ATE is Advanced Technological Education. With an emphasis on two-year colleges, the National Science Foundation's ATE program focuses on the education of technicians for the high-technology fields that drive our nation's economy.

FABTECH 2025

Conference

September 8 Chicago, IL

Join FABTECH 2025, North America’s preeminent event for metal forming, fabricating, welding, and finishing. Explore the latest technologies, gain hands-on experience, and network with industry leaders and peers who can help take your business or career to the next level.

FABTECH is the only event where you can experience the latest in metal forming, fabricating, welding, and finishing—all under one roof. Explore 800,000+ sq. ft. of exhibits showcasing cutting-edge manufacturing equipment and advanced solutions to boost productivity. Discover industry innovations, connect with experts, and gain the tools to stay ahead in a competitive market.


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Info Session: Google Cloud’s Generative AI Leader Training

Webinar

September 9 Online

Join an info session with Google Cloud to learn about the Google Career Launchpad program and the Train-the-Trainer partnership with NAAIC to prepare community college faculty for the Generative AI Leader certification at no cost.

The session will cover:

  • Career Launchpad Program’s resources, content and certification support
  • Overview of Generative AI Leader certification
  • Train-the-Trainer details, including application, dates and exam voucher

Whether you are developing new AI curricula, or already teaching AI or cloud courses, this is a great opportunity to engage directly with the Google Cloud team.


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Arm Education: Resources for Teaching & Learning Enablement

Meeting

September 10 Online

Join for an engaging introduction to Arm Education, a global leader in computing education and innovation. Arm powers 99% of the world’s smartphones and plays a critical role in emerging technologies like AI, IoT, and semiconductors. During this introductory session, Arm Education will highlight its range of free resources and global initiatives designed to empower educators, students, and researchers in shaping the future of computing.

What will be covered:

  • A guided walkthrough of Arm's free educational resources, including the new AI Learning Pathway
  • Arm involvement in the Semiconductor Education Alliance (SEA)
  • The Arm Developer Labs Initiative – giving learners practical, hands-on experience with real Arm tools.
  • Resources available for academic research and innovation on Arm-based platforms.

Whether you’re developing new curricula, launching research projects, or simply exploring how to make the most of Arm’s offerings, this is a great opportunity to engage directly with the Arm Education team.


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New Supplement Opportunities for ExLENT and ATE PIs related to AI Informational Webinar

Webinar

September 10 Online

Join NSF program directors for a virtual office hours session to discuss the Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) invite to supplemental funding requests from current ExLENT and ATE awardees to pilot, implement, or expand AI-focused career and skill building learning opportunities for high school students. The session will feature a moderated Q&A.

To support proposal development, NSF ATE and ExLENT program officers will host two informational webinars (Sept. 10th and Oct. 14th) to share details about the DCL and answer your questions. In addition, there will be information sessions at the ATE PI meeting in October 2025.  Please register for one of the two session dates. The information that is shared at the two webinars will be the same, so you need to sign up for just one.

 


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The Connecticut Manufacturing Innovation Forum

Summit

September 11 Hartford, CT

Every seat in this room will matter. Make sure one of them is yours.

Join business leaders, decision-makers, and innovators at the Connecticut Manufacturing Innovation Forum for a full day of insights, strategy, and forward-thinking solutions built for the industry's next chapter! 
 


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A New Resource to Understanding Advanced Lighting Controls

Webinar

September 12 Online

Did you know that advanced lighting controls could result in an average of nearly 70% lighting energy savings? Unfortunately, there is an industry-wide knowledge gap about how to utilize advanced controls to capitalize on energy savings and ensure buildings run at peak performance. To address this gap, Slipstream was awarded a grant by the Department of Defense (DoD) Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) to develop a comprehensive training resource on advanced lighting controls. 

This webinar will briefly describe the project and will show how to access the free training. Additionally, the webinar will go over some basics of task tuning to get you thinking about saving energy in your building.

Speaker: Scott Schuetter, PE, is a Principal Engineer at Slipstream


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Implications of Artificial Intelligence for Educators

Workshop

September 12 Bossier City, LA

This workshop empowers university, community college, and high school faculty, staff, counselors, and academic advisors with the knowledge and tools to effectively integrate AI into their teaching practices and curriculum development. Participants will explore practical applications of AI, including lesson planning, designing engaging and interactive content, creating dynamic assessments, and customizing individualized student learning experiences. Additionally, the workshop will highlight how to enable students to use AI in ethical and productive ways across various disciplines.

Through hands-on activities, collaborative projects, and real-world examples, faculty will gain a deeper understanding of AI’s transformative role in education. They will also explore new forms of student engagement, ensuring responsible AI use in both teaching and learning environments. This workshop prepares educators to harness AI to enhance classroom instruction, streamline administrative tasks, and equip students with the skills needed to navigate an AI-driven future.


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CONNverge Conference

Conference

September 12 Bristol, CT

Join WiM Connecticut Chapter for their 3rd annual CONNverge conference for women in manufacturing. The theme for their 2025 event is United We Win. Don't miss the keynote speaker, Sam Rapoport (Creator of the NFL Women's Forum). The agenda will also include an interactive panel discussion with industry.


