Advanced Technology Environmental Education Center
500 Belmont Road
Bettendorf, Iowa 52722
*Phone: 563.441.4091
*New Area Code–563
FAX: 563.441.4080
www.ateec.org
ATEEC's E-library: ateel.ateec.org
Dr. Ellen Kabat Lensch, Director
E-mail: ekabat@eiccd.cc.ia.us
Christine Walker, ATEEC News
E-mail: cwalker@eiccd.cc.ia.us
ATEEC’s Partners
PETE–Partnership for Environmental Technology Education
National PETE
Kirk J. Laflin
Phone: 207.771.9020
Fax: 207.771.9028
E-mail: natlpete@maine.rr.com
North Central: IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MO, NE, OH, WI
Patti Thompson
Phone: 319.398.5893
E-mail: pthomps@kirkwood.cc.ia.us
Northeast: CT, DE, DC, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, PR, RI, VT, VA, WV
Southeast: AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN
Borden Morrow
Phone: 251.968.3115
E-mail: bmorrow@faulknerstate.edu
Northwest: AK, ID, MT, ND, OR, SD, WA, WY
Steve Fenton
Phone: 206.878.3710, Ext. 5101
E-Mail: sfenton@hcc.ctc.edu.edu
South Central: AR, CO, LA, NM, OK, TX
Dr. Sharon Flanagan
Phone: 504.680.2338
E-mail: sflanagan@nunez.cc.la.us
Western: AZ, CA, HI, NV, UT
Charles (Rick) Richardson
Phone: 602.956.6099
E-mail: rick@ehs-training.org
UNI–University of Northern Iowa
Dr. Ed Brown
Phone: 319.273.2645
E-mail: ed.brown@uni.edu
HMTRI–Hazardous Materials Training and Research Institute
Phone: 319.398.5893
E-mail: pthomps@kirkwood.cc.ia.us
ATEEC News Summer 2002
Vol. 8 No. 2
October
- 24-26: ATE Conference, Washington D.C.
November
- 13-15: Annual National Brownfields Conference, Charlotte, North Carolina
- 20-21: PETE Board Meeting, Baltimore, Maryland
- 21: NETA Annual Meeting, Baltimore, Maryland
Next ATEEC Articles due December 15, 2002
Publication Date: January 15, 2003
When you submit articles to ATEEC News, you can e-mail unformatted text files (preferably created in MSWord™) to
cwalker@eiccd.cc.ia.us. Graphics/photos should be TIFF or EPS formats at 300 dpi resolution.
ATEEC News is published once a semester, including summer. If you want to advertise, please e-mail Christine Walker at
cwalker@eiccd.cc.ia.us
All information comes from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy cannot be guaranteed. ATEEC or its representatives do not accept responsibility for any material printed in ATEEC News.
Opinions, views, and commentary expressed in ATEEC News reflect those of authors, and the authors accept responsibility for unsolicited stories, columns, or artwork.
All trademarks are registered by their respective companies. All rights are reserved.
All contributors agree to the terms of our publication and thus protect and indemnify ATEEC News against any and all litigation resulting from the publication of their material.
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ATEEC News
ATEEC News Online–Fall 2002
A Digest of Education and Career Opportunities
in Environmental Science and Technology
CONTENTS
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Study Climate Change with MIT Researchers: New Week-Long Format
Each June the ATEEC Fellows Institute gives teachers the opportunity to study the latest information and research on current environmental issues. For the 2003 Institute, ATEEC is inviting twenty high school and community college science, math, and environmental technology teachers to learn about the complex and timely topic of climate change. The University of Northern Iowa, which hosts this week-long professional development opportunity, has invited researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to share their knowledge on the science surrounding climate change. In preparation for the Institute, the teachers will receive an instructional module on climate change, which was developed jointly by MIT and ATEEC. This CD-ROM module takes a pragmatic look at climate change and addresses the following questions:
- What do we know about the basic science principles that we use to understand climate change and what uncertainties remain?
- How do we interpret and evaluate the science, perceptions, and range of views surrounding this complex global issue?
