersive Technologies (RECITE), Somerset Community College, Somerset, Kentucky

WEDNESDAY, July 31, 1:15-2:00

A Model for Introducing cGMP Competencies for (Bio)Industry Careers

Learn how we combined an established hands-on lab with elements of current Good Manufacturing and Good Documentation Practices to assist in incorporating critical workplace skills associated with (bio)industrial careers. Attendees will be guided through an easy and accessible lab (size-exclusion chromatography) relevant to biology, chemistry, and physics/engineering-based courses. With a focus on industrial applications in downstream processing, we will provide a simple model for how one might teach technical skills in addition to the nuances of working in a cGMP environment. Embedded activities will include the control of raw materials, sampling and quality testing, document control, GDP, workflow, departmental roles, and career opportunities.

Tamara Mandell, Director, University of Florida, Biotility, Alachua, Florida; Bryony Ruegg, Director, Bio-Rad Explorer Program, Hercules, California

Global Future of Work Snapshot: Replicable Practices from German Study Tour

The Preparing Technicians for the Future of Work project recently sent a multi-college team of technical faculty on an international study tour to explore vocational education and training (VET) programs and integration of advanced technologies in the EU. This panel will focus on their experiences in Germany, where they visited manufacturing facilities with close VET partnerships and attended the Hannover Messe exposition. Team members will share their observations on instructional practices, student engagement and retention, and apprenticeship and other rapid training models that are potentially adaptable for implementation at their home institutions.

Ann-Claire Anderson, Sr. VP, Preparing Technicians for the Future of Work, Center for Occupational Research and Development, Waco, Texas. Panelists: Marci Gale, Mechatronics Faculty and Program Head, Central Virginia Community College, Lynchburg, Virginia; Justin Starr, Endowed Professor of Advanced Technology, Mechatronics Program Coordinator, Community College of Allegheny County, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Chris Blaisdell, Mechatronics Instructor, South Central College, North Mankato, Minnesota; Bryan Kasun, Instructor of Advanced Manufacturing, Gateway Technical College, Kenosha, Wisconsin

Adversarial Thinking

Adversarial thinking is a key skill in cybersecurity education that teaches students not only to solve problems but to evaluate the risks of solutions. This approach, while rooted in cybersecurity, can be applied broadly to nurture critical thinking. The Developing Computational Adversarial Thinking project aims to integrate adversarial thinking into the first two years of college through programming modules and a course for non-majors. The goal of the course is to spark interest in cybersecurity and related fields across disciplines. Emphasizing experiential learning, the project advocates for hackathons that address real-world issues, fostering practical skills across all majors.

Christian Servin, Professor of Computer Science, Developing Computational Adversarial Thinking: Bridging Technical Skills Training and Academic Coursework, El Paso Community College, El Paso, Texas; Nadia Karichev, Assistant Professor, Developing Computational Adversarial Thinking: Bridging Technical Skills Training and Academic Coursework, El Paso Community College, El Paso, Texas

Leadership 360: Lead Yourself to Lead Others

Leadership is not just a position, it’s a disposition—an approach to your life and work. Leading others in any capacity requires developing your internal maturity and fortitude. In this session, Hans Meeder, author, speaker, entrepreneur, and former U.S. Department of Education official, will explain and participants will discuss key principles for self-leadership and personal growth that enhances their ability to lead others through change. Wherever you stand in your career path and leadership responsibilities, you will walk away with immediate ideas and applications from this session.

Hans Meeder, Sr. Fellow, Education and Workforce Innovation, YouScience, Columbia, Maryland

Web Accessibility 101: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How to Achieve It

Learn how RECITE and NCAT, two NSF-funded ATE projects, are working to make their websites more accessible and inclusive. Explore web accessibility standards, tools, and practices and interact with example websites using free accessibility testing tools. Gain tips on how to improve your own project website and foster a culture of accessibility in your organization.

Luis Perez, Disability and Digital Inclusion Lead, RECITE, CAST, St. Petersburg, Florida

Are Your Surveys Serving Your Project? Find Out (Traditional Pre-Post vs Retrospective Surveys)

Many projects survey people to measure impacts and attainment of goals. These surveys should tell us about the people the program serves and whether the activities and supports are valuable and useful to them. They should be culturally responsive, inclusive, and accessible. Survey design is critically important yet is sometimes neglected. This session will examine tensions between traditional pre-post design and retrospective surveys for program evaluation. We’ll look at real-world examples, discuss the merits of both designs, and find ways to select surveys that will serve your programs in culturally responsive ways.

Sondra LoRe, Principal Evaluator and Educational Researcher: BioTech Pathways, Harford Community College; Map Your Success (GIS), Harford Community College, Bel Air, Maryland; Co-Req Mech (Mechatronics), Roane State Community College, Harriman, TN; STEM Program Evaluation, Assessment & Research (SPEAR), Maryville, Tennessee

Dissemination Through Publication—For Free Through J ATE!

The Journal of Advanced Technological Education (J ATE) is a free-to-publish and free-to-read peer-reviewed academic journal produced by and for the ATE community to disseminate innovative and informative ATE work to and beyond the two-year college community. In 2023 J ATE Connect, a professional development pilot program loosely modeled after Mentor-Connect, was developed to help new authors publish their ATE work. Come hear about the experiences of those newly published authors, how to move forward with publishing your own ATE work, and how to build publication into your next grant proposal.

Peter Kazarinoff, Faculty, J ATE, Portland Community College, Portland, Oregon; Karen Leung, Faculty, J ATE, City College of San Francisco, San Francisco, California

Enhancing Technology Skills via Remote Labs, Industry, and Education Partnerships

E-TECH21 creates an enhanced, portable, and flexible learning experience for electronic/EV automotive technology and engineering students through portable electronics lab/equipment and virtual simulations. The project involves industry engagement utilizing the BILT model; promotion of innovation, growth, and development within academic programs; internships for students; portable labs to enhance student skills; and high school educator training to equip educators with the necessary skills, knowledge, and tools to create engaging and impactful learning experiences, expanding the pipeline of technical students.

Pete Maritato, Engineering and Technology Professor, Electronics and Engineering Technician Training in High Technology for the 21st Century (E-TECH21), Suffolk Community College, Selden, New York; Gordon Snyder, Engineering Professor, Electronics and Engineering Technician Training in High Technology for the 21st Century (E-TECH21), Holyoke Community College, Holyoke, Massachusetts; Laura Galetta, Industry Outreach/Training Coordinator, Suffolk Community College, Sally Ann Slacke Corporate Training Center, Brentwood, New York

Bioenergy Case Studies from the Department of Energy for Community College Classrooms

In this session, we will introduce new educational case studies in bioenergy that place students in collaborative and decision-making roles using science from U.S. Department of Energy national laboratories. Perfect for inclusion in environmental science, chemistry, or biological science courses, the case studies translate real-world research into the classroom and help students develop scientific skills and practices such as obtaining and interpreting scientific data, developing models, and creating proposals. The case studies explore career opportunities and how bioenergy is being used to address real-world environmental justice and economic challenges in the U.S. and around the world. Introduce your students to science and careers in clean energy using resource from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Kelly Sturner, Learning Center Program Coordinator, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois

Embracing Artificial Intelligence For All Industries

Harnessing the power of AI aids users in making informed decisions, helps deliver personalized experiences, and maintains cutting-edge emerging technology implementation. In this session, you will learn how to embrace AI and discover useful skills for integrating AI tools into your industry.

Renee Blackshear, Professor, Texas State Technical College, Brownwood, TX; Billy Weaver, Professor, Texas State Technical College, Harlingen, Texas

WEDNESDAY, July 31, 2:15-3:00

Cybersecurity and the Workforce: Preparing for the Future

In the digital age, cybersecurity has become a critical concern for every organization. As threats continue to evolve, so too must our workforce. This session will explore the intersection of cybersecurity and workforce development, focusing on how we can prepare for the future.

Robert Owens, Director, Post Secondary, Training Solutions, CompTIA, Downer Grove, Illinois; Ron Culler, Vice President of CyberSecurity

Supporting the Development of Technical Courses in a Comprehensive High School

Participants will learn how we worked with a comprehensive high school to develop technical courses and units for high school students. The strategies and projects that we used to engage high school teachers in the project will be shared along with the methods used to recruit students. Data on the impact of the technical courses on high school and community college student enrollment and engagement will be shared.

Sharon Gusky, Professor, Engaging Students from Classrooms and Camps to College and Technical Careers, CT State Community College, Northwestern Campus, Winsted, Connecticut; Doulgas Mooney Jr, Chemistry Professor, Engaging Students from Classrooms and Camps to College and Technical Careers, CT State Community College, Northwestern, Winsted, Connecticut

Community Colleges: Economic Engines for Manufacturing Growth

SME launched the Manufacturing Imperative – Workforce Pipeline Challenge to strengthen sector strategies in working with community colleges to build their local workforce pipelines. During this session our partners will share their strategies, data tools, and approach to building a local manufacturing workforce pipeline plus effective outreach strategies and target marketing tactics to connect with specific populations.

