Advanced Technological Education .

Welcome to the ATE Central Connection! Published the first Tuesday of each month, the ATE Central Connection is meant to disseminate information to and about ATE centers and projects, providing you with up-to-date ATE news, events, reminders, as well as highlighting new centers, projects, and resources. In addition, we will also highlight an educational topic with complementary resources found within ATE Central to help illustrate how ATE resources can be used in the classroom.

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In This Issue

Featured Resources: Information and Security Technologies

From Expanding the Data Analytics Technician Pipeline from High School into College and High Demand Jobs in Southwest Ohio:

From Expanding the Data Analytics Technician Pipeline from High School into College and High Demand Jobs in Southwest Ohio:

Data Course Building and Next Steps

atecentral.net/downloads/29675/Course+Building+and+Next+Steps+2021.pptx

These PowerPoint slides from Sinclair Community College explore an advanced technological education (ATE) grant that aims to expand the data analytics technician pipeline in southwest Ohio. In the slides, guiding design principles for targeting high schools and building courses are highlighted, which include information on open source (OER) materials, low cost or no cost textbooks, service learning, project work (PBL), and more.

From National Convergence Technology Center:

CompTIA Data+ Certification Exam

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGcEK-jsZMA

This presentation, provided by the National Convergence Technology Center (CTC), was given to attendees of the July 2022 Summer Working Connections professional development event. In the video, Alan Rowland, Director of US Academic Programs for CompTIA, discusses the specifics of CompTIA's new Data+ certification, including specific workforce needs that the certification seeks to support. Rowland also examines the pillars of IT and Data, defines data analytics, and explores partner and instructor resources. The video recording runs 20:14 minutes in length.

Community Connection

HI-TEC Registration Open

High Impact Technology Exchange Conference (HI-TEC) has opened registration for this year's event. The HI-TEC conference brings together educators, industry representatives, and workforce development professionals to share ideas and explore ways to promote advanced technological education.

This year's conference will feature presentations and workshops focused on emerging technologies, innovative teaching strategies, and effective workforce development practices. Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with experts in the field, learn about cutting-edge technologies, and network with peers from across the country.

The conference is set to take place July 24-27th in Atlanta, Georgia, and early registration is encouraged to secure your spot. Registration and more information is available on the conference website.

ATE Success Tips: Outreach

Creating Quick Graphics with Canva

When distributing outreach materials, it's no secret that the use of interesting and eye-catching graphics can make your project/center stand out among the rest. Unfortunately, developing such a graphic is often a difficult, time-consuming, and expensive task for anyone who isn't an expert at graphic design.

If your project or center is looking to create an impressive looking graphic quickly and at no cost, Canva might be a good option. The online graphic design tool hosts a variety of pre-sized templates that can be used for social media, blogs, email, presentations, posters, and more.

For more information about Canva, including a quick guide on how to use the site, check out this Evalu-ATE blog post!

Did You Know?

Community college enrollment has fallen 37% since 2010, or by nearly 2.6 million, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. The Seattle Times conducted an in-depth news report on the phenomena. The article quotes Joseph Fuller, a professor of management practice at Harvard Business School, as saying, “The lack of resources inside community colleges is a legitimate complaint. But a number of community colleges do extraordinarily well. So it’s not impossible.”

Select STEM Education Resources

A few online STEM resources from outside of ATE, that you may find of interest:

National Ecological Observatory Network

www.neonscience.org

Science writers, researchers, and STEM enthusiasts may enjoy the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON). Supported by the National Science Foundation, NEON provides "open data to understand how our aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems are changing." The website covers everything from meteorology to megapit soil, with many topics in between. On the About page, readers will find a blog with stories from 2008 to present, covering subjects such as site assessments and conversations with experts. The Data Collection page contains information on the instruments and processes used to collect data on subjects such as meteorology, water, and soil. Interested in learning more about where these data are collected from? The Field Sites page provides information on these sites, which span 20 ecoclimatic domains "represent[ing] distinct regions of vegetation, landforms, and ecosystem dynamics." The Data page hosts data collected at these NEON sites, which readers can download for free. Educators may want to check out the Resources tab, as it features Data Tutorials and K-12 Activities with lesson plans available for download. These plans cover topics such as water quality indicators and rain gauge measurements. Under the Community tab, users can find additional papers, memos, and workshops, while the Opportunities tab highlights job openings and upcoming events.