- How might climate change affect individuals and their jobs, communities, businesses, industries, and technology locally and globally?
- What can we do to reduce the adverse effects of human influence on climate change?
If you are interested in applying for the 2003 ATEEC Fellows Institute to be held mid-June, go to: http://www.ateec.org/prof_dev/fellows.cfm and complete the application materials by January 6, 2003.
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The Environmental Compliance and Technology (ECAT) program offers the perfect blend of science and technology through on-line distance learning. In January 2003, the ECAT program will have ten courses offered on-line as well as by traditional correspondence.
Employers and recent graduates unanimously point to the need for strong computer skills in the environmental field. Learning on-line will assist students in developing these critical skills. On-line delivery provides more options for distance learners who are interested in the study of environmental compliance and technology. Listed below are the courses offered on-line:
- EV 100 OSHA Regulations
- EV 105 Characteristics of Hazardous Materials
- EV 110 Industrial Processes
- EV 200 EPA Regulations: Waste and Remediation
- EV 205 EPA Regulations: Air and Water Quality
- EV 210 Contingency Planning
- EV 225 Legal Aspects of Occupational Safety and Health
- EV 230 DOT Regulations
- EV 270 Sampling and Monitoring Procedures
- EV 280 Hazardous Material Health Effects
On-line distance learning is an innovative development in higher education
that uses technology to facilitate learning without the limitations of time
or place. One advantage of distance learning is that it gives students the
flexibility to achieve an appropriate balance of work, family, community,
and educational commitments while completing the certificate program or an
Associate of Applied Science degree.
Additional information about the program is available at:
http://webct.eiccd.cc.ia.us:8900/public/EV001/index.html and http://www.eicc.edu/ecat/
or by contacting Heidi Hilbert at the ECAT Distance Learning office via Email at hhilbert@eicc.edu or by phone at 563.441.4092 or 1.800.850.5443. A brochure in pdf format is available at: www.eicc.org/ecat/.
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PETE conducted a very successful faculty internship program on defining terrorism and security training elements on July 9-10, 2002, in Portland, Maine. This two-day workshop came about in light of the 9/11 terrorism catastrophe. How do we use the “lessons learned” from 9/11 to train our current and future technicians for the preparedness of new employer requirements? The participants heard presentations the first day from leading national and government experts and local officials on terrorism and security threats. The second day was a brainstorming session on key curricula changes and faculty training needs in light of this topic. Out of these two days came the final report and white paper “Defining Critical Terrorism and Security Training Elements for Environmental Technician Curricula.”
This workshop solidified the PETE belief that our nation’s community/technical colleges who currently offer environmental, health, and security program courses need to update their curricula. Community colleges are the best source of local delivery for this training. For more details, you will soon find this white paper posted on the PETE and ATEEC web sites.
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The National PETE Board meeting on May 2, 2002 is pictured (left).
As our member colleges begin another academic year, it is a pleasure to provide an update on National PETE with a plan for the upcoming activities of the school year.
NSF- FAST Program
In a final deliverable for the National Science Foundation "Faculty Associates on Science & Technology" Program (FAST), PETE hosted a closing workshop entitled "Defining Critical Terrorism and Security Training Elements for Environmental Technician Curricula" on July 9-10, 2002 in Portland, Maine. This facilitated two-day workshop was attended by past FAST program faculty members. Presentations were provided by many state, regional, and national experts on the first day of this workshop, including Dr. Meryl Nash (an international expert on anthrax and bio-terrorism). The second day of the workshop involved a facilitated session designed to identify recommended elements that should be included or changed in environmental health & safety courses that are offered by community/technical colleges. As a result of this workshop, PETE developed a Final Report/White Paper entitled "Defining Critical Terrorism and Security Training Elements for Environmental Technician Curricula". It will be posted on the PETE Website in the near future. If anyone desires an advance copy of this report, please contact the PETE office.