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InnovATEBIO webinar: The Protein Engineering Tournament

Webinar

September 12 Online

The Align Foundation is holding a tournament this year (2025-26) to create an improved PETase.  Improved PETases could help address problems in recycling PET plastics. 

PETase is an enzyme from that breaks down polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic. PET is often found in pop bottles and packaging. The source of PETase was Ideonella sakaiensis, a bacterium found near a Japanese recycling site for PET bottles. 

Students, faculty, startups, and scientists are welcome to participate, either as individuals or in teams. In the webinar, Dr. Bijoy Desai, a scientist from the Align Foundation, will talk about the tournament and answer questions.


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Community Conversation: Effective Data Management in ATE Projects

Meeting

September 16 Online

ATE PIs, project evaluators, and staff will explore best practices for managing data throughout the lifecycle of an ATE project. Participants will discuss strategies for organizing, analyzing, and sharing project data, as well as tools and systems that can help streamline the process.


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AACC Advocates in Action 2025

Meeting

September 16 Washington, DC

The American Association of Community Colleges Advocates in Action is a 2-day program designed for community college leaders who want an insiders view on how Washington formulates higher education policy and who want to become more involved in the federal legislative process. Interactive sessions with key executive branch officials and senior Congressional staff will provide valuable insights about the current dynamics and issues surrounding key funding and other pending legislation. Time is reserved for attendees to meet with their federal legislators to advocate for community college priorities.

Community college presidents, trustees, government relations directors, and other campus administrators are strongly encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to network, discuss key policy issues, and advocate for critical federal programs.


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Community Conversation: Effective Data Management in ATE Projects

Webinar

September 16 Online

ATE PIs, project evaluators, and staff will explore best practices for managing data throughout the lifecycle of an ATE project. Participants will discuss strategies for organizing, analyzing, and sharing project data, as well as tools and systems that can help streamline the process.


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NCATC Conference

Conference

September 17 Tucson, AZ

The National Coalition of Advanced Technology Centers (NCATC) is an Affiliated Council of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) catalyzing a network of higher education and industry-led Strategic Partner resources that advocates, advises, and promotes the use of advanced technology applications to enhance economic and workforce development programs and services.

With over 160 members from community and technical colleges, universities, CTE high schools, adult education organizations and the corporate community, NCATC provides great networking opportunities at both their Summer Workshop and Fall Conference every year.


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ATE Projects and Centers





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Advanced Manufacturing Technologies topics include:

  • Additive manufacturing
  • Automotive manufacturing
  • General manufacturing
Ag/Env

Agricultural and Environmental Technologies topics include:

  • Agriculture and aquaculture
  • Environmental technologies
  • Natural resources
  • Nuclear power
  • Solar energy
  • Wind power
Bio/Chem

Bio and Chemical Technologies topics include:

  • Biotechnology
  • Chemical and process technologies
Eng

Engineering Technologies topics include:

  • Electronics and controls
  • General engineering
  • Marine technologies
  • Materials technologies
  • Optics
  • Space technologies
Gen

General Advanced Technological Education topics include:

  • Evaluation
  • Learning research
  • Recruitment
  • Teacher preparation
Info

Information and Security Technologies topics include:

  • Geospatial technologies
  • Information and communications technologies
  • Logistics
  • Security, information assurance, and forensics
Nano

Micro and Nanotechnologies topics include:

  • MEMS
  • Microsystems
  • Semiconductors
 

This video from the Internet Scout Research Group is part of a series that highlights student success stories related to advanced technological education (ATE) programs. In this video, Zachary Gorman discusses his experiences with the LASER-TEC program at Indian River State College. Throught the video, Zachary narrates his career path from being in the military to deciding to back to school and discusses how the LASER-TEC program prepared him for his job in photonics. Funding for the program from the National Science Foundation (NSF) is also explored.

The video runs 5:28 minutes in length.


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In this lab, presented by the National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure, students will "explore how energy exchanges lead to solid-state phase changes at the macroscale and explore the applications of this nanotechnology." Additionally, students will have the opportunity to examine "various energy inputs on the crystal lattice of a smart material, Nitinol, and then invites students to become nanotechnology inventors" themselves. Included in this lab are: Teachers guide, Student prelab worksheet w/ answers, Student worksheet with answers, Student prelab worksheet, Student Worksheet, Evaluation form for design project.


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This issue of J ATE, published by Portland Community College, is issue two of the journal's second volume and focuses on the theme of undergraduate research at community and technical colleges across the United States. J ATE is a peer-reviewed technical journal focused on community college faculty and staff who work with technician education. This journal is cross-disciplinary and encompasses all technologies under the National Science Foundation (NSF) Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Program. Some of these technologies include: Micro Nano, Biotechnology, Autonomous Technology, Cyber Security, Advanced Manufacturing, Earth Sciences, Agriculture Technology, Energy, and Welding. Some topics that cross cut across all disciplines of technician education are also covered. Those topics include: Evaluation, Mentoring, Undergraduate Research, and Applied Technician Research.