Stem Cells Across the Curriculum

www.stemcellcurriculum.org

Stem Cells Across the Curriculum (SCAC) offers college-level lesson plans and activities designed to help students explore the intersections of science and society and explore ethical debates within the scientific community. These lessons have been crafted by a team of scholars with support from the New York State Stem Cell Science program,NYSTEM. As the team notes, "The topic of stem cells provides an engaging framework for integrating biological concepts and principles with a diverse range of perspectives spanning social justice, religious studies, gender studies, disability studies, and economics." SCAC includes four modules to engage students with these issues: a module about stem cell ownership and property, highlighting the Henrietta Lacks case; a module about the use of human eggs in stem cell research and the question of financial compensation; a module about stem cell research and disability rights; and a module about religious and cultural beliefs and discussions of ethics and stem cell research. All of these modules include complete lesson plans as well as links to readings, videos, and other accompanying resources.

American Nuclear Society

www.ans.org/nuclear/classroom/

STEM educators may be interested in this collection of classroom resources offered by the American Nuclear Society (ANS). These resources include classroom experiments and lesson plans, as well as downloadable fact sheets and posters. Most are intended for students in grades 5-12 and are aligned with Next Generation Science Standards. Examples of activities include making an electroscope out of household objects to detect static electricity, a half-life lab using candy to model the concept of radioactive decay, and a mini Rutherford activity where students "try to determine the shape of an unknown object by using the scientific thought process of creating a hypothesis, then testing it through inference." This collection could be improved by categorization for easier browsing, and while many of the resources here are available for free, this site also lists some that are available for purchase. However, the free gems here make this site worth the effort. These educational materials are hosted by the Center for Nuclear Science and Technology Information, an outreach initiative of the ANS that seeks to "encourage and inspire fun nuclear education for K-12 students [and] help people learn the many benefits that nuclear science and technology brings to their lives."

Do you have some great STEM resources you'd like to share with ATE Central? Email us with your ideas at info@atecentral.net.

ATE Events

Upcoming Events
– Eng SPIE Defense + Commercial Sensing Kissimmee, FL
– Bio/Chem Inclusive Research Mentor-Manager Training Workshops Online
Info Cybersecurity Skills Journal Proposal Development Workshop (PDW) Online
– Info 21st Century Learning Design & Microsoft Classroom Tools Online
– Bio/Chem ABRF 2023 Boston, MA
– Eng XPONENTIAL 2023 Denver, CO
– Eng Robotics Summit & Expo 2023 Boston, MA
Eng Take Your Classroom To New Heights With Drones Edwardsville, IL
Gen CCPI-STEM Fellows Program: A Unique Opportunity Online
– Eng Education and Training in Optics and Photonics 2023 Cocoa Beach, FL
– Mfg SME EASTEC 2023 West Springfield, MA
Nano Recent Advances in Surface Emitting Lasers Online
– Info GEOINT 2023 Symposium St. Louis, MO
– Mfg Automate Detroit, MI
– Info CISA: Certified Information Systems Auditor Online
– Ag/Env 18th Annual VESTA National Summit 2023 Branson, MO
– Gen NISOD’s International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence Austin, TX
– Info 2023 NICE Conference Seattle, WA
– Bio/Chem BIO International Convention Boston, MA
– Mfg Weld-Ed Summer Training: NDT Chattanooga, TN
– Nano University of Minnesota: Micro Nanotechnology Health and Safety Course 2023 Minneapolis, MN
– Gen NSF Virtual Grants Conference Online
– Eng BEST Center BAS Workshop XII Omaha, NE
– Eng Auto Tech: Detroit Novi, MI
– Eng 7th Annual Energy Drone & Robotics Summit The Woodlands, TX
– Info GenCyber Student Academy Prestonsburg, KY
– Bio/Chem Immersive Learning Bootcamp St Cloud, MN
– Info (ISC)2 CISSP: Certified Information Systems Security Professional Online
– Mfg Weld-Ed Summer Training: Joining and Cutting Processes East Peoria, IL
– Eng AIAA Aviation Forum San Diego, CA
– Gen Mentor Up Workshop Online
– Nano Nanotechnology Hands-On-Site Workshop University Park, PA
– Mfg Weld-Ed Summer Training: Joining and Cutting Processes Wahpeton, ND
– Eng MATE ROV Competition 2023 Longmont, CO
– Info GIS Workshop: Visualizing and Analyzing Health Data Online
– Eng Teaching Rough Vacuum Technology Bloomington, MN
– Eng South Dakota Statewide Geospatial Conference Mitchell, SD
– Eng ASEE Annual Conference Baltimore, MD
– Eng 2023 National Advocacy Conference Washington, DC
– Bio/Chem The Future of the Bioscience Workforce Washington, DC
– Mfg STEM Guitar Summer 2023 Instructional Event Bethlehem, PA
– Bio/Chem Envisioning the Next Bioscience Workforce: A Summit of Industry, Academic, and Government Leaders Washtington, DC
– Ag/Env 2023 NC STEM Educator Energy Institute Pittsboro, NC
– Mfg The FHE Commercialization Path for Aerospace Applications Renton, WA
– Ag/Env Cultivate Conference 2023 Fargo, ND
Nano Arduino Microcontroller Course – 2-Day Workshop Ottumwa, IA