Dr. Deb Volzer, Director of Government and Strategic Partnerships, SME, Southfield, Michigan; Dr. Sheree Utash, President of WSU Tech, Wichita, Kansas; Dr. Greg Hodges, President of Patrick & Henry Community College, Martinsville, Virginia; Dr. Amit Singh, President of Edmonds College, Seattle, Wisconsin

Designing the Future of Work: How to Build a Data Analytics Pathway to Fill High-Demand Jobs

“Find the need and endeavor to meet it,” said David Sinclair, founder of Sinclair Community College (SCC), in 1887. In 2021, SCC embarked on a multi-year program designed to address a critical workforce skills gap in data literacy. Professor Paul Hansford will share how the college has built a successful program to introduce data literacy learning in high schools and enroll a diverse college student body in new programs, all while attracting over 50 percent female enrollment. This session is for faculty, staff, and career pathway professionals in higher education who are looking to develop or enhance data analytics pathways, and engage industry partners to fill critical data roles.

Paul Hansford, Associate Professor, Expanding the Data Analytics Technician Pipeline from High School into College and High Demand Jobs in Southwest Ohio, Sinclair Community College, Dayton, Ohio

10 Strategies for Engaging YOUR Students for Success

Diversity, equity, and inclusion in the classroom, along with broadening participation, are important to educators and employers. Learn about strategies that have positively impacted recruitment and engaging diverse students in technician education classes and programs around the country. These fresh, cost-effective ideas may be just what you need to advance your program now, or you can incorporate them into grant proposal plans. Experienced technician educators will share what worked for them. You will leave this presentation with specific ideas that will help you increase enrollment and engagement in your technician education programs.

Pamela Silvers, Co-PI, Mentor-Connect, Florence, South Carolina; Sarah Belknap, Assistant Professor, Hispanic Serving Institution Advanced Technological Education Hub 2, Westchester Community College, Valhalla, New York; Juan Rodriguez, Assistant Professor, HSI ATE Hub 2, Westchester Community College, Valhalla, New York

Assessing and Evaluating Industry Partnerships: Who, What, How?

Planning and routinely conducting assessments of our education-industry partnerships allows us to gauge the health of these critical relationships and ensure they continue to be mutually satisfying and productive. This session will present a partnership evaluation process that facilitates the collection of partner involvement data, along with a demonstration of the Partnership Dashboard, a visual data aggregator developed collaboratively by The Rucks Group and NSF ATE Working Partners Project & Workshops. Join us to learn more about capturing partner involvement details and how the resultant conversations can be used to shape and and deepen productive partnerships.

Mary Slowinski, PI, Working Partners Project & Workshops, Bellevue College, Bellevue, Washington; Rachael Bower, co-PI, Working Partners Project & Workshops, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin

Enhancing Employability Skills Across Disciplines

The Necessary Skills Now (NSN) Network facilitates collaboration between educators and employers to improve the employability skills of entry-level technicians across STEM disciplines. NSN assists faculty in sharing resources, exploring effective teaching methods, and collaborating with local employers to help students improve critical workplace skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, communication, and dependability. Join members of our current faculty cohort for a lively discussion of challenges and promising practices. Leave with new strategies and actionable opportunities for future collaboration.

Hope Cotner, President & CEO, Necessary Skills Now Network, Center for Occupational Research and Development (CORD), Waco, Texas

Track 3: Consortia for Innovations in Technician Education—Unwinding Consortia Grant Opportunities

This presentation has two purposes: (1) share about NEVTEX-Next (DUE #2301095) and how it was designed to be a successful proposal and (2) discuss how you can make your consortia proposal a success. PI Ken Mays will cover methods that helped to make the National Electric Vehicle Technology Exchange (NEVTEX-Next) appeal to reviewers. Then Co-PIs Dr. Patrick English and Ben Cruz will cover the first year on the consortia grant experience. NSF-ATE Solicitation NSF 21598 offers the Consortia for Innovations in Technical Education for the first time. Dr. Celeste Carter will join us to guide you through key points that must be followed if you decide to apply.

Ken Mays, PI-NEVTEX-Next, National Electric Vehicle Technology Exchange (NEVTEX-Next), Central Oregon Community College, Bend, Oregon; V. Celeste Carter, Lead ATE Program Director, National Science Foundation VA, NEVTEX-Next, National Science Foundation, Alexandria, Virginia; Patrick English, Professor of Automotive Engineering Technology and Program Coordinator, NEVTEX-Next, Ferris State University, Big Rapids, Michigan; Ben Cruz, Director of the Center for Advanced Automotive Technology (CAAT), NEVTEX-Next, Macomb Community College (MCC), Warren, Michigan

Technical Applications in Agriculture: Training Secondary Teachers in Articulated Curriculum

This session will review the Technical Applications in Agriculture project and allow industry advisory members to share the industry impact of curriculum and training. Additionally, we will share how industry supported project expansion beyond the original budget. Finally, we will discuss the lessons we learned in building a new career pathway in precision agriculture and what doors opened up as the next steps in the process.

Keith Olander, Executive Director, AgCentric; Dean of Agricultural Studies, Technical Applications in Agriculture, Central Lakes College, Staples, Minnesota; Carl Aakre, Director of Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE), Technical Applications in Agriculture, Minnesota

VR: The Good, Bad, and Ugly—Findings from a Hybrid Diesel Program

Explore the forefront of educational innovation at our session on virtual reality (VR) promising practices, based on insights from the Diesel by Distance program at Wallace State Community College in Hanceville, Alabama. Discover what truly works and what doesn’t in the realm of VR education. Delve into a comprehensive discussion on the program’s findings, gaining valuable insights into the successful integration of VR into distance learning. Uncover the transformative potential of VR technologies and learn what to expect as we navigate the ever-evolving landscape of virtual education.

Anna Beard, Diesel by Distance Project Coordinator; PI, Developing and Implementing Hybrid Instruction to Increase the Access of Women and Adult Learners to Diesel Technology Training, Wallace State Community College, Hanceville, Alabama

WEDNESDAY, July 31, 3:45-4:30

Is It Worth It?

Efforts associated with the ATE grant “Implementation of an Industry-Recognized Credentialing System for Biotechnicians” (IRCS) have caused industry across the five states within the grant’s focus area and beyond to recognize the Biotechnician Assistant Credentialing Exam (BACE) as the most authoritative credentialing system for the industry, effecting a shift in industry hiring practices. Through IRCS, educators are more aware of the BACE and informed about industry’s expectations. BACE credential holders have a clear path to industry. BACE was created by industry and is reviewed annually to maintain its relevance. Attendees will hear from credential holders about how BACE impacted their paths into industry.

Philip Gibson, Strategic Advisor, Workforce and Talent, Implementation of an Industry-Recognized Credentialing System (IRCS), Georgia Bio, Athens, Georgia

Collaborating with Employers to Create Future-Facing Technician Skill Standards

The “IT Skill Standards 2020 and Beyond” project, funded by the NSF, convened over 250 employers from across the country to create tools that help IT programs align curriculum with workforce needs. The project supports educators by providing skill-standard products (job skills, key performance indicators) for IT job clusters and by teaching the development cycle used to create those products. Attendees will learn how to implement the ITSS process—which is powered by the BILT (Business and Industry Leadership Team) model “engine”—and effectively collaborate with employers to develop skill standards. This process works with any technical discipline.

Ann Beheler, Principal Investigator, IT Skill Standards 2020 and Beyond, Collin College, Frisco, TX

Partnering with Industry to Deliver IOT Curriculum for IT and Advanced Manufacturing

WSU Tech is a unique two-year college that is affiliated with a research university, Wichita State University, but whose mission and operations are dually focused on supporting students in technician pathways and helping industry meet their workforce needs. WSU Tech, WSU, and Cisco System joined together to launch a unique Networking Academy Support Center to create and pilot IOT courses within a provided lab space at WSU Tech focused on IOT and smart manufacturing courses and training. We will discuss how this industry partnership started and how it focuses on IOT in the manufacturing environment.

Scott Lucas, Vice President, Aviation, Manufacturing, and Institutional Effectiveness, WSU Tech, Wichita, Kansas; Matthew Lewis, Assistant Dean, Information Technology, WSU Tech, Wichita, Kansas; Jenni Purvis, Global Transformation Director, IoT Sales, Cisco Systems

Converting Non-Credit Workshops to a 12-Credit Advanced Manufacturing Design Technology Certificate

This session will introduce attendees to our recent successful conversion of non-credit bearing plastics workshop classes to a 12-credit certificate. Attendees will learn how Central Community College, in collaboration with a local industry, found a way to offer our for-credit rollout to full-time industry personnel currently working a difficult rotating shift. Discussion will include details about our negotiation process with industry, and how we were able to offer this first group of students a way to complete the 12-credit certificate with no cost to them. This session will touch on curriculum development, recruitment among underrepresented populations, and roll-out of the new class series.

Karl Anderson, Director of Injection Molding, CCC Columbus, Columbus, Nebraska; Craig Potthast, Lead Plastics Trainer, CCC Columbus, Columbus, Nebraska; Doug Pauley, Associate Dean Training Development, CCC Columbus, Columbus, Nebraska

Best Practices in Teaching Student Veterans with Hearing Loss

Veterans arrive on campus, backpacks laden with textbooks, but also carrying a wealth of military experiences. These students bring experiences that can be incredible assets to a classroom, along with others that can be barriers to success. Hearing loss, a commonly overlooked disability in the veteran population, is often one of those barriers and can have a significant impact on learning. In this presentation, we will discuss the unique journey of student veterans who face the dual challenge of transitioning from military service to civilian life while also coping with hearing loss, along with best practices for addressing the unique academic needs of these students.