DOE - C4 Energy Technician Curriculum Project
Through our ATEEC partners, the model curricula for the associate degree program and the one-year certificate program in Energy Management and Energy Services is complete. The curriculum package entitled "Bring Energy to Your College, Start an Energy Services and Technology Program on Your Campus" will soon be available on a CD. PETE has selected the following PETE member colleges as "pilot colleges" for launch of this curriculum package at their campuses:
- *Bronx Community College, Bronx, NY
- *Lakeshore Technical College, Cleveland, WI
- *Faulkner State Community College, Fairhope, AL
- *Highline Community College, Des Moines, WA
- *Turtle Mountain Community College, Belcourt, WA
- *Hill College, Cleburne, TX
- *Barton Co. Community College, Junction City, KS
- *University of Puerto Rico, Aquadilla, PR
Throughout this academic year, the pilot colleges will establish either a two-year degree, one-year certificate, or a continuing education component by using the new PETE curriculum package. Our "pilot" colleges will be an invaluable resource in the future as case examples on the efforts of program launch on each campus.
PETE will release the CD - "Bring Energy to Your College, Start an Energy Services and Technology Program on Your Campus" on November 1st, 2002 (details provided on the PETE / ATEEC website). This is a comprehensive curricula package, including a Best Practices Guide on how to establish a new technician program and the Energy Services & Technology program curricula.
EPA Region II -"Youth-in-the-Environment Initiative" Project
The pictures above all feature the Youth in the Environment Program.
Through an EPA Region II grant, this summer PETE coordinated the fourth annual "Youth-in-the-Environment Initiative" in New York City. This program involves the coordination of a summer work and educational project with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NY DEP) wastewater facilities, laboratories, and field monitoring programs. 19 youth (ages 16-19) from the Bronx area of New York City were sponsored by the Woodycrest Center for Human Development through NYC's Department of Labor's summer youth employment program. The youth program participants were provided with a work experience and exposure to other environmental career options as well as higher educational opportunities in the environmental field. PETE employed five students from Bronx Community College Environmental Technology Program as Youth Coordinators. Their objective is to coordinate with the host sites and project partners for supervision of work projects with the youth program participants. The youth program participants for this summer worked at research, chemistry, microbiology, and process labs; shoreline and pretreatment programs; instrumentation department; material management department; and the administrative support office.
Based on the success of the NYC program, a recent decision was made to open new sites in New Jersey and in San Juan Puerto Rico for the summer of 2003.The NYC program will be highlighted later this fall on the EPA Region II website.
EPA Headquarters - "Youth-in-the-Environment Initiative"
Based on success of the PETE NYC "Youth-in-the-Environment Initiative" program and a supplemental grant from EPA Headquarters, PETE developed a guide on "How to Launch a Youth-in-the-Environment Initiative" program. Entitled "Turn On Youth to Careers in Environmental Protection," this guide was released in August of 2002 and distributed to all EPA Regions, State Environmental Agencies, and designated state Workforce Investment Boards. This document will assist EPA and PETE in promoting this initiative and assist interested parties in launching a program. Please contact the PETE Office or watch for the posting on the PETE Website effective November 1, 2002 to obtain a copy of this guide.
Hazardous Materials Training Research Institute (HMTRI)- OSHA Susan Harwood Training Grant Subcontract
This joint project with HMTRI involves developing unique OSHA training programs for English as a Second Language (ESL) that will become part of a Train-the-Trainer package for the OSHA / HMTRI Community College Consortium for Health and Safety Training (CCCHST) and college trainers. PETE is working with Barber Foods, located in Portland, Maine. Barber Foods with its unique workforce population of over 50 spoken languages has some challenging training requirements. To date, a basic OSHA awareness training package in a ESL format that uses limited English supported by pictures and symbols has been developed. The program has been approved by OSHA, pilot tested at Barber Foods, debuted to the CCCHST trainers with great success, and is in the final revision for release late this year. It is a pleasure to announce that this grant was extended to continue the work with Barber Foods and develop an ESL package that pertains to Industrial Security and Ergonomics during this next year.
