January 27, 2011
College Park Hall, Schenectady, NY

8:30 – 9:00 Registration

9:00 – 9:15 Welcome and Opening Remarks
Ted Hennessy, Tech Valley Career Pathways Consortium
Ed Shafer and Tim Ott, Successful Practices Network – PRESENTATION

9:30 – 10:15 Keynote Speaker - PRESENTATION
Annette Finsterbusch, Investment Director of Applied Ventures

10:15 – 10:30 Robert Karlicek, Director, Rensselaer Smart Lighting Engineering Research Center – PRESENTATION

10:30 – 10:45 Break

10:45 – 11:45 Session I

Math College Readiness Track – Room: C102 - PRESENTATION, PRESENTATION 2, PRESENTATION 2 (PDF), PRESENTATION 3
Applied Math for College and Careers – From Video Games to Geothermal
During this session educators will learn how the math skills they teach can be delivered in the context of video game development, energy conservation, geothermal systems and construction from a diverse panel of professionals and college faculty.

Ralph Bertelle, Columbia-Greene Community College – Moderator
Chris LaPlante, Hudson Valley Community College
Mike Veeder, Questar III
Brian Osman, Vicarious Visions

21st Century Skills – Career Tech Educators Track – Room: C104
Interviewing and Hiring Practices for Technology Companies
Manufacturing in today’s global economy focuses on creating products that are affordable, reliable and sustainable. This session will explore what high tech companies are looking for in job candidates to meet these goals.

Jennifer Pickering, GLOBALFOUNDRIES
School Guidance Counselor Track – Room: C106
Tech It Out! Tech Valley Careers
Discover the latest technical careers website. The www.techvalleycareers.org website is a valuable tool for students, parents, educators, employers and community members. Find out more about it and how it can help your students plan for their future.

Jillian DeGregorio, WSWHEBOCES
Doug Leavens, WSWHEBOCES

Science and Tech Educators Track – Room: C108
Find out why President Obama is excited about the GE Battery Plant
The partnership between SCCC and GE Battery is in the news.
Richard and Ruth will discuss the coordination between industries’s needs, educational programs and jobs.

Ruth McEvoy, Schenectady County Community College
Richard Bourgeois, General Electric Battery

11:45 – 12:45 Lunch Break

12:45 – 1:45 Session II

Math College Readiness Track – Room: C102
How well do Regents scores predict college readiness?
During the past year, the Tech Valley Career Pathways Consortium has engaged math educators in a broad based effort to address the issue of math readiness for college and careers. Educators attending this session will receive the latest information concerning this effort including data analysis that uses students’ scores on the Integrated Algebra Regents to predict scores on college placement exams.

Ted Hennessey, Questar III
Elizabeth Fisk, Data Analyst WSWHE BOCES, Tech Valley Career Pathways Consortium

21st Century Performance Skills – Career Tech Building Educators
- off site at Golub Corporation Headquarters
The World of Building Science and Advanced Energy Control Systems
This workshop will be held at the new Golub Corp/Price Chopper Corporate Headquarters across the street from the Conference Center. It will cover two sessions (2hrs). Capacity will be limited to 30 attendees and targeted specifically for teachers in the following areas: High School Technology, CTE – HVAC, CTE – Construction Technologies, CTE – Electrical and CTE – Information Technology teachers. Individuals who are interested in attending this workshop will need to sign up when they check in at the registration table.

Attendees for this workshop should meet at 12:40 pm in the main lobby of this conference center. The group will walk together across the street. You must arrive at Golub with the group. No one will be able to join the workshop late. This workshop will include a tour of the facilities and the workshop presentations.

Phil Dettelis, NYSED – Moderator
Mike Flannery, Golub Corporation Headquarters
Aaron LaFave, Madison Oneida BOCES

21st Century Skills – Career Tech Educators Track and
School Guidance Counselor Track and
Science and Tech Educators Track – Room C104-108
“A day in the life of a technician”
We talk about preparing students for technician jobs but what is the job really about? Join a panel of local technicians and find out.

Elizabeth Herkenham, Workforce Consortium for Emerging Technologies – Moderator Marcus Gardunia, GlobalFoundries
Norman Murauskas, Global Foundries
Benjamin Stoub, Albany Molecular Research International, Inc.
Jenna Mirabile, X-ray Optical Systems
Ronit Chakravarty, General Electric Wind Product Service and Warranty

1:45 – 2:45 Session III

Math College Readiness Track – Room: C102
Robotics Makes Math Fun!
At Rensselaer’s Center for Initiatives in Pre-College Education, it is our belief that a multisensory, interactive environment, coupled with an inquiry pedagogy, is more conducive to active learning and concept development than inert, linear learning tools. We are presently perusing the development of multimedia modules, and the integration of robotics into K-12 curricula, which reflect this problem solving approach to teaching and learning. You will see this integration for yourself in this workshop!

