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.

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.

In This Issue

Featured Resources: Information and Security Technologies

From ATE Central:

ATE Student Success Stories: Sam's Story (Series 3)

atecentral.net/success#Sam

Published by the Internet Scout Research Group, this video is part of ATE Student Success Stories, a series highlighting the accomplishments of students in community college programs supported by ATE grants. In this 5-minute video, Sam Martinich discusses his experiences with Central Wyoming College's geospatial information systems and technologies (GIST) program, including his educational journey and his project collecting climate data.

From National Cybersecurity Training and Education (NCyTE) Center:

Impact of AI on Cybersecurity Workforce

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hfzi1cMd3as

This 70-minute video from the National Cybersecurity Training and Education (NCyTE) Center dives into the implications of artificial intelligence (AI) on the field of cybersecurity. Covering a spectrum of topics, the presentation discusses modern technological advancements, emerging industry needs, methods to better prepare the cybersecurity workforce for novel challenges, the role of AI in education, ethical considerations for use, and more.

From National Information Technology Innovation Center (NITIC) :

Discover NITIC! How We'll Work Together to Prepare the IT

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmPWhqngrTM

Developed by the National Information Technology Innovation Center (NITC), this 57-minute video offers an overview of NITC and its available resources. It shares information on the IT Innovation Network, a faculty community for collaborative discussion and problem-solving, and it discusses the Innovation Clearinghouse, a repository of curricular materials. The video also covers NITC professional development opportunities, membership options, and mini-grants.

Community Connection

Supercharge Your Outreach Efforts with ATE Resources

Outreach plays a vital role in the success and sustainability of grant-funded initiatives, helping to foster long-term impact and facilitate valuable connections. To support effective engagement, ATE Central and EvaluATE offer a variety of practical outreach and dissemination resources. These tools can enhance your project or center's visibility, impact, and reach, making it easier to build partnerships and share your work.

To supercharge your efforts, read our recent ATE Impacts blog post on some of the available outreach resources found within the ATE community. Featured tools include:

  • ATE Central's Outreach Kit, which provides a step-by-step guide on how to develop, organize, and implement a personalized plan for engagement and dissemination. The toolkit also includes sample ideas, best practices for use, and corresponding templates to help support you during each step of the planning process.
  • ATE Central's Microsite Service, which offers current grantees a free way to quickly create mini sites. These customizable websites can be used to announce upcoming events, highlight project or center updates, feature deliverables, and connect with others in the ATE community and beyond.
  • ATE Central's Social Media Directory, which includes a list of ATE projects, centers, and partners with social media accounts across various online platforms. The directory can help streamline your searches for up-to-date content, best practices, professional development opportunities, potential collaborators, and future events.
  • Several guides and toolkits from EvaluATE for promoting effective outreach and dissemination.

    • Read the full ATE Impacts blog post to learn more about the outreach resources offered by ATE Central and others in community.

ATE Success Tips: Outreach

The Art of the Elevator Pitch

In today's fast-paced professional landscape, developing a compelling and concise "elevator pitch" is essential for successful outreach efforts. Although you're unlikely to deliver it in an actual elevator, the ability to swiftly and clearly articulate your ATE project or center's main components is critical for engaging prospective collaborators. This can be particularly valuable at large networking events like the ATE PI Conference. Here are a few key principles for a powerful, high-impact elevator pitch that can open doors to meaningful connections and enhanced visibility.

  1. Start with the basics. Begin by outlining the main components of your work. Helpful questions to ask may include: What is the focus of your ATE project or center? Why is this initiative important? What are some future objectives or next steps? Pare down these answers into a few concise and compelling statements. Think of this as the foundation for your professional narrative, anchored in relevance and purpose.
  2. Make it brief. With attention spans shorter than ever, clarity and succinctness are vital to a successful pitch. Current best practices suggest aiming for 15-20 seconds of impactful information, offering a focused snapshot of your ATE project or center without overloading your audience.
  3. Engage with your listener. Rather than delivering a one-sided monologue, frame your elevator pitch as the beginning of a two-way conversation. Consider starting with a thought-provoking question about a challenge your project or center addresses, aligning the content with the audience's interests. This personal connection can promote a more meaningful, impactful discussion beyond just informing.
  4. Refine through practice. To improve and streamline your elevator pitch, rehearse it out loud until it feels natural and authentic. Practice with colleagues or in front of a mirror to refine tone, body language, pacing, and timing. Confident, conversational delivery makes outreach messages more impactful, engaging, and memorable.
  5. Leverage across platforms. Your elevator pitch is not limited to in-person events. A concise, compelling overview of your ATE project or center can be a versatile communication tool for enhancing your presence in different professional settings, from digital outreach efforts to virtual conferences. Consider using the ATE Central Outreach Kit to strengthen messaging, visibility, and cohesiveness across various platforms.

