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: General Advanced Technological Education

From Building Pathways to Innovation in Skilled Technical Workforce Education Through Strategic Employer Engagement:

Implementing the BILT Model of Business Engagement

www.advancingcredentials.org/toolkit/downloads-developing/BILT-Toolkit-091019.pdf

Created by the Center for Occupational Research and Development, this 16-page toolkit offers guidance on implementing the Business & Industry Leadership Team (BILT) model. The BILT framework facilitates collaboration between businesses and community college technical programs, providing a space for industry to share evolving workforce needs. This guide contains an overview of the BILT model and related areas, including its benefits, core components, initiation steps, effective approaches, integration of leadership, preparation phases, and more.

From Community College Presidents Initiative - STEM (CCPI STEM):

Community College and Industry Partnerships: A Strategic Workforce Collaboration

youtu.be/55k8QCCXoxM

Produced by Prince George’s Community College, this 51-minute video from the Community College and Industry Partnerships (CCPI)-Cast webinar series discusses partnerships between education and industry for STEM workforce training. It covers strategies for community colleges, common challenges faced by stakeholders, the role of NSF’s ATE grants in supporting collaboration efforts, and current workforce needs for STEM industries.

From The Hidden Innovation Infrastructure: Understanding the Economic Development Role of Technician Education in the Changing Future of Work:

The Community College Role in Economic Development: A Concept Model

sites.rutgers.edu/eerc-hii/wp-content/uploads/sites/609/2023/12/The-Community-College-Role-in-Econ.-Dev.-EERC-12.2023.pdf

Published by Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations, this 28-page report provides a synthesis of existing literature surrounding the role of community colleges in impacting economic development. It outlines a conceptual model for showcasing how these academic institutions influence industry and business, connecting specific model components to evidence based on the current literature. The report further dives into community college activities and approaches related to economic development.

Community Connection

From the Archive: Integrating Drone Technology into STEM Classrooms

Drone technology continues to emerge as a useful tool for industry, with growing applications in fields like agriculture, manufacturing, data science, and environmental engineering. Because of this, STEM educators are investigating news ways to leverage drones for teaching and learning across disciplines. This month's ATE Impacts blog post features three resources that showcase how this technology can enhance STEM and skilled technician education while promoting innovation in the classroom. It highlights the article "Drones in Smart Manufacturing Education" published by the Micro Nano Technology Education Center, an introductory course "Fundamentals of UAS" designed by the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Technology Education Consortium, and a repository of materials from the National Center for Autonomous Technologies called "DroneTech 2020 - Drones and Geospatial Applications."

Read the full ATE Impacts blog post here.

ATE Success Tips: Social Media

Best Times to Post on Social Media

To maximize engagement with your target audience, schedule social media content to "go live" during peak hours. This can help increase the relevance and timeliness of posts, making it easier to connect with viewers and share updates on your ATE project or center, student or faculty spotlights, community efforts, or additional resources. According to Sprout Social, Indeed, and Social Pilot, here are some of the best times to release content across platforms.

  • X (Twitter): Many users browse X (Twitter) briefly throughout the day, including for a quick work break. Because of this, posts between 9:00am and 2:00pm EST Tuesday through Thursday often generate the most user interaction.
  • Facebook: Most audience members visit Facebook throughout the middle of the week, logging on during lunch or for other brief breaks. To maximize engagement, high-traffic times for posts fall between 9:00am to 2:00pm EST, Tuesday through Thursday.
  • Instagram: As the platform was designed exclusively for mobile access, users tend to visit Instagram periodically throughout the day into the evening. An optimal window for releasing social media content on Instagram is 10:00am to 3:00pm EST, Tuesday through Thursday.
  • LinkedIn: Members often check LinkedIn during the workday to stay updated on industry news, events, and professional updates. High-engagement hours are 10:00am to 12:00pm EST on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

Overall, the optimal times to post on social media generally fall on Tuesdays through Thursdays between 10:00am and 1:00pm EST, with slight variation depending on the specific platform. It is important to consider additional factors, such as time zone differences, upcoming holidays or major events, and demographics of your target audiences.

Did You Know?