This 115-page issue of J ATE includes ten full articles and five guest letters written by ATE professionals....


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This 80-page report provides an extensive overview of the Envisioning the Next Bioscience Workforce summit held by InnovATEBIO on the 26th and 27th of June, 2023. The summit gathered "attendees from education, industry, workforce development and government gathered for two days to learn about emerging trends and technologies in the biosciences and to convene within 'state teams' to develop action plans for strengthening the bioscience workforce ecosystem in their state." The report begins with a summary of the summit and a discussion of its conclusions and strategies developed for building statewide bioscience workforce ecosystems. Then, the report goes into the findings of each panel/mini-panel discussion and covers the "state teams" model for collaboration in promoting the biotechnology workforce. The report includes the following sections:

  • Executive Summary
  • Industry/Education Presentations and Panels
  • Bioscience Workforce Ecosystem Panels
  • Building the Bioscience Workforce of...

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This 172-page resource was developed as a reference guide for the IT Skill Standards 2020 and Beyond project grant, explaining in step-by-step detail how to collaborate with employers to develop future-facing technical skill standards and then use that work to align curriculum to workforce needs. This guide also provides a hard copy of the final version "products" the grant created (KSA+Ts - knowledge, skills, abilities, and tasks, key performance indicators, employability skills, student learning outcomes, and degree expectations).

A companion report on the impacts and outcomes of the ITSS project is available to view separately.


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Active ATE Centers 19
Active ATE Projects 283
ATE Resources 6,912
   
New Projects/Centers 86
New Resources 39

ATE Resources by Subject Area

ATE Events by Subject Area

 

Upcoming Event: FOCUS - Intelligent Vision & Industrial AI Conference


Hosted by the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), the 2025 FOCUS: Intelligent Vision & Industrial AI Conference will be held on September 24-25, 2025, at the Sheraton Grand Seattle in Seattle, Washington.

Attendees will have the opportunity to explore cutting-edge advancements in AI-driven automation, robotics, machine vision, and transformative technology, with applications for fields including manufacturing, aerospace engineering, and information technology. Industry leaders will share expert insights on the latest AI trends and innovations, helping attendees learn, grow, and stay at the forefront of advancements.

The FOCUS conference will offer interactive exhibits for hands-on exploration of AI-based technologies, various networking opportunities to foster connection, and a variety of panel and keynote speaker presentations.

To learn more or to register for the event, visit the 2025 FOCUS conference's website


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New Research: Mixed Results on the Impact of Non-degree Credentials


A recent report from the American Enterprise Institute and the Burning Glass Institute analyzes non-degree credentials for the potential to lead to increased earnings, position advancements, or career changes. 

In the report, the American Enterprise Institute notes varied results surrounding non-degree credentials, with only 12% offering the opportunity for significant salary gains. Almost one-fifth of the learners studied saw no increases in wage after program completion, and few experienced career advancements. On the other hand, the top non-degree credentials were associated with an approximately $5,000 salary bump and a 17 times chance of promotion one year later. Even within specific fields, reported outcomes were mixed, including the professions of data science, accounting, and marketing. 

To make report findings more accessible, the American Enterprise Institute and the Burning Glass Institute have developed an interactive dashboard with detailed information on the thousands of non-degree credentials studied. 

Read the full report on non-degree credentials and career outcomes here.


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Upcoming event flyer for FABTECH 2025 in Chicago, IL Septmeber 8-11

Upcoming Event: FABTECH 2025


This year's FABTECH will be held September 8 to September 11, 2025, at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. Named as North America's largest metal forming, fabricating, welding, and finishing event, FABTECH 2025 offers attendees the opportunity to explore cutting-edge technologies, network with leaders in industry, and engage with innovative solutions for quality and productivity.

The event features keynote speakers, panel discussions, and breakout groups to collaborate and share insights, strategies, and trends in the field of manufacturing. Conference sessions and half-day workshops will be led by industry experts, with topics on leadership, workforce development, stamping, welding, automation, smart fabrication, and more. To support young professionals, FABTECH will also be offering an Emerging Leaders Program, a half-day event on September 9 designed to foster confidence, deliver valuable insights, promote networking, and provide the tools necessary for successful leadership.

Register by September 5, 2025, for free show floor admission. Visit FABTECH 2025's website to learn more about or to register for the event.


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Image of computer screen with video conference and EvaluATE's webpage

Upcoming Event: PI-Evaluator Meet and Greet


EvaluATE, the evaluation resource center for NSF's ATE program, will be hosting an upcoming PI-Evaluator Meet and Greet on Wednesday, August 27th, from 2:00-3:15PM EST. This virtual event offer a collaborative way to connect with potential evaluators for your ATE project or center, facilitating valuable partnerships and connections. During the Meet and Greet, attendees will discuss the various approaches for evaluation and have the opportunity for one-on-one sessions with available evaluators, with the goal of finding the best fit to meet your specific proposal needs.

To register for the PI-Evaluator Meet and Greet on August 27th or to learn more about the event, visit EvaluATE's website.


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