Did You Know?

A recent Gallup poll has revealed that more Americans feel confident in higher education, following a decade-long decline in public perception. Of the US. adults surveyed, 42% expressed "a great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in two- and four-year institutions. This marks a modest increase from the 36% observed in both 2023 and 2024. However, the current rate remains below the 57% recorded in 2015, when the survey was first conducted.

Read more about trends for American confidence in higher education in Gallup's news release.

Select STEM Education Resources

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

Community College Research Center

ccrc.tc.columbia.edu

Housed at Columbia University, the Community College Research Center (CCRC) is an independent research institution focused on studying and supporting the community college system. Its website provides access to a wide array of materials, including policy resources, pathway curriculum, upcoming events, community news, and recent publications on transfer, dual enrollment, and more.

Online Ethics Center for Engineering and Research

onlineethics.org

Hosted by the University of Virginia, this website offers a variety of materials for teaching and learning about ethical dilemmas faced in STEM-related areas, including emerging technologies, general engineering, safety and sustainability, and responsible research. It provides access to case studies, recorded webinars, communities of practice, and other ethical resources.

Science: Podcast

www.science.org/podcasts

Published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Science Podcast covers a spectrum of current and evolving topics in scientific fields. Previous themes have included robotics, genomics, artificial intelligence, materials engineering, sustainability, and information technology. To promote access, podcast episodes are available on multiple streaming platforms.

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 Azure AI Infrastructure Workshop Online
– Mfg FABTECH 2025 Chicago, IL
Info Arm Education: Resources for Teaching & Learning Enablement Online
Mfg The Connecticut Manufacturing Innovation Forum Hartford, CT
Ag/Env A New Resource to Understanding Advanced Lighting Controls Online
– Info Implications of Artificial Intelligence for Educators Bossier City, LA
Mfg CONNverge Conference Bristol, CT
Bio/Chem InnovATEBIO webinar: The Protein Engineering Tournament Online
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 AWS Skill Builder: Info Session Online
Info NCyTE Monthly Meeting Online
Eng Girls In Aviation Day At Flying Cloud Airport Eden Prairie, MN
– Info NERC Deep Dive Online
Ag/Env Using Drones in Energy Courses Online
Bio/Chem BioMADE Webinar | Downstream Processing – A Focus on Spray Drying and Fluid Bed Processing Online
– Info FOCUS: Intelligent Vision & Industrial AI Conference Seattle, WA
Gen 2025 NSF ATE Funding & Mentor-Connect Opportunities Online
Info Community of Practice - Knowledge and Skills for Applied AI degree Online
Gen CCPI-Cast: Transforming Teaching and Learning with AI Online
Info Intro to Generative AI and Microsoft Copilot for Faculty and Staff Online
– 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 Women in Manufacturing SUMMIT 2025 Chicago, IL
– Eng UAS Summit & Expo Grand Forks, ND
– Mfg NCNGM Summit 2025 Rochester Hills, MI
Mfg AI in Engineering Summit East Hartford, CT
– Info Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2a Workshop Online
– Bio/Chem ACUBE's 69th Annual Meeting Kingwood, TX
Gen CCPI-Cast: The National Applied AI Consortium Online
Ag/Env EV Charging Stations on Campuses – The Good, the Bad & the Ugly Online
Info AWS AI Practitioner Faculty Training Online
– 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

2025 ATE Principal Investigators' Conference

With support by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the American Association of Community Colleges will host this year's ATE Principal Investigators' (PI) Conference on October 29-31, 2025, at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. The event will bring together NSF ATE grantees and project partners, providing a platform to collaborate and discuss current challenges, emerging prospects, and industry trends for advanced technological education. In its 32nd year, the PI conference aims to support leadership and innovation in preparing the skilled technician workforce of tomorrow.

Spotlight sessions, product demonstrations, learning labs, focused workshops, and presentations will be available, offering attendees the opportunity to network, share project or center updates, gain valuable insights for industry and education, and connect with the ATE community. Conference content will connect to a variety of fields, including engineering technology, biotechnology, information technology, and nanotechnology.

The registration deadline is October 2, 2025. Visit the ATE PI Conference website to learn more or to register for the event.

Mentor-Connect Sept 24th Webinar Explores Latest ATE Solicitation

Join Mentor-Connect Principal Investigator Pamela Silvers and National Science Foundation program officers to learn valuable information about NSF’s Advanced Technological Education program funding and Mentor-Connect’s mentoring for teams developing ATE proposals from 3 to 4:30 p.m. (EST) on Wednesday, September 24. The webinar on Zoom is free. Register here.

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.

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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