During the 2022-2023 academic year, community colleges across the United States awarded almost 1.5 million credentials, including certificates, bachelor’s degrees, and associate degrees — a more than 20% growth when compared to a decade earlier. Read more about current trends in community college awards here on the American Association of Community College’s website.

Select STEM Education Resources

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

Tech OnLine

www.techonline.com

Tech OnLine provides users with free access to recorded webinars, online coursework, and white papers pertaining to a variety of technical disciplines, including computer science, electrical engineering, and information technology. Featured topics dive into digital processing, power management, storage and memory, security, and software.

Open Yale Courses

oyc.yale.edu

Open Yale Courses is a no-cost repository of learning materials from select introductory classes at Yale University. Its current offerings span a spectrum of fields, including astronomy, biomedical engineering, chemistry, physics, economics, history, and philosophy. Within each course, visitors can engage with recorded lectures, the syllabus, suggested readings, exam content, and related learning activities.

Slideshare

www.slideshare.net

SlideShare provides an online, worldwide community for sharing presentations on a variety of topics, including business, marketing, education, technology, healthcare, and engineering. Users can upload their own work, view the submissions of others, embed presentation content into websites, and connect through online forums.

Do you have some great STEM resources you'd like to share with ATE Central? Email us with your ideas at [email protected].

ATE Events

Upcoming Events
– Bio/Chem Summer of Nanopore Sequencing 2025 - Dolan DNA Learning Center Cold Spring Harbor, NY
– Info Implications of Artificial Intelligence for Educators Columbus, IN
– Info Faculty Development Workshop: IoT Cloud Workshop Online
– Info Introductory Summer CyberCamp Fairfield, CA
– Info Introductory Summer CyberCamp Petaluma, CA
– Eng MATE Underwater Robotics Student Camp Kingsport, TN
– Info Implications of Artificial Intelligence for Educators Huntsville, AL
– Ag/Env 2025 STEM Educator Solar Institute at Madison College Madison, WI
– Eng Intro To Underwater ROV Engineering Workshop Brighton, MI
– Info BRICCs Research Data Management Conference Alexandria, VA
– Mfg AMTEC Institute for Industry 4.0 Innovation (AI3) Owensboro, KY
– Info Faculty Development Academy: Case Study Workshop IT/OT Online
– Info Implications of Artificial Intelligence for Educators Online
– Info Microsoft AI-900 Bootcamp Online
– Gen 2025 Equity & Excellence: Access in Higher Education Conference Denver, CO
– Bio/Chem Biotechnology Instructor Academy: Insights into Industry Houston, TX
– Info Esri User Conference San Diego, CA
– Info Intermediate Summer CyberCamp Petaluma, CA
– Info Intermediate Summer CyberCamp Pleasant Hill, CA
Info AWS AI Pathways Info Session Online
– Ag/Env 2025 STEM Educator Energy Institute at Central Carolina College Pittsboro, NC
– Info Implications of Artificial Intelligence for Educators Lawrenceville, NJ
Info NCyTE Monthly Meeting Online
– Eng Battery Electric Vehicle Summer Institute Dayton, OH
– Gen HI-TEC 2025 Minneapolis, MN
– Nano Micro Nanotechnology Health and Safety Workshop 2025 Pasadena, CA
– Info Implications of Artificial Intelligence for Educators Tucson, AZ
Bio/Chem BioMADE Webinar Series - Secure Innovation: Security from the Start to Safeguard our Future Online
Eng Mass Timber Webinar Series – Waterfront Transformation: Michigan’s First Mass Timber Condos at Muske Online
– Info ISACA CISM: Certified Information Security Manager Workshop Online
– Eng FAA Drone & AAM Symposium Washington, DC
– Ag/Env 2025 STEM Educator Solar + Storage Institute at Madison College Madison, WI
– Info Black Hat USA Las Vegas, NV
– Bio/Chem Antibody Engineering Hackathon August 2025 Online
– Bio/Chem Metabolic Engineering and Microbial Fermentation Workshops San Diego, CA
– Eng MTTIA Conference Brainerd, MN
– Mfg GTAW Technology and Techniques Marysville, CA
Bio/Chem BioMADE Webinar Series - Collaboration Opportunities with MIT Lincoln Laboratory at the Intersection Online
– Bio/Chem Summer of Nanopore Sequencing 2025 - San Jacinto College Houston, TX
– Info DEF CON 33 Las Vegas, NV
– Eng MATE Floats Summer Workshop Seattle, WA
– Info Implications of Artificial Intelligence for Educators St. Paul, MN
– Info 2025 National Cybersecurity Capabilities and Careers Summit Columbus, OH
– Info 32nd International Cartographic Conference (ICC 2025) Vancouver, BC