Mike Sauter, Alternate Media Specialist, DeafTEC, Saddleback College, Mission Viejo, California; Hira Byrne Paulin, Adjunct Professor, DeafTEC, RIT/NTID, Rochester, New York

Play Your Way to Proficiency: Unlock Learning Potential Using Game-based Approaches

In this presentation, we will explore the impact of game-based learning on knowledge acquisition. Rather than sleep-inducing death by PowerPoint, games can create a nonintimidating way for participants to explore unfamiliar material while helping them to grasp subjects that are much more challenging to understand using a conventional approach. Join us to celebrate the synergy between play and education. Attendees will receive a resource sheet listing websites of the games we play during this interactive session.

Elizabeth Boedeker, District Director, Center for Plant and Life Sciences, St. Louis Community College Center for Plant and Life Sciences, Saint Louis, Missouri; Laura Moore, Senior Research Scientist, Contract Research Organization Coordinator, St. Louis Community College Center for Plant and Life Sciences, Saint Louis, Missouri

Survey Says: ATE and Economic Development Work Together! What Does It Look Like?

This session will unpack data collected in the 2023 ATE annual survey for the Hidden Innovations Infrastructure (HII) research project at Rutgers University Education and Employment Research Center (EERC). The goal of the survey was to discover what economic development means to NSF ATE grantees. Many grantees responded that they had a stated goal addressing economic development. What does that mean, and what does that look like? How can a good relationship with ED enhance our work? The project team will share survey data to set the stage for discussion on how we can all make the most of these relationships.

Michelle Van Noy, Director, Education and Employment Research Center, The Hidden Innovation Infrastructure: Understanding the Economic Development Role of Technician Education in the Changing Future of Work, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey; Marilyn Barger, Senior Education Advisor, The Hidden Innovation Infrastructure: Understanding the Economic Development Role of Technician Education in the Changing Future of Work, Florida Advanced Technological Education Center (FLATE), Orlando, Florida

Pathways into Credit Programs from Non-Credit Certification Programs

This session will focus on the creation of pathways into credit programs from non-credit workforce development certification programs. Topics to be discussed are the development and implementation plan, successes and challenges, sustainability and adaptability of the platform, and the future of non-credit to credit pathways.

Christine Delahanty, Program Director, National Science Foundation, Alexandria, Virginia

Integrating Work-Based Learning into an Existing HVAC Program: A Co-Op Approach

This session will show how a summer co-op was integrated into an existing HVAC program while still keeping students on track to graduate in their original five-semester track. We will talk about how the co-op came to existence, the way classes were modified, what content the students complete in the class, and most importantly the success of the program. At the end we hope you will be able to see how you could incorporate a work-based learning opportunity for your program.

Justin Herndon, Department Head, Tri-County Technical College, Pendleton, South Carolina

BILT-ing a Data Analytics Technician Program from the Ground Up

Bridgerland Technical College (BTECH) has developed the “Distance-Enabled Industry-Led Data Technician Pathway” grant (DUE #2202090) to close the skills gap for data technicians in Utah. BTECH’s Data Analytics Certification Program was developed through close collaboration with a Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT). Beginning in 2018, several knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) needs analyses have been conducted to define the scope of the certificate, its delivery method, and its courses.

Mason Lefler, Associate Vice President for Educational Innovation, Distance-Enabled Industry-Led Data Analytics Technician Pathway (ILDAP) (DUE #2202090), Bridgerland Technical College, Logan, Utah; Josh Hveem, Director of Curriculum Design & Development, Distance-Enabled Industry-Led Data Analytics Technician Pathway (ILDAP) (DUE #2202090), Bridgerland Technical College, Logan, Utah; Tiffany Chalfant, Instructional Designer/Grants Management Assistant, Bridgerland Technical College, Logan, Utah

THURSDAY, August 1, 8:00-8:45

Hearts of Gelatin: Biomanufacturing Work-Based Learning Simulations

Our innovative work-based learning simulations utilize readily available grocery items to immerse students in real-world biomanufacturing skills. Join us to discover our two simulations, cell growth and automation, which take students on the journey of 3D-printing an artificial organ. Educators and professionals will leave this session feeling empowered with tools and knowledge to incorporate biomanufacturing career guidance effectively. Attendees will have access to the free, accessible, and universally designed resources discussed.

Alex Gibson, Learning Experience Designer, Biofab Explorer: Designing A Dual Enrollment Pathway to Careers in Biofabrication, CAST, Lynnfield, Massachusetts

Scalable Smart Manufacturing Workforce Development Community Model with VR/Digital Twin Technologies

The most significant barrier to the expansion of smart manufacturing technologies is the lack of a trained workforce caused by teacher shortages and inconvenient access to training facilities. Texas A&M University, CESMII, the national Smart Manufacturing Institute, and Amatrol will share the results of a year-long project designed to solve this problem through a scalable community model that distributes the training resources to the point of learner access with virtual reality and interactive multimedia online short certification courses. This community model also includes a teacher training academy whose purpose is to upskill teachers in high schools, colleges, and industry throughout Texas in SM skills.

Amarnath Banerjee, Associate Department Head for Undergraduate Affairs, Industrial and Systems Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas; Conrad Leiva, VP of Ecosystem and Workforce Education, CESMII the National Smart Manufacturing Institute, Los Angeles, California; Paul Perkins, President, Amatrol, Inc., Jeffersonville, Indiana

Fostering Future-Ready Skills Through Small Team Project-Based Learning in Cloud Technology

Hillsborough Community College has been awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation to establish an associate of science degree program focused on emerging cloud technologies. In this session, we will explore the effective combination of project-based learning (PBL) with cloud technology, enhanced by partnerships with business and industry leaders. This approach aims to connect classroom learning directly with real-world industry skills, focusing on small collaborative teams and the use of current cloud technologies. We will discuss how involving industry experts provides students with valuable insights and hands-on experience, preparing them for future careers in a technology-driven world. This presentation will showcase how this innovative educational model not only teaches technical skills but also develops essential problem-solving and teamwork abilities, making students ready for the challenges of the modern workplace.

Mubarak Banisakher, Computer Science Instructor, An Initiative of Closing the Cloud Computing Skills Gap, Hillsborough Community College, Tampa, Florida

Empowering Students and Workforce: The Role of Microcredentials in Today’s Education Landscape

In an ever-evolving job market and educational landscape, the demand for validating practical skills has never been greater. The presenters invite you to explore the transformative power of microcredentials as a solution to bridge the gap between traditional education and real-world skills. This session will demystify the world of microcredentials, a dynamic approach to skill validation that has the potential to significantly transform education, hiring, and workforce development.

Angela Consani, CEO, Bioscience Core Skills Institute, Olathe, Kansas; Elizabeth Boedeker, District Director, Center for Plant and Life Sciences, St. Louis Community College, Creve Coeur, Missouri

Industry Partnerships to the Rescue: Filling the Growing CTE Instructor Shortages

Does this sound familiar? You have worked hard to develop the perfect CTE program. An ATE grant helped you stock the lab with expensive equipment, your curriculum is meeting the needs of local employers, your classrooms are filling with students, and the administration is happy. There is just one last problem to solve: teachers. You and your full-time colleagues (if you are lucky enough to have those) can’t cover all the classes, and qualified, available adjunct instructors are becoming harder and harder to find. Industry partners may be your answer.

Marcella (Marci) Gale, Mechatronics Faculty and Program Head, Improving Advanced Manufacturing Technician Education Using Industry Partnerships (DUE #2202015), Central Virginia Community College, Lynchburg, Virginia

Fostering Divergent and Creative Thinking in Technician Education Through Structured Ideation

Employers of engineering technicians report that creativity and problem-solving are critical workforce skills. However, creativity is often assumed to be the province of the arts, rather than the ability to ideate solutions to problems. Technical curricula are often structured around producing correct answers to well-defined problems, justifying the belief that engineering practice is focused on objective precision rather than open-ended inquiry. This session will report results and provide strategies from the Product Design Incubator, an NSF ATE funded program intended to help foster creativity in interdisciplinary groups of community college students. The session will share pedagogical methods for embedding creative thinking into technician education.

Chris Russell, IET Project Manager, Product Design Incubator: Fostering an Entrepreneurial Mindset Through Interdisciplinary Product Design, Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale, Virginia; Richard Sewell, Fabrication Lab Coordinator, Product Design Incubator: Fostering an Entrepreneurial Mindset Through Interdisciplinary Product Design, Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale, Virginia

Business and Industry Leadership Team Implementation Models

Learn about the benefits to students and employer partners of colleges that have deepened employer engagement for existing and emerging technical programs across their institutions. Representatives from implementing colleges of different sizes, demographics, and industry sectors will share challenges faced, strategies deployed, and results achieved. Colleges will discuss how their institutions’ adoption of the Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT) model changed their outlook on strategic employer engagement and fostered powerful collaborations that ensure program curriculum meets business needs and students are workforce ready. New models for divisional, regional, statewide, and national BILTs will also be shared.