U.S. EPA Headquarters OPPT OfficeTribal College Environmental Consortium
The continued PETE coordination with the EPA Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics on pollution prevention activities with tribal colleges resulted in a panel presentation from tribal colleges and PETE at the 6th National Tribal Environmental Management Conference, June 2002, in Reno, NV. This panel presented the role tribal colleges can play in the sustainability capacity building work of tribal governments. Thie panel consisted of Kirk J. Laflin, CET of PETE; Phillip Duran of Northwest Indian College, WA; and Dr. Kent Jensen of Oglala Lakota Community College, SD. PETE will develop a document for EPA this fall to guide tribal governments for their submissions of pollution prevention proposals through OPPT. This will be accomplished jointly with Dr. Kent Jenson of Oglala Lakota Community College, SD. PETE is currently in negotiations with EPA on other supporting functions that assist the tribal college network in dealing with EPA and the tribal government environmental organizations.
PETE continues to develop proposals and network concerning opportunities with various governmental agencies; such as, Department of Defense, U. S. Department of Labor, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Housing Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Department of Transportation.
Everyone is encouraged to attend either one or all of the 2003 PETE Regional Joint Instructor Conferences planned for this spring and summer. These conferences are a tremendous networking experience for new and seasoned faculty members. The PETE network is an invaluable resource for all of us.
For more information on any of the PETE initiatives or to discuss other points of interest, please feel free to contact Kirk J. Laflin (CET), PETE Executive Director.
Sincerely,
Kirk J. Laflin , CET
Executive Director
584 Maine Street
South Portland, Maine 04106
Tel: 207.771.9020
Fax: 207.771.9028
Web Site: www.ateec.org/pete/
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Regional PETE Web Sites
Here is a short reminder from Western PETE about upcoming events. On June 6 - 10, 2003 the National Environmental Training Association (NETA) 25th Annual Conference and Workshops will be held in Reno, Nevada at the Reno Hilton Hotel. The Northwestern/Western PETE Instructors Resource Conference will take place in Portland, Oregon August 6 - 9, 2003. Be sure to jot these conference dates down for next year!
Good News for Brownfields!
Brownfields in a Box has been added to the National Science Teacher's
Association (NSTA) Newsletter and to the California Science Teacher's
Association's (CSTA) Web site as a great resource for teachers.
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October 2002
Annual Membership Drive
On August 7-10, 2002, Northwest PETE in cooperation with Western PETE co-hosted the annual instructor conference at the Hanford House Hotel in Richland, Washington. The theme of this year's conference was "Environmental Education Partnerships and Resources in the New Millennium." This conference was attended by 55 individuals and was very successful.
Make your plans now to attend the 2003 NW/W PETE Conference, which will be held in Portland, Oregon August 6 - 9, 2003. The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) will be the host venue.
The Northwest PETE 2002-2003 membership drive is well underway. Don't miss out on the many benefits and opportunities that a PETE membership provides to organizations, businesses, institutions, instructors, and students. Contact Steve Fenton, Executive Director, for more information and your membership application, or visit us on the web at: http://www.ateec.org/pete/nwpete/nwpete.htm.
We welcome and thank our newest members:
- Casper College
- Central Washington University
- Concurrent Technologies Inc.
- Confed. Tribes of the Colville Reservation
- Clover Park Technical College
- Dull Knife College
- Everett Community College
- Fluor Hanford Inc.
- Highline Community College
- Ilisagvik College
- Little Big Horn College
- Oregon Institute of Technology
- Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
- Northwest Indian College
- Prince William Sound Community College
- Salish Kootenai College
- Skagit Valley College
- United Tribes Technical College
NWPETE’s Board of directors.
