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.

We want the ATE Central Connection to be a valuable tool; please e-mail [email protected] with any suggestions about how to make the ATE Central Connection more useful for you or to suggest any information you would like to see in an upcoming issue.

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In This Issue

Featured Resources: Engineering Technologies

From Industry 4.0 Seminar Series:

Engaging the Workforce and Customers Through AR/VR

www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA3I571b34s

Created by Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC) as part of the Innovative Technology Speaker Series, this 90-minute video showcases four speakers who offer unique perspectives on augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). Topics include digital transformation, applications in construction and industrial settings, the impact of extended reality (XR) in shaping future learning experiences and careers, implications for workforce learning, and student training resources for AR and VR technologies.

From National Center for Autonomous Technologies (NCAT):

Sensor Tech VR Guide

atecentral.net/downloads/37328/NCAT+Sensors+Tech+VR+Guide+FINAL+04192021.docx

Developed by the National Center for Autonomous Technologies (NCAT), this 27-page guide offers insights on planning and implementing virtual reality (VR) events. The featured lessons and recommendations are drawn from NCAT's experience hosting the 2020 Autonomous Vehicle Technology Sensors: Air, Land, Sea VR workshop. Addressing technical and logistical elements, the guide discusses event strengths, areas of improvement, participant perspectives, resource requirements, and more.

From Technical Workforce Immersive Teaching and Learning Resources:

AI in Natural Sciences & Healthcare Education: Interactive Demos for Educators

www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6j5OlZhe40

This 47-minute webinar by the Immersive Learning Bootcamp explores hands-on applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in education. It highlights how AI can be leveraged to build interactive lab simulations, tailor learning experiences to students, and simplify complex ideas for better comprehension. The video also provides real-world examples of AI tools for curriculum development, including a program that enables students to engage with anatomy lessons through innovative, immersive 3D experimentation.

Community Connection

New Report Analyzes Community College Programs for Post-Completion Value

In a recent report, the Community College Research Center (CCRC) analyzed Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) data from the 2022-2023 academic year to explore the post-completion value of community college awards. It assessed which certificates and degrees were most likely to assist graduates in securing living-wage employment or in transferring to a four-year university.

During the 2022-2023 academic year, approximately 276,000 associate degrees, 16,000 bachelor's degrees, 134,000 long certificates, and 371,000 short certificates were conferred by community colleges across the nation. Of these, the report revealed that over 75% of associate, bachelor's, and long certificate awards were associated with median salaries at or above a living wage two years post-graduation. Higher rates were consistently observed in fields such as engineering, construction, technology, and computer science. According to CCRC, the estimated demand for skilled workers in these disciplines exceeds the number of new community college graduates with these degrees.

To learn more about the post-completion value of community college awards and other report findings, read the full blog post on ATE Impacts.

ATE Success Tips: Websites

ATE Central's Microsite Service

While a website can serve as an important platform for supporting outreach efforts and sharing content for your ATE project or center, its development and maintenance can be both complex and time intensive. Starting this process from the ground up often requires several months of work, demanding significant investments in time, financial resources, and specialized staff.

For current grantees, ATE Central's Microsite Service helps alleviate traditional barriers to website creation and dissemination. It provides a free way for ATE projects and centers to quickly create mini sites, which can be used to announce upcoming events, feature publications, highlight process or updates, and share academic resources. Microsites can be customized by grant recipients through photos, illustrations, and graphics, with options to add additional pages, rotating image carousels, and navigational elements. Components can be created and edited within a web browser via a simple, drag-and-drop interface. For materials uploaded on the site, this service makes content readily available to the ATE Central team and streamlines the archiving process when the time comes to submit.

To request a microsite for your ATE project or center, or if you have any questions, contact [email protected].

Did You Know?

According to the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), public two-year colleges saw almost 130,000 fewer students "stop out" before earning a credential between January 2022 and July 2023, a 10.7% decline compared to the year prior. Additionally, the number of students with "some college, no credential" (SCNC) who re-enrolled during the 2022-2023 academic year increased, with almost 60% of these enrollments occurring at community colleges.

Read more about stop-outs and re-enrollment trends in AACC's recent article.

Select STEM Education Resources

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

Open Textbook Library

open.umn.edu/opentextbooks

Supported by the Open Education Network at the University of Minnesota, Open Textbook Library provides free access to over 1,500 academic manuals, reports, and books. These resources can be freely used and adapted for education, with a variety of STEM content relating to fields such as computer science, engineering, and information technology.

Engineering Statistics Handbook

www.itl.nist.gov/div898/handbook

Created by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the Engineering Statistics Handbook offers guidance on applied statistical methods, covering a wide range of topics pertaining to professional analysis and design. Its chapters explain exploratory data analysis, measurement process characterization, modeling, monitoring and control, product reliability assessment, and more.

Frontiers

www.frontiersin.org

Frontiers is an open-access website for the publication of scholarly articles, with the goal of promoting discussion and knowledge sharing within the academic community. It offers users a way to access and submit research, engage with current events, and facilitate partnerships. The Frontiers website covers a spectrum of disciplines, including engineering, computer science, and biotechnology.

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
– Info Black Hat USA Las Vegas, NV
– Bio/Chem Antibody Engineering Hackathon August 2025 Online
– Info Azure AI Infrastructure Workshop 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
Gen PI-Evaluator Meet & Greet Online
– Info DEF CON 33 Las Vegas, NV
Gen PI-Evaluator Meet & Greet Online
– Eng MATE Floats Summer Workshop Seattle, WA
– Info Implications of Artificial Intelligence for Educators St. Paul, MN
– Info NERC Deep Dive Online
– Info 2025 National Cybersecurity Capabilities and Careers Summit Columbus, OH
– Info 32nd International Cartographic Conference (ICC 2025) Vancouver, BC
Gen Community Conversation: Creating Evaluation Plans for Your ATE Project Online
Gen AI in STEM Education Part 1 - Using AI Responsibly to Develop NSF ATE Proposals Online
– Info Azure AI Infrastructure Workshop Online
– Mfg FABTECH 2025 Chicago, IL
Mfg The Connecticut Manufacturing Innovation Forum Hartford, CT
– Info Implications of Artificial Intelligence for Educators Bossier City, LA
Gen Community Conversation: Effective Data Management in ATE Projects Online
– Gen AACC Advocates in Action 2025 Washington, DC
– Eng NCATC Conference Tucson, AZ
– Info Implications of Artificial Intelligence for Educators Seattle, WA
Info NCyTE Monthly Meeting Online
Eng Girls In Aviation Day At Flying Cloud Airport Eden Prairie, MN
– Info NERC Deep Dive Online
– Info FOCUS: Intelligent Vision & Industrial AI Conference Seattle, WA
– Info CS Bootcamp - Workshop Detroit, MI
– Gen 2025 AISES National Conference Minneapolis, MN
– Mfg AMTEC Institute for Industry 4.0 Innovation (AI3) Owensboro, KY
– Info Women Who Code- Summit @ TechFutures New York, NY
– Mfg NCNGM Summit 2025 Rochester Hills, MI
– Gen 2025 ATE Principal Investigators’ Conference Washington, DC

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

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.

ATE Impacts 2024-2025 Book Promotes Technical Education and Celebrates 30 Years

The ATE Impacts 2024-2025 book showcases the work of the National Science Foundation's Advanced Technological Education Community. This edition includes a foreword from National Science Foundation Director, Sethuraman Panchanathan, and features the work of 24 centers and 35 projects 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.

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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