Ann Beheler, Director of Innovation, Pathways to Innovation, CORD, Waco, Texas; Hope Cotner, President, CORD, Pathways to Innovation, CORD, Waco, Texas

Involving Diverse Students Including Veterans in STEM Education and Workforce

This session will discuss successful approaches, lessons learned, and strategies developed to recruit and educate diverse students including veterans in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and workforce with a focus on microelectronics and nanotechnology. Effective recruitment methods, modifications implemented in curriculum and teaching methodologies, and the role of hands-on lab experience in enriching students learning experience in microelectronics and nanotechnology will be elaborated upon. These approaches and pedagogical methods should be effectively scaled so that students from diverse backgrounds can enter STEM fields and stay motivated to potentially work or enter higher education.

Vishal Saravade, Assistant Teaching Professor, Center for Nanotechnology Education and Utilization, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania; Zachary Gray, Managing Director, Center for Nanotechnology Education and Utilization, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania; Judith Slisz, NSF Evaluator, NSF, Cheshire, Connecticut; Albert Schwabenbauer, NSF Evaluator, NSF, Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts; Jessica Arroyo, Success Coach, Rio Salado College, Tempe, Arizona; Thomas McGlew, Adjunct Faculty, Rio Salado College, Tempe, Arizona; Rick Vaughn, Faculty Chair STEM, Rio Salado College, Tempe, Arizona; Gordon Inman, Instructional Service Manager, Rio Salado College, Tempe, Arizona; Kristin Corkhill, Director Strategic Initiatives, Georgia Piedmont Technical College, Clarkston, Georgia; Seung Joon Paik, Senior Research Engineer and Instructional Cleanroom Manager, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia

Mobile Solar Training Labs: Making Technical Solar Training Relevant and Accessible

As the demand for solar energy continues to rise, accessible training is crucial in building a skilled workforce. Our portable, affordable, comprehensive solar training labs have been a primary solution that we have developed to bring professional solar training and job readiness to students of any demographic in any region. Straightforward and efficient to deploy, this training lab provides the necessary components and learning objectives to serve a vast array of student skillsets and learning lab capabilities.

Nick Matthes, Project Manager, CREATE Energy Center, Midwest Renewable Energy Association, Custer, Wisconsin

Benefits of International Collaboration and Travel

Two-year colleges have focused on preparing students to enter the local or regional workforce. Today students must be prepared to compete with students from around the globe. International travel for faculty provides opportunities to collaborate with educators and industry partners to create curriculum aligned with global workforce requirements. Student travel provides them with new perspectives on career and life choices. Proposals for NSF ATE supplemental funding can be submitted to support student and faculty international travel. This presentation will include information about international travel and the benefits of international collaborations realized by GeoTech Center.

Ann Johnson, Associate Director, GeoTech Resouce Center, Jefferson Technical and Community College, Colorado Springs, Colorado; Vincent A. DiNoto, Jr., Director, GeoTech Resource Center, Jefferson Technical and Community College, Louisville, Kentucky

THURSDAY, August 1, 9:00-9:45

Transforming the Biotechnology Internship Experience to Empower Students and Promote Program Growth

The success of a program is more than technical skills training. It requires a combination of technical skills and crucial workforce skills. The Valencia College biotechnology program has integrated these workforce skills into the curriculum, including time management, communication, budgeting, teamwork, and networking. In addition, the program has focused on improving the internship experience for students by streamlining the process, increasing the number and diversity of biotech internships offered, and enhancing the related curriculum. As a result, these initiatives have helped enrich and promote program growth, leading to student success.

Susan Ingersoll, Professor and Program Director of Biotechnology, Improving the Biotechnology Internship Experience to Better Prepare Student Technicians for the Modern Workforce, Valencia College, Orlando, Florida; Sothy Kien, Instructional Lab Supervisor, Improving the Biotechnology Internship Experience to Better Prepare Student Technicians for the Modern Workforce, Valencia College, Orlando, Florida

A Tool to Foster Transparency in Work-Based Learning

For work-based learning (WBL) to be successful, students must be able to meet or exceed expectations. To improve expectation transparency and accountability, hallmarks of inclusion, we have developed a simple virtual tool to clarify expectations, success metrics, baseline assessments, and teaching strategy-support for each WBL experience. Implementation of this tool has positively impacted community college WBL student success and confidence. Attendees will learn how to integrate this tool into WBL programs through engagement with both students and industry partners, and assess its effects.

Karen Leung, Biotechnology Instructor and Internship Coordinator, A Collaborative Approach to Work-Based Learning in Biotechnology: Building Inclusive Lab Environments, City College of San Francisco, San Francisco, California

Transitioning Curricula to Embrace Industry 4.0 and Support Advanced Manufacturing

This session will address the necessity of teaching students the concepts that enable Industry 4.0 at the two-year college level. Today, Industry 4.0 has become accepted as the term used to describe how modern industry is transforming itself by utilizing digital technology to modify how automation works, making it more efficient and adaptive. The most practical way to make this happen is with the creation of a one-year certificate that effectively covers the enabling technologies used to create the manufacturing facility of the future. Industry is looking for employees that can successfully support their transition to this new paradigm.

Gary Mullett, Professor, Department Chair Advanced Engineering Technologies, National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing, Springfield Technical Community College, Springfield, Massachusetts

Leveraging Slack for Student Collaboration

Slack (slack.com) is a widely adopted cloud-based team communication platform in industry. This session will present a case study showcasing the successful use of Slack in fostering collaboration among undergraduate students across multiple technology courses. It will provide insights into how Slack was integrated into curriculum to enhance communication, project management, and teamwork among students. Attendees will learn about the setup of Slack workspaces, the creation of course-specific channels, the integration of tools, and the adoption of digital communication best practices in order to enrich the educational experience and prepare students for the collaborative demands of the tech industry.

David Singletary, Professor, Florida State College at Jacksonville, Jacksonville, Florida; Pamela Brauda, Professor, Florida State College at Jacksonville, Jacksonville, Florida

Towards Developing and Aligning Manufacturing Curriculum Across Autonomous Community College Systems

How do you map emerging industry competencies into an existing curriculum? How do you create and operationalize systemwide rubrics? How do you develop common embedded performance assessments (CEPA) for community college alignment and norming in order to develop a statewide four-course manufacturing technology microcredential program? Come hear how the MassBridge team has addressed these questions to create a flexible advanced manufacturing curriculum with standardized outcomes that prepares students to meet the demands of industry. Learn how this process can drive the work in your school and/or state.

Meghan Abella-Bowen, Sr. Program Manager, Workforce Development, MassTech Collaborative, Westborough, Massachusetts; Marina Bograd, Associate Professor and Chair, Engineering Department, MassBay Community College, Wellesley, Massachusetts

Facilitating Student Engagement in Guitars, Rocketry, and Robotics to Increase Self-Efficacy in STEM

The GRRATE Summer Institute project developed three experiential learning activities focused on electric guitar building, model rocketry, and robotics to observe the impact of STEM engagement on the efficacy of secondary students and their attitudes towards technical careers. The sources of efficacy within the design of the Summer Institutes program and students’ perceived experiences of the program are presented to highlight practical approaches, artifacts, and methods for implementing early intervention and interest in technical careers. Implications for offsetting the barriers that impede rural students’ engagement in STEM careers and technical activities will be discussed in a virtual collaboration activity. Attendees will gain understanding of strategies for increasing self-efficacy through engagement in three technical experiential learning projects.

Latoya Chandler, Adjunct Professor/Instructional Designer, Guitars Rocketry and Robotics Advanced Technological Education (GRRATE), Santa Fe College, Starke, Florida; Shellie Banfield, Center Director, Guitars Rocketry and Robotics Advanced Technical Education Center, Santa Fe College, Archer, Florida

ATE Program Officers Discuss Funding Opportunities for Two-Year Institutions

This session brings together four NSF program officers with experience as two-year faculty who are currently serving in the Division of Undergraduate Education. They will provide an overview of the funding opportunities available to two-year institutions including ATE, HSI, S-STEM, and IUSE:ITYC. Attendees will learn about the goals of several programs and how to determine which program best aligns with a specific project idea.

V. Celeste Carter, Lead Program Officer, NSF ATE Program, NSF, Alexandria, Virginia; Mike Davis, Intermittent Expert, NSF; Christine Delahanty, Kalyn Owens, Program Officers, NSF

What Is ABET Technology Accreditation and How Can It Benefit Two-year Faculty and Programs

ABET accreditation is based on successfully meeting a set of well-established worldwide assessment-driven criteria. Yet few two-year programs are ABET-accredited or faculty become program evaluators. The lack of program evaluators leads to having university professors reviewing two-year programs. Learn the benefits to students and the institution, and why professional societies and industries throughout the world are involved in ABET. This interactive session will cover ABET accreditation, becoming a program evaluator, and the IDEA council. The presenters are long-time ABET professionals who have served as program evaluators, accreditation team chairs, and IDEA council members.

Thomas Singer, Professor, PI, STEM Guitar Project, Sinclair Community College, Dayton, Ohio; Mel Cossette, Co-PI, MNT-EC, Edmonds College, Lynnwood, Washington; Richard Olawoyin, Professor, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan

Connecting K-12 Educators and Students to the Clean Energy Workforce Opportunity and Training

KidWind has been working with Heartland Community College to build relationships with local educators and students through training and KidWind Challenge events to improve local perceptions of clean energy and to provide familiarity with careers and training that relates to the clean energy economy. We hope to replicate and share this model with others.