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 2025

Online registration for this year's HI-TEC (High Impact Technology Exchange Conference) is currently open through July 10, 2025. HI-TEC 2025 will be held July 21-24 at the Minneapolis Marriott City Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Supported by the National Science Foundation's Advanced Technological Education (NSF ATE) program, this annual conference focuses on preparing the nation's current and future workforce of skilled technicians. HI-TEC will bring together educators, industry leaders, trade organizations, and professionals to collaboratively address the evolving demands of technological landscapes and advanced technological education. The conference will explore a wide range of concepts across sectors, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, biotechnology, and advanced manufacturing.

HI-TEC will feature two days of pre-conference workshops and specialized interest groups on July 21 and 22, followed by over 100 breakout sessions on emerging areas, workforce development trends, and strategies for engagement. The conference also offers an extensive exhibit hall displaying products, services, and other educational innovations across industry sectors. For more information on deadlines, hotel and travel, conference rates, and registration, visit the official 2025 HI-TEC website.

EvaluATE at HI-TECH 2025

EvaluATE, the evaluation resource center for NSF's ATE program, will be hosting two events at HI-TEC 2025 for current and prospective ATE grantees. Conference participants are invited to schedule a 30-minute one-on-one working session to help review logic models or evaluation plans for ATE proposals. To secure a slot, register at this link in advance or visit EvaluATE's booth during the event. The center will also be offering PI and Evaluator Meet and Greets, with both in-person and virtual opportunities to connect. Register for July 23's face-to-face networking opportunity here or explore the remote options on EvaluATE's website.

Biotechnology Instructor Academy: Insights into Industry

The Biotechnology Instructor Academy will be held from July 14 to July 18, 2025, at the San Jacinto College Generation Park in Houston, Texas. Tailored to educators, this event will dive into industry insights and information supporting the delivery of robust, high-quality biotechnology education. Academy participants will choose one of two specialty tracks to dive into during the event: Introduction to Biomanufacturing or Advanced Techniques. All attendees will have the opportunity to create a biotechnology career pathway, explore resources surrounding external certifications and the Biotechnology Aptitude and Competency Exam, and gain more insight into laboratory automation. Learn more about the event and register here.

ATE Central Outreach Kit

The ATE Central Outreach Kit was developed as a tool to assist ATE Principal Investigators (PIs) and staff in effectively planning, monitoring, and executing outreach activities.

ATE Central has given the Outreach Kit a refresh with a new design and content, accompanied by a downloadable Template. The new kit is designed to guide you through a step-by-step process and helps you explore how to identify your primary audiences and stakeholders, determine the partners and resources that can support your efforts, and start considering aspects such as branding and messaging.

By utilizing the kit and template, you will make significant progress towards developing a comprehensive plan that enables you to achieve the objectives of your grant, effectively communicate your outcomes and impacts, and showcase the valuable work of your project or center to a diverse range of stakeholders.

The Outreach Kit can be found on ATE Central's website, under the Resources tab.

Check out ATE Central's Calendar Feed

The ATE Central Calendar Feed is an easy to customize tool that enables calendar feeds from the ATE Central Events Calendar to quickly be added to either the Outlook or the Mac Calendar app, and will then automatically display upcoming events of interest based on the keywords you include. You can use the feed to populate your personal calendar or to add lists of upcoming events to your ATE center or project website. For WordPress-based sites, free plugins like ICS Calendar will allow you to use a calendar feed to display a list of upcoming events on your WordPress site. You'll need to sign in to your ATE Central account to create a feed - and it's easy to change your selection of keywords to add or subtract areas of interest over time. We look forward to hearing from you as you utilize this new service and as always, we'd love to get your feedback or comments. Don't hesitate to reach out to the team with any questions at [email protected].

Follow ATE Central on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with all things new at ATE Central and in the ATE Community as well as in the world of STEM Education.


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