A semi-conductor operator working at a lab station in protective gear.

The Nanotechnology Applications and Career Knowledge Resource Center (NACK) is offering a series of four Implementing Nano Working Group (INWG) sessions designed to help participants cultivate ideas or implement readily available, nanotechnology-based resources, facilitated by experienced nanotechnology educators from across the country. 

Sessions will begin after March 15, 2022. Exact dates and times will be determined once groups are defined. Participation is open to all, but U.S. high school and undergraduate institution educators with prior nanoknowledge experience are eligible for stipends. 

Interested community members should submit their application by the deadline of March 1, 2022. 

A college student examines the inner workings of an electronic device.

On Thursday, February 10, 2022, from 6:00-6:45 pm (EST), the Spectrum Innovates Pathway Program (SIPP) will host a virtual information session, “A New Model of Transition for those on the Autism Spectrum.” SIPP is a gateway to higher-ed and the workforce for those whose passions include aviation, aerospace, and related STEM fields. 

This event will be a great opportunity to share with students and other folks in your networks who might be interested in learning about these career paths. It is also a great opportunity for ATE community members to connect and share ideas.

Interested participants can register here and find more information about SIPP. 

STEM for All logo

Members of the ATE community are invited to register to present a short video about their centers or projects for the 2022 STEM for All Video Showcase, which will take place May 10-17, 2022. This week-long event is a great opportunity to showcase your work to an audience of thousands of researchers, educators, and policymakers from around the world. 

The theme of this year’s showcase is “Access, Inclusion & Equity.” Successful videos will describe the need that the project addresses, the intervention, innovation, or research, and the potential impact of the work. 

Participants must register their intent to present a video by February 11, 2022. Visit the STEM For All page to get more information, view sample videos, or learn about previous showcases.

ASEE: American Society for Engineering Education logo

As part of the ongoing Workforce for Industry 4.0 Webinar Series, the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) will present the webinar “Community Colleges and ATE Programs Addressing Workforce for Industry 4.0.” This event will take place on Friday, February 4, 2022, from noon to 1:30 pm (EST). 

The webinar will feature comments from ATE Program Director Celeste Carter, a short talk by Stanley Black and Decker VP Marty Guay, and a moderated panel featuring PIs from five ATE centers. Attendees will also receive information about collaboration resources and new funding opportunities.

Interested community members can register for the webinar or find more information on the Industry Workforce 4.0 page.

ATE EPILOGUE project logo

The recently completed two-year study “Exploring Past Investment in Learning through Grant-funded Undergraduate Advanced Technology Education Centers (EPILOGUE)” released its comprehensive report earlier this year. The project sought to investigate the legacy of ATE centers, including the ideas, innovations, knowledge, and products developed by each center and how these continue to evolve and be employed in instructional settings. 

The findings in the report draw on interviews, archival documents, and public information from 10 ATE centers. Among the key findings, six major themes emerged: partnerships, team formation, leadership characteristics, creating an independent organization, the role of the National Visiting Committee, and the use of data and external evaluation.

Read the full report for more detailed findings and visit the project homepage for case studies, resource sheets, and other information.

A young woman with long brown hair wearing a black shirt gestures to a writing pad while speaking on a video call.

The Canadian Association of Professional Academic Librarian's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines Community of Practice will host a webinar, "Experiencing Inaccessible PDFs and How the National Network for Equitable Library Service Has Been Advancing the Agenda of Accessible Publishing."

In this presentation, Dr. Daniella Levy-Pinto will discuss the experiences of being provided inaccessible journal articles, eBooks, and other scholarly materials, and the consequences badly produced reading material has for the blind community and the scholarly community more broadly.

The webinar will be held on January 20th from 1-2 pm (EST). Interested community members can register for the webinar using this online form. For question, contact co-facilitators Mark Weiler or Aneta Kwak. 

BEST: Building Efficiency for a Sustainable Tomorrow

The Building Efficiency for a Sustainable Tomorrow (BEST) Annual Institute takes place January 5-7, 2022. This free, online event focuses on sustainability challenges and innovations and how institutions can support technician education to confront sustainability issues.

The event highlights legislative and international efforts, innovations in the field of energy efficiency and Building Automation Systems, and strategies and opportunities for educators and industry.

Members of the ATE community are encouraged to register for the institute, check out the program, or contact Larry Chang, BEST Center Director, for any questions. 

A man in a dark suit reads an article while sitting on a black leather couch.

The Journal of Advanced Technological Education (J ATE) is a new peer-reviewed technical journal focused on technician education at community colleges. J ATE is now welcoming submissions to be published in upcoming issues. For members of the ATE community, publishing in a peer-reviewed technical journal like J ATE will be an excellent way to disseminate work, promote technical education programs, and share research with like-minded educators and the wider technical education community.  

There is no cost to publish, access, and read the journal. In addition, there are no subscription or submission fees. J ATE authors are invited from ATE projects and centers, community college faculty, university education researchers, and industry personnel. Our target audience will include community and technical college faculty and staff, as well as K-12 educators, industry members, and those readers with interests in micro-nano technology and related fields, NSF ATE, and technician education. The journal is supported by the Micro Nano Technology Education Center (MNT-EC) with participation from InnovATEBIO (The National Center for Bio Technologies), the National Center for Autonomous...

Two male and one female student laugh while studying on a lawn.

The state of California has the largest population of undergraduate students in the country and is often at the forefront of education trends. A recent report from the Campaign for College Opportunity suggests that for the state’s Latinx students, enrollment at community colleges and four-year institutions has increased in recent years, but that policymakers need to continue to support efforts to close achievement gaps.

The report highlights positive findings, such as the fact that the percentage of Latinx “community college students taking and passing college-level math in their first semester,” has increased from 8% to 33%. However, among the negative findings are that nearly one-third of Latinx community college students do not find the support they need to transfer to four-year institutions.

Read the full report, State of Higher Education for Latinx Californians, or an overview of the findings in an article from Inside Higher Ed.

Taking Action: COVID-19 Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Challenge: An ideas challenge for institutions of higher ed

The National Science Foundation wants to hear what higher education institutions, including community colleges, have done during the pandemic to ensure diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in STEM programs. Selected winners will receive cash prizes totaling $200,000.

Send a three page narrative to NSF describing the evidence-based systemic actions that your college has taken or will take to mitigate the negative impacts of the pandemic on the DEI of students and faculty in STEM higher education programs. The deadline is Jan. 30, 2022. Colleges do not need to have a grant from NSF to enter the challenge. Details can be found on the challenge information page. 

Winners will be announced in March and invited to present their ideas at an NSF-hosted virtual event that will be open to the public.