Michael Arquin, Director, Affiliated with CREATE Energy Center, KidWind Project, Saint Paul, Minnesota; Chris Miller, Professor, CREATE Energy, Heartland Community College, Pontiac, Illinois

Enhancing Education: XR Simulations for Environmental Learning

Discover how extended reality (XR) simulation development by the EARTh Center is revolutionizing environmental education in community colleges. Our session will cover the process of developing immersive XR simulations, from conception to classroom implementation. Learn how these tools can engage students, enhance learning outcomes, and integrate seamlessly into your curriculum. Join us to explore the future of educational technology, led by our experienced development team. This session is perfect for educators eager to elevate their teaching strategies with innovative XR solutions.

Josh Webb, Associate Director, Environmental and Natural Resources Technology (EARTh) Center, Central Carolina Community College, Sanford, North Carolina; Elizabeth Slagle, Instructional Designer, Environmental and Natural Resources Technology (EARTh) Center, Central Carolina Community College, Sanford, North Carolina

THURSDAY, August 1, 10:15-11:00

Utilizing Low-Cost Hands-on and Remote Activities for Recruitment and Education

This session will focus on low-cost alternatives that have been developed, and continue to be developed, provide students with hands-on experiences with methods traditionally used in nanotechnology and the semiconductor manufacturing industries. In many cases these activities are portable and can be utilized for student recruitment and outreach at the K12 and CC levels. The presenters will introduce the new RAIN website and discuss hands-on remote learning and how the Remotely Accessible Instruments for Nanotechnology (RAIN) network can be used in the classroom to give students hands-on experience on sophisticated characterization equipment.

Zachary Gray, Managing Director, Center for Nanotechnology Education and Utilization (CNEU), Pennsylvania State Univerity, State College, Pennsylvania; Treylor Shirley, Lab Manager, Center for Nanotechnology Education and Utilization (CNEU), Pennsylvania State Univerity, State College, Pennsylvania

Redeveloping Automated Manufacturing Programs with a Focus on Troubleshooting Skill Development

Through the “Teaching Technicians Troubleshooting with Mini Industry 4.0 Factories” grant (DUE #2100322), Bridgerland Technical College has refocused its entire automation technology certificate on troubleshooting skill development. This focus on troubleshooting required Bridgerland to redevelop course structures, learning tools, and assessments. These curricular resources give students the ability to troubleshoot complex systems that are directly aligned with industry standards. Attendees will receive Bridgerland’s Troubleshooting Methodology booklet, become acquainted with Bridgerland’s troubleshooting mini-factory trainer, and learn how Bridgerland prioritizes troubleshooting throughout its entire automation curriculum (i.e., troubleshooting methodology, troubleshooting assessments, and troubleshooting video demonstrations).

Mason Lefler, Associate Vice President for Educational Innovation, Teaching Technician Troubleshooting with Mini Industry 4.0 Factories (DUE #2100322), Bridgerland Technical College, Logan, Utah; Jeffrey Waddoups, Instructor, Automation Department, Teaching Technician Troubleshooting with Mini Industry 4.0 Factories (DUE #2100322), Bridgerland Technical College, Logan, Utah; Mikaela Wilkins, Instructional Designer, Teaching Technician Troubleshooting with Mini Industry 4.0 Factories (DUE #2100322), Bridgerland Technical College, Logan, Utah

Partnering with ATEs, Industry, and Manufacturing Innovation Institutes to Develop Microcredentials

This presentation will focus on industry engagement to facilitate education. The presenters will discuss how their ATE Coordination Network project—which included community colleges, Manufacturing Extension Partnerships (MEP), and Manufacturing Innovation Institutes (MII)—leveraged existing relationships and built new ones to help create a no-cost microcredential. Attendees will learn about ways to connect to other ATE projects and how to locate and engage with their local MEP. The value of including one or more MII and how to connect to them will also be shared.

Evelyn Brown, Director, Extension Research and Development, The Robotics/Automation & Cybersecurity Knowledge Sharing Coordination Network (TRACKS-CN), NC State University, Raleigh, North Carolina; Aimee Durham, Department Chair, TRACKS-CN, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, Salisbury, North Carolina; Zack Hubbard, Chief Information Officer, TRACKS-CN, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, Salisbury, North Carolina

Supplemental Instruction: What It Is, How It Works, and How It Is Developed

Supplemental instruction (SI) is an academic support model that uses peer learning to improve college student retention and student success in high-attrition courses. Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) is a Hispanic Serving Institution situated on an inner-city campus with a special focus on STEM, DEI, and our HSI students. The results are clear-cut: Students do considerably better with an SI. We will share the positive impact the SI program has had on the computer information technology area at STCC. Presented will be data findings, video testimonials, and experiences directly from the students and SI student leaders. Join us to learn about STCC’s SI program: how it supports the instructors, how it benefits the students, and how to develop an SI program.

Brian Candido, Professor and Department Chair, Springfield Technical Community College, Springfield, Massachusetts

Helping Students Align with Employers Through a Skills-Based Approach

In this session, we will explore the need for learners to focus on the skills they are earning and learning to ensure they align with employer needs. Understanding how to incentivize learners along their pathway to keep accumulating these skills helps learners better align themselves with work-based learning opportunities and careers. Being able to compare their skills against what employers are looking for in potential candidates gives jobseekers the ability to continue along the path they’re currently on, or adapt based on the career they desire.

Jarlath O’Carroll, CEO, Jobspeaker, San Francisco, California

How to Create an Equitable Workplace for Female Automotive Students

An IWITTS study found that female automotive technicians face unfair hiring practices and a toxic work environment. For example, 58 percent of female technicians were asked if they had a thick skin during job interviews. To address this, strategies were implemented at a community college with an ATE grant. Industry partners received training to create a fair workplace, job placement staff were trained to prepare female students for unfair hiring processes, and IWITTS developed a guide for women automotive technicians on navigating the hiring landscape. Participants will learn about study findings, strategies outlined in the guide, and how to engage employers in hiring female graduates.

Donna Milgram, Executive Director, Developing and Implementing Hybrid Instruction to Increase the Access of Women and Adult Learners to Diesel Technology Training; Expanding Pathways and Support for Transportation Technology Education and Careers at an Urban Minority Serving Institutions; Accelerating Advanced Electric Vehicle Technician Education While Increasing the Recruitment and Retention of Women, National Institute for Women in Trades, Technology & Science, Alameda, California; Richard Saxton, Assistant Professor, Department Chair, Transportation Technologies; PI, Expanding Pathways & Support for Transportation Technology Ed and Careers at an Urban Minority Service Institutions, Community College of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Harnessing the Power of Peer Support to Empower Veterans in Online Engineering Courses

This session will discuss the experiences of veterans and adult learners in engineering career pathways, with a particular focus on the role of peer support structures in undergraduate online courses. Discussion will build on Year 1 and 2 findings from the three-year NSF-sponsored research project that seeks to explore new strategies for engaging students early in career pathways. The study brings together researchers, educators, and practitioners to gain insight on best practices related to the unique challenges and opportunities faced by veterans and adult learners pursuing engineering as well as the impact peer learning has on students’ motivation, commitment, and academic success.

David Harvie, Assistant Professor, Program Chair, MS, Engagement of Non-Traditional Students in Engineering Pathways, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida; Kimberly Luthi, Assistant Professor, Engagement of Non-Traditional Students in Engineering Pathways, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida

Leveraging the BILT Model to Inform Regional Curriculum and the Creation of Competency-Based Badges

We will explore utilization of the BILT model in a regional context involving eight community colleges to drive curriculum improvement and badge creation. The BILT’s KSA analysis is used to identify gaps in curriculum content using industry input. This process drives the creation of baseline curriculum content and defines badge competencies. Produced content is housed and distributed utilizing platforms including Odigia and Open Education Resources. Adapting the BILT model’s KSA analysis to a regional consortium drives the development of competency-based badges, enhancing workforce readiness and providing students flexibility in obtaining short-term credentials and/or degree completion across institutions.

Linda Robinson, Project Director, AWESM, Forsyth Technical Community College, Winston Salem, North Carolina; Bo Bunn, Curriculum Coordinator, AWESM, Forsyth Technical Community College, Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Shawn Meck, Factory Manager, Progress Rail, Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Kevin Osborne, Vice President for Economic Mobility and Workforce Outcomes, Forsyth Technical Community College, Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Energy Coffee Hours: Virtual Networking for Faculty

Since fall 2022, the CREATE network has been hosting virtual coffee hours several times a semester for faculty to share and discuss strategies and issues of common concern. Since the first session, we have hosted eight coffee hours on a variety of topics with 10–15 faculty members from around the country attending.

Jennifer Clemons, Department Chair for Energy Technologies, CREATE Energy, Delaware Technical Community College, Dover, Delaware; Gabrielle Temple, Project Manager, CREATE Energy, College of the Canyons, Santa Clarita, California

Using ChatGPT as a Teaching Assistant

The delay between the time when a student needs help and the time when the student receives that help can be a big demotivator that negatively impacts student success. Instructors use multiple tools to reduce the delay, i.e., emails, having teaching assistants, and discussion boards with other students. All these mechanisms help mitigate the time delay problem. However, these strategies still have a time lag. Large language models (LLM) such as ChatGPT can help reduce this lag to almost zero. But LLMs can also cause problems, such as giving students too much information. This session will look at the current state of ChatGPT as a tool to help students and some strategies to mitigate the drawbacks.