- Steve Fenton, Executive Director, Highline Community College, Washington
- Nolan Curtis, Board Chair and At-Large Member, National PETE, Fluor Hanford, Washington
- Dr. Andrew Jackson, Vice Chair and NW Representative to National PETE, Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), Oregon
- Vince Kelly, Secretary/Treasurer and NW Representative to National PETE, Prince William Sound Community College, Alaska
- Zetra Wheeler, Salish Kootenai College, Montana
- Lars Svanevik, Oregon Instisute of Technology, Oregon
- Bill Mixer, Casper Community College, Wyoming
- Ken Erickson, Past Chair, Eastern Idaho Technical College, Idaho
Contact Information for Northwest PETE:
- Steven Fenton, Executive Director
- Highline Community College
- 2400 S. 240th Street, M/S Omni: 3/3
- Des Moines, Washington 98198-9800
- Phone: (206) 878-3710, Ext. 5101
- Fax: (206) 870-5950
- Email: Steve Fenton
- Website: Northwest PETE
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2003 Conference
- "Meeting Today's Challenges"
- Rhythm City Blackhawk Hotel
- Davenport Iowa
- March 20 - 22, 2003
The emphasis for the 2003 North Central/South Central PETE conference is "Meeting Today's Challenges through GIS Mapping":
- "We have it, now what do we do with it?"
- On-line programs,
- Diseases as a result of Bio-Terrorism,
- Monitoring and Sampling,and
- AgKnowledge NSF Center
The conference will also host a pre-conference instructor refresher course conducted by the Community and College Consortium for Health and Safety Training (CCCHST).
Please come join us to share your own instructional innovations and successes, network with your peers, and celebrate with your colleagues! Contact Patti Thompson or 319.398.5893.
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Transitioning toward Success: Contact Information
While files and important records are in transit to the new site of SCPETE at Nunez Community College (see address below), it might be a good time for many of you to call Sharon Flanagan’s office and let her know of your continuing interest in SCPETE. One of the first activities will be to assist in the joint NC/SCPETE Conference to be held in Davenport, IA in 2003.
Dr. Sharon Flanagan, SCPETE Program Manager
Nunez Community College
3710 Paris Road
Chalmette, LA 70043
504.680.2338
Sharon Flanagan
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Last year's NE/SE PETE instructor conference in Barnstable, MA is pictured above.
2003 Conference in Naples, Florida
The Eastern PETE region is proud to have two of its member colleges participating in the Pilot Energy Service and Technology Program. The first college to report on how they plan to approach this new program is Faulkner State Community College in Fairhope, Alabama.
Faulkner State Community College (http://www.faulkner.cc.al.us/) is pleased to join with the Partnership for Environmental Technology Education (PETE) as a pilot college to launch “energy services and technology education” programs. Faulkner State prides itself in offering excellent continuing education programs for the public and the business community and strives to provide leadership in environmental education and training to community and business partners.
With the help of a grant funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and PETE, Faulkner State is preparing to offer a series of informative workshops focusing on energy conservation–“green” building practices, energy alternatives, and sustainability. Population growth and an increasing concern for the environment are driving new forces in how communities and individual homes are designed, built, marketed, and maintained. Environmentally friendly design and construction are no longer limited to a few “farout” thinkers with impractical ideas–they are viable and cost-effective alternatives whose time has come. Green homes are energy efficient and built with materials that have less impact on the environment. These homes typically have healthier indoor air quality, conserve water, use recycled insulation and carpet, use engineered lumber, and install energy saving heating and air units.
Bladwin County, Alabama, home of Faulkner State Community College, has experienced unprecedented growth in the last ten years. The new workshops mentioned in the previous paragraph are designed to raise tremendous and powerful questions. How does lifestyle impact the environment? What are the land use planning standards of communities? How do we manage growth and yet meet demand? The programs will be of interest to any individuals concerned with environmental issues or incorporating environmentally friendly options into their own homes. They will also benefit policymakers, architects, designers, developers, builders, realtors who often are directly or indirectly involved in the processes of constructing and selling homes and of designing and approving developments.
The Eastern region is still planning to host its regional meeting in March in Naples, Florida. The exact dates and hotel have not been finalized, however. SO look for more information in the next issue of ATEEC News. We welcome all region members to join us this spring.
