Learn more about the National Science Foundation’s ATE program

The National Convergence Technology Center (CTC) is funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation’s “ATE” program – the Advanced Technological Education program. ATE grants support technical education (e.g. curriculum, career pathways, faculty professional development, student projects) primarily at two-year educational institutions in the “high-technology fields that drive our nation’s economy.” Active collaboration with industry is an essential component of every ATE grant.

The ATE program regularly prints an overview book entitled “ATE IMPACTS” that provides a deep dive into the many centers and projects across the country supporting different industry clusters. You can download a PDF copy of the brand new 2020-21 edition by clicking here . The CTC’s two-page showcase can be found on pages 75-76 .

Our faithful blog readers know well the many ways the CTC supports IT programs across the country through faculty professional development, free curriculum and special-topic webinars, “BILT model” dissemination, resource sharing, and faculty networking. But… did you know that similar centers across the country provide this same sort of service for other high-tech industries?

Take a look at the index image below, pulled from the back of the book. If your school has a manufacturing program, a biotech program, a nanotech program, or a program in any of these other clusters, you can tap into these ATE programs. Use the ATE IMPACTS book to learn more about centers and projects in your area of interest, then contact them to see how you can help with their effort and how they can support you. Your tax dollars finance this work, so you, your school, and your students should benefit!