Marcelo Guerra Hahn, Associate Professor, Lake Washington Institute of Technology, Kirkland, Washington

THURSDAY, August 1, 11:15-Noon

Skills for Tomorrow’s Careers: Manufacturing USA

Manufacturing USA supports hands-on, experiential programs that familiarize students with advanced manufacturing technology, entrepreneurship, and career pathways that can lead to good paying advanced manufacturing careers. The Manufacturing USA Institutes support a wide variety of technologies and programs that effectively connect students, often from underserved communities, with resources and opportunities that can help guide their career decision-making through college. This panel discussion will focus on the most common skills necessary for advanced manufacturing career pathways in 2024 and will outline several institute programs that partner with community colleges and how you can bring these engaging programs to your school.

Brad Conrad, Education and Workforce Manager, NIST, Manufacturing USA, Gaithesburg, Maryland

Industry Bridge to Faculty (IB2F): Hiring SMEs to Teach and Share Their Know-How

With 7,500 to 10,000 job roles currently needing to be filled, the biopharmaceutical industry in North Carolina is experiencing tremendous growth. The Industry Bridge to Faculty (IB2F) project is addressing that need by hiring adjuncts or full-time faculty directly from the biopharma industry. This includes workers who will soon be retiring. This gets their extensive industry knowledge into the classroom to better train and teach the next generation of biopharma technicians. The first step we took was an informational event to let industry workers know about this unique opportunity to share their real-world experience and institutional knowledge as faculty. Attendees will learn how they can adopt a similar model at their school to support other in-demand technical industries.

Cynthia Lawrence, Director of Biotechnology WCE, IB2F, Wake Tech, Cary, North Carolina; Russ Read, Executive Director, National Center for the Biotechnology Workforce; Co-Pi, InnovATEBIO, Forsyth Tech, Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Julie Griffin, Career Coach, InnovATEBIO, Johnston Community College, Smithfield, North Carolina

Unveiling the Benefits of a Combined Networking/Computer Support Capstone Course

This session will examine the benefits of our new Networking/IT Support Capstone course. At Kirkwood Community College, we recognized a need for a shift in how we were preparing our students for the real world. This included a heightened focus on collaboration, creativity, and practical problem solving. Our capstone course isn’t just about ticking off boxes or passing exams. It’s about breaking down barriers and fostering an environment where students from two distinct programs (Computer Support and Network and System Administration) can come together, learn from each other, work with industry mentors, and tackle real-world challenges head on.

Bryan Bennett, Assistant Professor and Coordinator Computer Support Specialist Program, Kirkwood Community College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Shawn Lampe, Assistant Professor and Coordinator Network and System Administration Program, Kirkwood Community College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Re-visioning and Implementing a Precision Machining Manufacturing Program

With over 300 machine shops in the region, machining is one of the core elements of manufacturing in south-central Kansas. This session will walk attendees through the steps WSU Tech took and the resources utilized to update its machining technology curriculum, machines in its machining lab, and support structures. WSU Tech took a three-prong approach to re-visioning the machining program to better align with industry: reviewing, evaluating, and reviewing curriculum, leveraging public and private resources to match the lab environment to industry, and thinking outside of the box to promote machining to K-12 and underrepresented students.

Scott Lucas, Vice President, Aviation and Manufacturing, WSU Tech, Wichita, Wichita, Kansas

The Education Continuum: An Inclusive Methodology for Introducing Students to Technical Education

Introducing students to CTE through STEM requires an innovative approach to education, one that matches education and science standards. In this session, we will explore a thoughtful education process that aligns the exploration of physical and technical skills with the requirements imposed by the state. We will discuss how integrating technical skills into traditional programs of math, science, and even history can expose a diverse population of students to a wide variety of prosperity options.

Steven Lehr, Director, Business Development, www.festo.com, Austin, Texas

Classroom Stories: Applying UDL Principles for Deaf and ALL Students

College classrooms are becoming more diverse. This presentation will sensitize attendees to the challenges faced by deaf students in classrooms and share universal design for learning (UDL) and best practices for instruction that will benefit ALL students. Through a short mock lecture, attendees will experience what it is like to be a deaf or hard-of-hearing student in a college classroom. This experience will be followed by video testimonials on the challenges deaf students face and discussion of the UDL principles that could be used to improve the instruction and learning not only for deaf students but for ALL students. Online resources to improve existing teaching practice developed by DeafTEC, an NSF ATE Resource Center, will also be presented.

Brian Trager, Associate Professor, DeafTEC, Rochester Institute of Technology/National Technical Institute for the Deaf, Rochester, New York; Donna Lange, Associate Professor, DeafTEC, Rochester Institute of Technology/National Technical Institute for the Deaf, Rochester, New York

Faculty Perspective on Colleges Working Together to Improve Student Outcomes

The presenters will share faculty perspectives on approaches to improving student outcomes and retention. Sometimes, the biggest problem regarding student success is the faculty. We tend to become isolated from the latest industry trends and best practices. Attendees will learn about the benefits and synergy that can be obtained when community colleges work together instead of competing against each other. (We all have the same mission.) Attendees will also hear about techniques for improving student learning that works or has the potential to work.

Olle Gladso, Instructor, Educating Autonomous Vehicle Technicians, Riverland Community College, Albert Lea, Minnesota; Shannon Mohn, Instructor, AMPED Technology Certification: Advanced Modules in Powered Electric Drive Technology Certification, Minnesota State Community and Technical College, Moorhead, Minnesota

Built! A Statewide Seamless Engineering Technology AS-to-BS Pathway to PE

Florida’s Associate of Science Engineering Technology (ASET) degree is a well coordinated degree program offered by 23 of the 28 colleges in the Florida College System. A recent survey of faculty and industry revealed several Industrial Industry 4.0 skills that graduates will need as they enter the technician workforce. This presentation will share how the skill gaps were identified, and how the colleges are eliminating the gaps with new AS and BS programs. These new programs provide a seamless 2+2 articulation path for ASET graduates in any specialization. Additionally, FLATE initiated a statewide industry advisory board to increase industry engagement and program visibility.

Marilyn Barger, Senior Educational Advisor, FLATE, FloridaMakes, Tampa, Florida; Sam Ajlani, FLATE, College of Central Florida, Lecanto, Florida; Sidney Martin, FLATE, St. Petersburg College, St. Petersburg, Florida

Solar Photovoltaic, Energy Storage, and Electric Vehicle Infrastructure for College Campuses

This session will examine the infrastructure needs of schools seeking to teach students about clean energy technologies. Special consideration will be given to how to design school facilities that can generate energy for school operations while also providing an instructional platform. Model lab construction plans will be shared, along with whitepapers that outline design challenges and instructional opportunities that accompany campus construction projects. A ten-step guide will also be shared to help other schools develop a clean energy roadmap and implement their own infrastructure projects.

Ken Walz, Principal Investigator, CREATE Energy Center, Madison College, Madison, Wisconsin

Best Practices and Lessons Learned from Developing an AI Degree

This session will cover the strategies, challenges, and recommendations associated with developing and offering an AI degree based on the experience from Miami Dade College, the first college in Florida to launch AI associate and bachelor’s degrees. The lead faculty and administrator behind the AI programs will dive into topics like curriculum, industry partners, resources available, faculty professional development, and recruiting students for the program. Presenters will also share the lessons learned after offering the program to over 600 students. Let the experience from Miami Dade College be your guide as you develop a pathway for your AI program.

Antonio Delgado, Vice President, Innovation and Tech Partnerships, Miami Dade College, Miami, Florida; Eduardo Salcedo, Computer Science Faculty, Miami Dade College, Miami, Florida

THURSDAY, August 1, 1:45-2:30

Using NI Elvis and MyDAQ to Support Remote Labs for STEM Education

This presentation will discuss the detailed designs using NI MyDAQs and NI ELVIS IIIs to build circuits that can be remotely accessed from outside of the college. Lab experiments with RC and RL circuits, relays, MyDAQs, and the NI ELVISmx software suite can be used to evaluate RC and RL circuits. Likewise, lab experiments for active filters can be evaluated using NI ELVIS IIIs and NI Measurement Live software. Both the MyDAQ and ELVIS III boxes connect to computers via a USB interface. Each of the four rack-mounted computers is connected to both an ELVIS III and MyDAQ.

Andrew Bell, Department Chair, Engineering, SCME and MNT-EC, Ivy Tech Community College, Fort Wayne, Indiana

Contextualized Math for Technician Education in Welding

An alliance of rural Arizona colleges recently completed an ATE program to remove barriers to completion by contextualizing math for technician education. The presenters will describe their approach to contextualizing math in welding and how they have expanded their welding lab projects, leading students to better understand the important role math plays in their welding decisions. Attendees will be asked to participate in a discussion about how these concepts can be applied, how resources can best be shared, and next steps in this field of study.