For more events, please visit the ATE Central Events page or, if you have any upcoming events that you would like posted on ATE Central or in the ATE Central Connection, please submit them online.

News & Reminders

HI-TEC 2023 Registration Now Open

Connect with colleagues and update your knowledge and skills at HI-TEC this year!

HI-TEC is a national conference on advanced technological education where secondary and postsecondary educators, counselors, industry professionals, trade organizations, and technicians can update their knowledge and skills. Charged with preparing America’s skilled technical workforce, the event focuses on the preparation needed by the existing and future workforce for companies in the high-tech sectors that drive our nation’s economy. This year's conference will be held at the Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center, July 24–27. Pre-conference events will be held July 24–25. Read more and register on the HI-TEC website!

ATE Impacts 2022-2023 Book Showcases Work of ATE Community

The ATE Impacts 2022-2023 book showcases the work of the National Science Foundation's Advanced Technological Education Community. This edition includes a foreword from United States President Joseph Biden. It features the work of 33 projects and 28 centers across the seven ATE areas, as well as applied research. By highlighting the ATE community's successful and innovative work, the book encourages broader participation in the ATE program by academic institutions, educators, and industry partners. Dissemination of the ATE Impacts book advances understanding of the importance of technician education and its role in supporting the high-tech industries that drive the United States' economy More information on the book can be found on the ATE Impacts website.

Funding Opportunity from NSF

Keep an eye out for opportunities from the National Science foundation - including this recent Dear Colleague Letter! This DCL encourages proposals to two programs (ATE and S-STEM) supporting workforce development efforts at institutions of higher education. Proposals must build on or leverage strong industry-academic partnerships to strengthen the semiconductor manufacturing workforce.

EvaluateUR-CURE Accepting Applications

EvaluateUR-CURE is now accepting applications to participate in the final round of pilot testing during the Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 semesters. This opportunity is available through an award from the NSF ATE program to the State University of New York (SUNY) Buffalo State.

EvaluateUR-CURE is a method for evaluating course-based undergraduate research experiences -- CUREs. Combining research into undergraduate courses provides research opportunities for students.

Pilot testing of E-CURE is open to all faculty. Faculty teaching courses with research experiences (CUREs) at community colleges are especially encouraged to apply. A modest stipend is provided for participating in the pilot and providing feedback.

The application can be completed on EvaluateUR-CURE's website.

More information about the project can be found on the main E-CURE page.

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