July 19 – 23, 2010
This summer (July 19-23) Rensselaer hosted 20 secondary level teachers from regional school districts for a professional development program on Nanotechnology. Rensselaer’s National Science Foundation funded Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center (NSEC) sponsors the summer program as part of a multi-year commitment to educate teachers on the science of nanotechnology and to support the development of curricula for technology, physics, chemistry, biology and math classrooms.
The week-long program incorporated a multitude of lectures and hands-on activities. Faculty members shared their expertise within the areas of Materials Science, Nano-electronics, Biotechnology and energy efficient Smart Lighting. Graduate students demonstrated nano-related chemistry experiments that can be easily replicated in a high school classroom. The participants learned about key concepts, tools of the trade and cutting edge nanotechnology research. They also visited several state-of-the art labs including the 10,000 sq foot Class 100 Micro – Nano Fabrication Cleanroom.
Nano-savvy high school teachers from around the region were invited to share curriculum modules and strategies they are currently using in their classrooms. This proved to be a valuable component of the program, as often teachers need guidance on how to implement nanotechnology concepts into their classrooms.
On the final afternoon of the program, the participants traveled to the Rensselaer Technology Park to tour GE Healthcare, a real world application of nanotechnology manufacturing. GE Healthcare utilizes flat panel detector technology for building digital radiography devices. The visit to GE was an excellent culminating event that tied together all lessons learned throughout the week as well as showcased great careers within the high technology world.
The Rensselaer Nanotechnology Curriculum Development 2010 Summer Institute was very well received. As a high school technology teacher commented, “You have opened my eyes to the world of nanotechnology, it’s applications, importance and the impact on our society and future.”
Click here for agenda including presentations.
July 7, 2010
Twenty-three Tech Valley Summer Camp ninth-grade students spent one day working with Rensselaer’s Smart Lighting Engineering Research Center undergraduates and graduate students to learn about the intricacies of SMART Lighting and the electronic circuitry required to make it all work. This program was truly a fun hands-on experience that fully engaged the students to learn complex lessons. One student was quoted as saying, “I thought is was so cool to learn how simple materials can be used in sync with other simple materials to power a LED bulb. This gave me a chance to realize that engineering is a lot simpler once it is broken down into pieces.”
This program was sponsored by the NSF funded – Smart Lighting Engineering Research Center.
On June 28, 2010, twenty-nine high students embarked on a week long journey to learn about every important topic of Renewable Energy. The program outlines the full range of alternative energies; solar, wind, hydrogen, LED technology, and others, and discusses the challenges of transforming from the traditional energy resources to new technologies – tech transfer.
This program was sponsored by the NSF funded – Smart Lighting Engineering Research Center.
“Train the Trainer”
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
8:00 am – 2:00 pm
No charge
This program will teach four one-hour classroom modules that can be incorporated into any trades apprenticeship program or education course work where advanced cleanroom manufacturing is the standard environment. Each participant will leave with all the necessary materials to teach the modules. Thanks to the generous support of the Workforce Development Institute and the Center for Economic Growth, this program is offered at no charge. Download the pdf for more information.
(ongoing)
Tech Valley Internships was created to help establish viable and meaningful internship opportunities for college students with businesses and organizations in the Greater Capital Region.
Tech Valley Internships was preceded by Beanstalk. Originally launched by the Center for Economic Growth in 2003, Beanstalk served as a clearinghouse to help connect college students with employers in the Capital Region and Tech Valley. A New York State Department of Labor grant-funded program then help to update the website and establish it as a viable and meaningful internship website.
The Workforce Consortium is supporting this effort by engaging the regional emerging technology companies to populate the website with internship opportunities and connecting with colleges / universities with strong technology-based educational programs.
Click below for more information.
March 31, 2010
The NYS United Teachers and the Workforce Consortium for Emerging Technologies held a networking/dinner meeting for Semi High Tech U teachers and colleagues. This opportunity on March 31st feautured Dr. Shaker A. Mousa, Ph.D., MBA, FACC, FACB, Professor, Executive VP and Chairman of the Pharmaceutical Research Institute at the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences as the keynote speaker. The evening included a tour of The Cancer Research Center labs and dinner.
Download informational flyer here.
In partnerships with Greater Capital Region Career Pathways Consortium and NBC2-ATE Center
March 22 – 25, 2010
Location: Hudson Valley Community College East Campus
Facilitator: Sonia Wallman, Executive Director NBC2 ATE Center
This is an excellent high school staff development opportunity for a “team” that includes one high school biology teacher and one high school chemistry teacher from school districts in the region. Participants will learn about the intricacies of the emerging science of biotechnology and supporting classroom curriculum that can be infused into existing high school biology and chemistry classrooms. The schedule has been designed to minimize the amount of time both teachers will be out of their classrooms during the week. Teachers are entitled to a stipend.
More information here. For registration, contact info@wcet.us.
September 2008 – May 2010
Workforce Consortium has partnered with the Greater Capital Region Career Pathways Consortium to produce staff development activities. The primary audience always includes Career and Technical Educators, Science and Math Educators, School Counselors, Administrators representing 77 school districts and their respective BOCES partners located within a 12 county region of the Tech Valley.
This school year (9/09 – 6/10) events include the following:
Next Steps to Prepare Students for Careers in Emerging Technologies:
21st Century Manufacturing and Green Jobs
Union College Park Hall
January 26, 2010
Click here for agenda including presentations.
Career Pathways Showcase: The Emerging Technologies
Questar III Conference Center, 10 Empire Blvd., Castleton, NY
December 2, 2009
Agenda of Industry Panel Discussion can be found here.
September 2008 – present
Workforce Consortium has partnered with the Workforce Development Institute (WDI) to provide cleanroom protocol and safety training for regional trade organizations. This is the second year that WDI funding has supported this effort.
This year’s efforts is focused on the specific orbital welding and enhanced welding skills training for the Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 773 and Local 7. This training will elevate the skills required for our region to build the high tech cleanroom facilities for GE Healthcare, GLOBALFOUNDRIES and other bioscience industry manufacturers. For more information, contact Workforce Consortium at info@wcet.us.
SUNY – Cobleskill
Friday, October 16, 2009
Introduction of the AgrowKnowledge NSF-ATE Center.
Biotechnology sub-committee learned about National ATE Center AgrowKnowledge’s mission to: educate and prepare workforce-ready graduates for agriculture, food, natural resources, business, and industries and the resources they have available to support our regional efforts.