Bobby Noberto, Lead Welding Instructor, Impact of System-Wide Contextualization of Math in Rural Arizona Colleges on Producing More Qualified Technicians (CXM), Arizona Western College, Yuma, Arizona; Caroline VanIngen-Dunn, Sr. Director, Center for Broadening Participation in STEM, Impact of System-Wide Contextualization of Math in Rural Arizona Colleges on Producing More Qualified Technicians (CXM) and HSI ATE Hub 2, Arizona State University, Scottsdale, Arizona

Faculty Professional Development in Culturally Responsive STEM Education

In this session, we will discuss work on the Hispanic Serving Institution Advanced Technological Education Hub 2 (HSI ATE Hub 2). The HSI ATE Hub 2 grant is a three-year collaborative research project that builds on the successful outcomes of two mentoring and professional development (PD) programs in a pilot that translates foundational theory related to culturally responsive pedagogy into practice using a three-tier scaffolded faculty PD model. The goal of HSI ATE Hub 2 is to improve outcomes for Latinx students in technician education programs through the design, development, piloting, optimization, and dissemination of this model at two-year Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI).

Sarah Belknap, Assistant Professor, Hispanic Serving Institution Advanced Technological Education Hub 2, Westchester Community College, Valhalla, New York; Mara Lopez, Director of Research, HSI ATE Hub 2, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona; Juan Rodriguez, Assistant Professor, HSI ATE Hub 2, Westchester Community College, Valhalla, New York

An Easier Path to Smart Manufacturing Skills in the Workforce

Advanced technologies are paving new paths for today’s workers, offering opportunities to upskill existing workers and train new workers for high-paying careers in advanced manufacturing and energy industries. CESMII, the national Smart Manufacturing Institute; SACA, the Smart Automation Certification Alliance; and Amatrol, a leader in career and technical education (CTE) solutions, will share how colleges can accelerate the availability of training for these career pathways by leveraging industry-driven microcredentials to shape instructor and workforce training programs and how workers can accumulate microcredentials as they work and apply them to emerging two- and four-year degrees.

Conrad Leiva, VP of Ecosystem and Workforce Education, CESMII the National Smart Manufacturing Institute, Los Angeles, California; James Wall, Executive Director, Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA), Clarksville, Indiana; Paul Perkins, President, Amatrol, Inc., Jeffersonville, Indiana

IT Internship Programs: Too Much Too Soon vs. Too Little Too Late

This session will examine a micro-internship program that placed students with employers during an introductory networking course. While traditional internship programs are geared toward students who have completed all or most of their studies, this program gave students an opportunity to gain hands-on experience at an early point in their academic pursuits.

Eugene Kinnaird, Faculty, Miami Dade College, Miami, Florida

Multimodal Approach to Blended Learning and Technical Skills Development

This hands-on session will present innovative, technology-rich AR/VR-powered virtual labs and blended learning environments with a focus on technologies such as IoT, renewable energy, energy efficiency, and biomanufacturing. Through this approach, students are able to perform authentic workplace tasks online using digital copies of actual equipment and develop troubleshooting skills. At the same time, they study the underlying theory. This makes students feel comfortable with equipment and process workflow, boosts their understanding, and enhances their hands-on performance at college labs and during on-site training. Participants will learn how to adapt virtual labs and associated resources and integrate them with their own curricula. Attendees must bring their laptop, tablet, or smartphone.

Yakov Cherner, Co-PI, The Internet of Things Education Project (DUE #1801090); Blended Learning for Biomanufacturing Education and Training in Emerging Technologies (DUE #1902673); Synchronized Cloud-Based Collaborative Platform (DUE #2126534), ATeL: Advanced Tools for e-Learning, Swampscott, Massachusetts; Gary Mullett, Professor and Department Chair of Applied Engineering Technologies Department, The Internet of Things Education Project (DUE #1801090), Springfield Technical Community College, Springfield, Massachusetts

Gender-Based Comparison of Creative Self-Efficacy and Mindset of Undergraduate Engineering Students

Research was conducted that provided insight into why only approximately 20 percent of engineering graduates are women, and why only 15 percent enter the profession. A survey was distributed to help to answer the research question, “How do creative self-efficacy (CSE) and creative mindset of women and men undergraduate engineering students compare?” Analysis revealed several key similarities and differences in CSE, growth creative mindset (GCM), and fixed creative mindset (FCM) of women and men students that produced several important findings. These findings lead to conclusions that helped to provide answers to the research question and contributed to a better understanding of these students.

Christine Delahanty, NSF Program Director EDU/DUE, Bucks County Community College (host institution for resarch), Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania

S-Success T-Teamwork E-Engagement M-Motivation for STEM Students

STEM is not just an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and math. It is also stands for a proactive approach to student success. Springfield Technical Community College staff representing advising, academic affairs, and our STEM Center will present successful strategies for improving student Success, Teamwork, Engagement, and Motivation. The group will also present data on how these strategies have improved STEM student retention and persistence. Student success testimonials and videos will be shown.

Marlene Johnson, Director of Title V Grant and STEM Center Director, Springfield Technical Community College, Springfield, Massachusetts; Lara Sharp, Dean of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, Springfield Technical Community College, Springfield, Massachusetts; Melishia Santiago, Assistant Dean of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, Springfield Technical Community College, Springfield, Massachusetts; Jason Phillips, STEM Advisor, Springfield Technical Community College, Springfield, Massachusetts; Samar Ghrear, STEM Starter Academy Director, Springfield Technical Community College, Springfield, Massachusetts

Insights and Highlights from a Week on the Mississippi

Join us for a dive into the Environmental and Natural Resource Technology (EARTh) Center’s unique week-long professional development workshop for technical educators, centered around resources, challenges, and opportunities on the Mississippi River. Delve into how the workshop deepened participants’ knowledge of the agricultural, industrial, and ecological interplay within the nation’s largest watershed. Attendees will be encouraged to share ideas for future professional development events.

Brian Ritter, Executive Director, Environmental and Natural Resources Technology (EARTh) Center, Nahant Marsh Education Center, Davenport, Iowa

ChatGPT Unveiled: Revolutionizing Education and Industry

This dynamic session will reveal the revolutionary impact of ChatGPT on education and industry. We’ll explore the cutting-edge applications and real-world implications of this advanced language model. Discover how ChatGPT reshaped the landscape of both education and industry, offering unprecedented opportunities for collaboration, creativity, and efficiency. Join me for a glimpse into the future where ChatGPT catalyzes positive change, bridging the gap between human ingenuity and artificial intelligence.

Deanne Wesley, Director Cybersecurity/Professor, North Carolina Central University, Durham, North Carolina

THURSDAY, August 1, 2:45-3:30

Identifying and Placing Our Hidden Talent

Finding talent is a team sport involving multiple partners and organizations. The manufacturing industry is facing massive headwinds in recruiting and retaining skilled talent. This session will share an innovative approach in which multiple organizations jointly recruit, skill, and employ a manufacturing workforce. Learn how a public-private partnership can build your bench, refine your talent, and build a diversified workforce while closing the skills gaps.

Cara Pattison, Program Manager, Workforce Development, SME, Southfield, Michigan; Deb Volzer, Director of Government and Workforce Partnerships, SME, Southfield, Michigan; Megan McInory, Head of Partnerships, Cengage Work, Boston, Massachusetts

Enhancing the Workforce Pipeline Through Apprenticeships and Microcredentials

As champions of innovative education, the presenters will delve into the dynamic world of apprenticeships and microcredentials, presenting them not merely as learning pathways but as catalysts for crafting robust futures. We will explore the emerging trends of apprenticeships and short-term, competency-based credentials as the future of work-based learning. We aim to inspire our audience with success stories, strategies, and insights that redefine the way we perceive and cultivate partnerships in higher education. Attendees will leave with personalized action plans relevant to their institutions.

Fabiola Riobe, Vice President of Educational Innovation and Global Programming, Kansas City Kansas Community College, Kansas City, Kansas; Ashley Irvine, Associate Dean of CTE, Kansas City Kansas Community College, Kansas City, Kansas

Diversity and the Advanced Manufacturing Workforce

According to Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute, 2.1 million manufacturing jobs may go unfilled by 2030, emphasizing the need to recruit populations that are underrepresented in the field. During this presentation attendees will hear personal experiences from students in advanced manufacturing fields including what helped them persist when facing challenges throughout their career paths. Attendees will also learn about strategies and resources that can be used for the recruitment and retention of students from populations that are underrepresented in advanced manufacturing fields.

Karen Wosczyna-Birch, Executive Director & PI, National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing, National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing, Farmington, Connecticut

Data Intelligence: Solving Modern Data Problems

In this session, we’ll look at the emerging world of data intelligence platforms and how you can use one to solve everyday business problems.

Joseph Hobbs, Solution Architect, Databricks, Grandview, Missouri

The Power of Aptitudes-Based Career Exploration to Enhance Student Placement and Retention

Aptitudes-based career exploration is an approach to admissions and program placement that is very different from traditional self-report interest surveys. During this session, Hans Meeder of YouScience will explain the history of aptitudes-based assessment, and how new digital platforms being used by community colleges across the nation help students choose career pathway programs that are best-fit for students’ innate aptitudes and emerging interests.

Hans Meeder, Sr. Fellow, Education and Workforce Innovation, YouScience, Columbia, Maryland

UDL in Action: Accessible STEM Learning from AccessATE and CAST

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework for designing accessible and engaging learning environments for all learners. AccessATE supports the work of the NSF ATE projects and centers to make the materials and activities they develop more accessible. In this session, attendees will learn about the UDL case studies from AccessATE and CAST, which showcase how ATE instructors, curriculum developers, and even industry partners can incorporate UDL into their courses and activities. The session will also provide practical tips and resources for implementing UDL and accessibility in the ATE community.