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The Hazardous Materials Training and Research Institute (HMTRI), under a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, will offer a Strategies for Job Development and Training in Brownfields Communities workshop in 2002. The tentative date and location is:
- September 18-20, 2002 in Washington DC
This two-day invitational workshop will involve stakeholders that are located in or near Brownfields Assessment Demonstration pilot sites. The workshop will examine strategies for job development and training in Brownfields communities and will include the following topics:
- Overview of the Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative
- Assessing the Labor Market
- Developing Partnerships
- Creating Quality Job Training Programs
- Employer's Perspective/Working with Organized Labor
- Employability and Life Skills
- Innovative Technologies
- Funding Sources
- Resources
Participants will leave with an understanding of and information pertaining to all aspects of developing job training programs, creating and maintaining strong workforce partnerships, and the future directions of the Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative.
For more information, contact:
Glo Hanne, HMTRI Project Coordination Specialist
Hazardous Materials Training and Research Institute
500 Belmont Road
Bettendorf, IA 52722
Phone: (563) 441-4081
FAX: (563) 441-4080
ghanne@eiccd.cc.ia.us
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ATEEC will soon release two new CD ROMs: "Virtual Waste Site" and "Infectious Disease Emergence." Virtual Waste Site is an interactive simulation, conceived by HMTRI's Doug Feil.
Infectious Disease Emergence is the first instructional module to be completed for the MIT-ATEEC grant. A case study approach is used to inform teachers about researchers' views of societal, ecological, and environmental trends associated with a dangerous increase of both old and new infectious diseases. The module includes student activities and Web resources for multidisciplinary teaching opportunities in environmental technology, the basic and social sciences, math, allied health fields, and communications.
Contact Jeanette Bryson for release dates and ordering information at 563-441-4091 or email her at jbryson@eiccd.cc.ia.us.
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Featured Profile
John Morgan says–
“My experience teaching ECAT Online has been great. The students get the support they need to keep them focused, with the flexibility to participate in class when time allows.”
John Morgan, EICCD ECAT Online instructor and graduate of EICCD at Scott Community College, became interested in the field of hazardous materials and occupational safety and health in 1989 when he was employed at a footwear manufacturing company. “My specific duties required me to handle and deliver a very large amount of hazardous materials. As I performed these duties, I realized that I was doing a lot of things that were dangerous to my health and the environment, and all without proper training.”
Besides teaching for EICCD, John is the Environmental, Safety and Health Director for Ziegler Industries, Inc., an Industrial Painting, Sandblasting, and Sanitation contractor in the Midwest. “My position deals largely in occupational safety, but I do spend a lot of time in the environmental arena; for example, in collecting, packaging, and shipping all hazardous materials generated by our three facilities.” He performs a wide variety of sampling and employee monitoring to satisfy both the OSHA and EPA standards.
John also has written several policies and programs for his company dealing with hazard communication, hazardous material storage and handling, contingency planning, emergency action, and hazardous coatings removal (lead paint). He believes that technical writing is a must if a student is planning to write compliance programs, project specifications, job-site summaries, and project recommendations.
Currently working on his B.S. in Occupational Safety and Health, John loves to spend time with his grandsons and enjoys fishing.
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Profiles
Cindy Bottrell, newly named Associate Director of ATEEC, assists the staff in their roles of completing the center’s many and varied grants–from digital libraries to online curricula to interactive curricula on rivers and wetlands. Cindy has earned both Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in biology from Eastern Michigan University. She looks forward to learning more about ATEEC’s role as an NSF Center of Excellence in developing curricula for environmental technology education. Cindy is an avid bicyclist and student of prairie restoration. She enjoys hiking in the prairies.
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Profiles
Dale Wriedt just joined ATEEC this fall as the Environmental Compliance and Technology Facilitator. He received an A.S. from Ellsworth Community College and a B.S. from Western Illinois. Dale is actively engaged in reviewing and updating curricula, especially for ECAT classes going online. His goal is to grow the credit program, so that ECAT classes can be offered on campus at Scott Community College. For the non-credit side he wants to develop more environmental training programs. Dale also coaches 9th grade football and owns and operates a grain farm. He is married and has a son who will be four in January.
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