Jordan Vener, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Josie Carnevale Seddon, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Tammie Borland, Questar III, New Visions Math, Engineering, Technology & Science

21st Century Skills – Career Tech Educators Track – Room: C104
Workplace Readiness
Credentialing and portfolios have become an important component of Career and Technical Education. During this session the panelists will provide an overview of national and regional efforts in this area.

Mary-Alane Wiltse, Workforce New York Career Center at Columbia-Greene
Community College – Moderator
Christopher Myers Ph.D., NYSDOL, Career Development & Youth Initiatives Office
Lessa Perazzo, Schenectady County Chamber of Commerce
Lakia Walker, Questar III

School Guidance Counselor Track – Room: C106 – PHOTOS, PRESENTATION
Smart High School Course Selection for Technical Degree Programs
The Tech Valley Region offers young people many exciting career opportunities in emerging technologies. Panelists representing various technical degree programs will offer their insights on how to prepare students to reap the benefits of these high wage technical careers.

Ted Hennessy, Questar III – Moderator
Tania Cabrera, Schenectady County Community College
Richard Porter, Hudson Valley Community College
Richard Prestopnik, Fulton-Montgomery Community College

Science and Tech Educators Track – Room: C108 – PRESENTATION, PRESENTATION 2
Grant Funded Resources for High School Science and Technical Educators.
There are new resources in the Capital District to help you prepare students for the new technologies. This presentation will discuss some of the latest resources and how you can access them for your classroom.

Abe Michelen, Hudson Valley Community College Northeast Advanced Technological
Education Center (NEATEC)
Rahmi Ozisik, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Northeast Advanced Technological
Education Center (NEATEC)
Nancy Bush – Hudson Valley Community College, Biotechnology

2:45 – 3:00 Evaluations
Please return evaluations to the registration desk and pick up your Teacher Certificate.

NYSUT presents a one-day STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Institute for educators to exchange experiences on implementing high tech content into the classroom.

Click here for a brochure with more information on this program.

Check out more info here!

The Workforce Consortium for Emerging Technologies helped designed and organize this event for the school district with the objective of bringing awareness to their community of parents and students of the full range technology jobs coming to the region.

Program schedule:
7:30 pm Welcome
7:35 21st Century Framework presentation
7:50 Mike Russo, Global Foundries and the changing face of education
8:15 Panel Discussion:

Mike Russo, Global Foundries
Tobi Saulnier, Founder of 1st Playable – local video game design company
Theresa Thompson, Regeneron Biopharmaceutical Company – Biomanufacturing
George Seymour, HVCC Biotechnology
James Maughan, GE Wind Energy

9:00 Final Remarks

For more information, download flyer here.

GLOBALFOUNDRIES is having an open house with guided tours of their 4.6 billion dollar Fab 8 construction site at Luther Forest this Sunday, October 24, 2010 from 1 to 4. Free and open to the public. Refreshments and Halloween treats will be served. Families are encouraged to attend.

March 10, 2011 – Technology Institute at NYSUT Headquarters
March 21, 2011 – Biotechnology ‘Protein is Cash’ Four day program at HVCC

More info and programs to come….

Nanotechnology Applications in Today’s World

Nanotechnology has often been thought of as playing a key role in the next industrial revolution. Nanotechnology is not an industry; it is an enabling technology that is impacting a growing number of industry sectors, which now include electronics, biotechnology, biomedicine, pharmaceuticals, textiles, building and construction materials, agriculture and food production, printing and publishing, plastics, metals, information technology, and many others. Yet, many people still have no idea what nanotechnology is. It is critically important that today’s students (tomorrow’s technicians, engineers, office workers, citizens) and instructors have a better understanding of nanotechnology and of its far-reaching implications – or risk the loss of the competitive opportunities available.

October 15, 2010

Building a NanoLab: Equipment and Program Overview

Click here for registration information on both webinars.

• Continued efforts to improve the college readiness of high school students (especially in math) through early college placement testing (11th grade), professional development for high school teachers and curriculum development.
• Continued support for program development and improvement through equipment and supplies acquisitions for Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs offered at local Community College and BOCES programs in the areas of 21st Century Manufacturing, Biotechnology, Nanotechnology, and the Green Technologies.
• Professional Development for school counselors, academic teachers and college faculty to promote awareness of emerging careers in the Tech Valley Region and skill requirements.
• Increasing student awareness of emerging Tech Valley careers through the continuation of Career Pathways Summer Camps in the Emerging Technologies for local high students.

The Workforce Consortium will be involved by helping to plan these events so be on the look out right here on our website – www.wcet.us.

Funding for the Tech Valley Career Pathways Consortium is provided by the federal Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006 and the New York State Education Department.