Luis Perez, Disability and Digital Inclusion Lead, AccessATE, CAST, St. Petersburg, Florida; Sam Johnston, Chief Postsecondary and Workforce Development Office, CAST, Boston, Massachusetts; Alison Kent, Associate Project Director, CAST, Boston, Massachusetts; Rachael Bower, Director, Internet Scout, Madison, Wisconsin

Demystifying Evaluation in ATE: Ask Us Anything

Join us for a session tailored to those new to ATE grants, where we explore the importance of evaluation in maximizing project impact. Through a concise introduction and an interactive panel of evaluators, we’ll delve into the evaluation process and answer any questions you have, big or small. By the end, you’ll understand evaluation’s key purposes and role in project success. A panel of ATE evaluators will provide practical insight into how to best collaborate with an evaluator and use your evaluation findings. Walk away equipped with resources to support your evaluation endeavors.

Valerie Marshall, Senior Research Associate, EvaluATE, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan; Lyssa Wilson Becho, Principal Research Associate, EvaluATE, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan

NEATEC Offerings and Introduction to the Vacuum and Plasma Process Operator Trainer (VAPPOR) Tool

We will introduce the content and activities developed during the life of NEATEC. A thorough introduction to NEATEC that the ATE community can use includess the following activities: (1) workshops developed for the community college faculty and students; (2) modules, professional development, and workshops for the middle and high school teachers and students; (3) training for new-hire technicians for semiconductor industries (GlobalFoundries, TEL, and others); (4) workshops and internships to train military members and veterans for careers in the semiconductor industry; (5) experiential learning through internships with National Labs and industry leaders; and (6) introduction of our vacuum tool, VAPPOR.

Abraham Michelen, Managing Director, Northeast Advanced Technological Education Center, NEATEC, SUNY Poly/NEATEC, Albany, New York; Robert Geer, Principal Investigator, NEATEC, SUNY Poly, Albany, New York; Stephen Stewart, Developer, NEATEC, SUNY Poly, Albany, New York; Robert Decker, Professor, NEATEC, Mohawk Valley Community College, Albany, New York

Biomanufacturing, Research and Technical Training: Where Industry and Education Meet

Biomanufacturing, Research and Technical Training (BRaTT) was developed by St. Louis Community College with guidance and feedback from an industry partner seeking professional development opportunities for its employees. It was originally offered as a five-week once-a-week format to minimize the impact on day-to-day manufacturing activities but evolved into a more generalized training vehicle for new employees with little to no laboratory experience. How this training was developed and continued to adapt will be discussed with best practices shared.

Elizabeth Boedeker, District Director, Center for Plant and Life Sciences, St. Louis Community College Center for Plant and Life Sciences, Saint Louis, Missouri; Laura Moore, Senior Research Scientist, Contract Research Organization Coordinator, St. Louis Community College Center for Plant and Life Sciences, Saint Louis, Missouri

Generative AI: Programming Assistant in the Classoom

Generative AI (GenAI), as implemented in chatbots like ChatGPT, has greatly impacted higher education. This presentation will delve into the basics of large language models (LLM), prompt engineering, and the impact of these technologies in the classroom. The presentation will provide a case study about how GenAI was used in an intermediate programming course at the University of Hawaii Maui College in Spring 2024. The presentation will provide the latest updates in the core features and usage of popular AI tools such as RepIit, ChatGPT v4 from OpenAI, and Claude v2 from Anthropic. Participants with laptops can engage in hands-on activities.

Debasis Bhattacharya, Associate Professor, Cyber Data Analytics Education, Curriculum, and Workforce Development (DUE #2300867), University of Hawaii Maui College, Kahului, Hawaii

THURSDAY, August 1, 3:45-4:30

Diversifying IT Pathways

The U.S. technology workforce will likely hit 1,000,000 open jobs this year. Yet marginalized communities still lack representation in technology careers and the programs that prepare them for those careers. While awareness has improved, there is still much work to be done.

Robert Owens, Director, Post Secondary, Training Solutions, CompTIA, Downer Grove, Illinois

Career Pathways in Advanced Manufacturing and Industry

Did you know there are advanced manufacturing careers in high-end fashion, sustainable agriculture, and artificial intelligence? Manufacturing USA Institutes support talent pipelines in technology areas spanning a broad range of technologies including bio fabrication, composites, robotics, semiconductors, cybersecurity, advanced materials, and decarbonization. This panel will highlight the breadth of advanced manufacturing careers that are open to STEM students, non-traditional manufacturing careers, how to make the connections between students’ interests and those careers, our Modern Makers Career Pathways project, and how students can access opportunities in and pathways to advanced manufacturing careers.

Brad Conrad, Education and Workforce Development Manager, NIST, Manufacturing USA, Gaithersburg, Maryland

Global Future of Work Snapshot: Replicable Practices from Basque Region Study Tour

The Preparing Technicians for the Future of Work project recently sent a multi-college team of technical faculty on an international study tour to explore vocational education and training (VET) programs and integration of advanced technologies in the EU. This panel will focus on experiences in the Basque region of Spain. Participating faculty visited manufacturing and VET facilities and identified instructional practices and organizational models that are potentially replicable at their home institutions. Team members will share their observations on student engagement and retention, career pathways and certifications, apprenticeship and other rapid training models, and implications for program change.

Ann-Claire Anderson, Sr. VP, Preparing Technicians for the Future of Work, Center for Occupational Research and Development, Waco, Texas. Panelists: Kristine Christensen, Professor of Computer Information Systems, Moraine Valley Community College, Palos Hills, Illinois; Rick Vaughn, Faculty Chair, STEM Initiatives, Rio Salado College, Tempe, Arizona; Chuck Bales, Program Coordinator/Professor, Automation & Engineering Technology, Moraine Valley Community College, Palos Hills, Illinois

Revolutionizing Workforce Training: Portable PLC and Electrical Trainers for Industry

This session will introduce custom PLC and electrical trainers designed to meet urgent industry skill gaps like basic electrical testing and systematic troubleshooting. These trainers are part of a flexible eLearning program with a strong focus on practical, hands-on learning. The presenters will share how these tools, combined with formative and summative assessments, have led to high success and retention rates in FlexLab, which allows learners to engage on their own schedules.

Darrin Falk, Mechatronics Instructor, Chippewa Valley Technical College, Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Tim Tewalt, Program Director Mechatronics Emeritus, Completed Projects: 1902499 Technological Education in Cyber-Physical Systems Projects & 1902499 Technological Education in Cyber-Physical Systems, Mechatronics Training, Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Top Ten or So Accessibility Tips for Digital Documents

The session will focus on the benefits of digital accessibility, emphasizing the incorporation of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines to break down barriers. Making content and applications accessible improves usability for people with disabilities and enhances the user experience, regardless of ability. Improving digital accessibility for users expands the reach of content and enriches the user experience, which can increase retention. As one in four adults in the USA lives with a disability, prioritizing accessibility is a strategic way to support a significant portion of the population and increase enrollment in STEM fields.

Amanda Rosenzweig, Assistant Dean School of STEM, Canvas Administrator, Professor Biology, Advancing Progress in Industrial BioManufacturing to Accelerate Workforce Readiness, Delgado Community College, New Orleans, Louisiana; Hayley Orndorf, Curriculum Designer, Advancing Progress in Industrial BioManufacturing to Accelerate Workforce Readiness, BioMADE, St. Paul, Minnesota

The Needed Math Project: Promoting Student Success in Manufacturing Workplaces

The goal of the Needed Math Project is to improve the alignment of the mathematics taught in community colleges with the mathematics necessary for technicians working in production environments. The project involves research based on a large-scale survey of company personnel and community college faculty. Our objectives at HI-TEC are twofold: first, to present our findings, and second, to discuss scenarios based on the research results. These scenarios, currently being developed by the Needed Math team with colleagues from industry and community college faculty, aim to illuminate how the identified mathematical competencies are applied across diverse manufacturing contexts.

Lisa Seidman, Instructor, Writer, Needed Math, MATC, Madison, Wisconsin; Marilyn Barger, FLATE, Tampa, Florida

Using the BeagleBone Black and Node-RED to Teach IIoT Concepts

This session will describe the use of a low-cost trainer based on the BeagleBone Black controller to provide students with hands-on activities that demonstrate IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) concepts.

Richard Hartmann, Professor, Preparing Robotics Technicians for Industry 4.0, Stark State College, North Canton, Ohio

Creating a Solar Roadmap for Your School

Recent federal funding through the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has created an unprecedented opportunity for schools to install solar photovoltaic equipment. Join this session to learn how to create a Solar Roadmap for your college to help transform your school’s infrastructure. The presentation will include and ten-step plan and a digital solar toolkit to help participants get started. Special attention will be given to solar design to facilitate student instruction.

Ken Walz, Instructor and Principal Investigator, CREATE Energy Center, Madison College, Madison, Wisconsin

Exposing Biases in Content Delivery Using AI

In this session, we will report on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to expose instructor biases that may be present in content delivery and student evaluation. We will also cover how to prompt Generative Pretrained Transformer (GPT) to improve instruction and content delivery to students.

Michelle McRae, Associate Professor, Palm Beach State College, Boca Raton, Florida; Jyrece McClendon, Dean of Academic Affairs, Palm Beach State College, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida;

Tommy Martin, Associate Professor, Palm Beach State College, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida