A team of high-powered industry executives and regional workforce developers has concluded that over the next five years the southeastern Massachusetts region has the potential to create 600-700 new jobs in the emerging field of renewable energy technologies.
Based on that data and their excellent proposal to address the need, the National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded Cape Cod Community College's Environmental Technology Program and its partners: Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA), Cape Cod Technical High School, Upper Cape Cod Technical High School, in cooperation with Cape & Island Self Reliance Corporation, the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (WBNERR), and UMass Dartmouth, a three-year grant of $349,911 to create a program that will develop a highly skilled workforce in renewable energy technologies. The Cape Cod Economic Development Council (CCEDC) and HighStreet Networks have provided support valued in excess of $71,000, satisfying an instrumentation match required by NSF that brings the total project to more than $420,000.
With its 2002 Environmental Merit Award, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cited the College for its leadership in education, energy conservation/efficiency and use of renewable energy technology. Building on that success, over the next three years, educators and industry experts will develop an undergraduate certificate in renewable energy. "Train the trainer" workshops will prepare industry experts with classroom skills to teach credit and non-credit renewable energy courses. Area research facilities will consult on technical issues, guide the curriculum development and review process, and provide workshop instruction.
The center of this activity is the creation of an eight-course academic Certificate in Renewable Energy Technologies, to be adapted from the renewable energy curriculum developed by Partnership for Environmental Technology Education (PETE) /Advanced Technology Environmental Education Center (ATEEC), and the U.S. Department of Education.
Four courses would be offered at CCCC, and four would be offered at the technical high schools. These students will earn tech prep college credit eligibility for their high-school based courses. Trades-people and homeowners will take RE courses at the college or through the evening adult education programs at the high schools. Each course will use the most current technologies and instrumentation to provide true hands-on/real world experience for students. A key part of this effort is the state-of-the-art technology provided by HighStreet Networks that will be used by the students.
According to Dick Anderson, vice president at HighStreet, "Our products will allow the students to monitor, control, and report on the status and operation of the multiple power generation systems involved, and the overall environment in real-time."
"This program is important to us because it supports technology education and will accelerate the adoption of new, renewable energy technologies," he concluded. Internships will be required.
Graduates from the certificate program will be ready to enter the emerging renewable energy industry in southeastern Massachusetts or complete an Associate of Science degree or Associate in Arts degree that would prepare them for transfer into a four-year Bachelor of Science degree program. MMA is working to incorporate renewable energy technology into their engineering and facilities management degree program.
If you have any questions, contact Mary Jane Curran, Coordinator of the Environmental Technology Program at Cape Cod Community College.
ATEEC is conducting two surveys this summer to help update our web site and to determine the needs for energy technology curricula. If you can take a few minutes to respond, we'd greatly appreciate it.
ATEEC is conducting a brief survey to collect information on associate degree and certificate environmental programs offered throughout the nation. The information gathered from the survey will be used to update the list of environmental programs posted on ATEEC's web site. If your college currently offers or is planning to offer some type of environmental technology, environmental science, and/or environmental studies program, please take a few minutes to complete the survey. Having your information posted on the ATEEC web site will provide another way of marketing your program.
Our second ATEEC survey is to conduct a needs assessment for renewable energy-related curricula. ATEEC and partners (including the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Laboratory for Energy and the Environment at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or MIT) are developing a proposal for a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant. The current plan for the proposal is to cover the topic of renewable energy, but before we commit to a specific direction, we want to find out what you think and what you need as teachers. If you have or plan to have a renewable energy-related course or program at your school, we have some questions for you. Your input is critical to ensure that we develop instructional materials and professional activities that teachers will really use in the classroom. So to get your two cents worth in, please take a few minutes to complete this survey!
To expedite the data collection, we're offering these surveys online (although written or email responses are welcome too). To complete the surveys online, go to the ATEEC web site at Surveys, click on "Surveys," and follow the instructions. If you are not able to complete the survey online or if you have any questions, please contact ATEEC by phone at 563.441.4091.
You may not need bookmarks when you use an electronic, or digital, library, but eERL bookmarks give you a lot of information about ATEEC’s newest resource--eERL (electronic Environmental Resources Library) (The bookmark also can keep a place in your current “read.”) For your free bookmark, e-mail cwalker@eicc.edu. Please include your mailing address.
eERL team members (collection/review team, librarians, project leaders, and evaluator) and board will meet in Golden, Colorado on July 7-9 to assess and refine the site for the official eERL launching in September. You can access eERL at http://www.eerl.org. You can also go to the National Science Digital Library (http://nsdl.org) and find eERL’s resources. NSDL is now adding eERL’s records to a central collection of data from 120 plus STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) digital libraries that comprise NSDL. eERL is the only online community college library in NSDL. If you search by entering “electronic Environmental Resources Library,” 1875 records are returned identified by the eERL logo (shown above). If you click on the logo, it will take you to the eERL site.
eERL’s Mission: provide a comprehensive library of online environmental and sustainability resources for community college educators, students, and practitioners.
Partners: ATEEC (Advanced Technology Environmental Education Center), EICCD (Eastern Iowa Community College District), DPL (Davenport Public Library), LFEE (Laboratory for Energy and the Environment at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and PETE (Partnership for Environmental Technology Education). Funded by NSF’s National Science Digital Library (NSDL).
NSDL’s mission: “Both deepen and extend science literacy through access to materials and methods that reveal the nature of the physical universe and the intellectual means by which we discover and understand it.”
For more information, contact Christine Walker by phone at 563.441.4095 or by email at cwalker@eicc.edu.
The Hazardous Materials Training and Research Institute (HMTRI), under a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has announced the date and location for the next Brownfields job training grantee meeting. The Annual Brownfields Job Training and Development Demonstration Pilots Meeting: Strategies for Implementation will be held August 25-26, 2004, in Alexandria, Virginia. All grantees are strongly encouraged to attend. This meeting provides a unique opportunity to share a variety of approaches to Brownfields job training and development. The focus of the meeting is for grantees to exchange information and ideas with each other and with EPA regional/headquarters representatives. The goal of the meeting is to assist grantees to develop their best possible job training programs. By attending, you will be provided the following opportunities:
The meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday evening, August 25. We will meet and share information all day on Thursday, August 26. There is no fee to attend. Participants from out of town will have their lodging paid for two nights (Wednesday and Thursday) through HMTRI. For more information, contact Glo Hanne at 866.419.6761 (toll-free) or by email at ghanne@eicc.edu.
Brownfields 2004
Gateway to Revitalization
September 20-22, 2004
American's Center, St. Louis, Missouri
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More than 130 children attended Eastern Iowa Community College District’s (EICCD’s) Progressive Farmer first annual Farm Safety Day Camp. It was held on June 10, 2004, at the Clinton County Fairgrounds in DeWitt, Iowa. Short demonstrations with hands-on instruction included topics on the safe use of ATV’s, electricity, fire extinguishers, grain bins and wagons, machinery, lawnmowers and snow blowers, and skid loaders. Other topics included animal safety, personal protective equipment on the farm, first aid, and meth lab dangers. Several members of the North Scott FFA chapter helped all day, as did the Muscatine Community College agriculture students and instructors.
According to the National Safety Council, Agricultural accidents rank as one of the top causes of death and injuries to Americans each year. Children between the ages of 5-19 are the second largest population affected by unsafe acts and conditions on the farm.
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What does the future look like for our students enrolled in environmental, health, safety, and energy programs? All indications from both U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) reports and anecdotal business and industry statements are promising! Between new initiatives, potential business and industry growth, homeland security needs, and a current aging environmental workforce, the need for new environmental, health, safety, and energy technicians and upgraded training for the current workforce will increase.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Leavitt stated in an announcement dated May 28 that he is challenging his agency to find creative ways to accelerate efforts to protect human health and the environment and to prepare for the future. This challenge is needed based on the projected increases in world population (50%), global economic activity (500%), and global energy consumption and manufacturing activity (300%) occurring over the next 50 years.
EPA has launched a new Collaborative Science and Technology Network for Sustainability that will focus on the development and implementation of research and technology programs that will be an effective force in the design and measurement of our progress toward sustainable systems. This initiative will also focus on the encouragement of the integration of sustainability into higher education and training.
EPA is not the only agency with heightened attention being given to sustainability and how we can reduce our footprint on the environment. This new emphasis enhances the existing P2, environmental management systems, and sustainability/greening of the environment initiatives. It also strengthens its placement as a national mission.
New national programs like this will increase the attention and awareness of the need for trained technicians; however, we need to make sure our programs meet the changing environmental, health, safety, and energy climates and address the current technologies, environmental management systems, sustainability initiatives, and homeland security practices. This translates into making sure that your programs are up to date, that you have consulted with your program advisory committees, and that you and your faculty are current with the changing workforce needs.
We are looking at ways to assist colleges in surviving these challenging times through PETE Regional Instructor Conferences, curriculum development projects, and agencies that will help with projects that will benefit the colleges and faculty. All of these ways should help the programs keep abreast of the changing environmental, health, safety, and energy programs.
On behalf of the PETE Regions and the National PETE Office, we encourage you to contact us with ideas for conference topics, instructor development ideas, curriculum needs, project ideas, and any other issues you feel would be helpful to you, fellow instructors, or other colleges.
Sincerely,
Kirk J. Laflin, CET
Executive Director
584 Maine Street
South Portland, Maine 04106
E-mail: Natlpete@maine.rr.com
Tel: 207.771.9020
Fax: 207.771.9028
Web Site: www.ateec.org/pete/
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Regional PETE Web Sites
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Northwest and Western PETE cordially invite you to mark your calendars for their 4th Joint Regional Conference, July 28-31, in Salt Lake City. Also, you're invited to log onto their new website at: http://www.nwpete.org for information and links to our member schools and environmental education partners.
Contact Information for Northwest PETE:
- Nolan Curtis, Executive Director
- P.O. Box 2224
- Richland, WA 99352
- Phone: 509.539.1394
- E-mail: admin@nwpete.org
- Website: Northwest PETE
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Greetings from the Sultry South
SCPETE members have kept up a round of emails and phone calls to share information, express concerns and celebrate successes! Board members met at the NC/SCPETE Conference in Oklahoma in March. Most of our college programs are going strong and we are considering a phone-in soon to "chat" about region business.
Russell Smith, El Paso Community College, was a participant at the annual ATEEC summer Fellows Institute. This the focus was on water quality issues.
Mike McKay's environmental biology students, Texas State Technical College, Breckenridge, TX, were featured in the Texas Nature Tracker (Texas Parks and Wildlife publication). Students participated in field research with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department by collection information about local mussels found in Hubbard Creek Lake. Data is useful in understanding the conditions of mussels in Texas since these are an indicator species in the area. Mike sends this information after spending an afternoon out in the field with his students…we are all envious, Mike!
The rest of us have been spending time indoors!
Dr. Sharon Flanagan, SCPETE Program Manager
Nunez Community College
3710 Paris Road
Chalmette, LA 70043
504.680.2311
E-mail: sflanagan@nunez.edu
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New Director! New Contact Information!
For conference information contact:
- Warren Heltsley,
- Northeast/Southeast PETE Executive Director
- Edison Community College
- 7007 Lely Cultural Parkway
- Naples, Florida 34113
- Phone: 239.732.3707
- E-mail: wheltsley@edison.edu
- Fax: 251.990.0428
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Joan Conrad: Welcome the newest ATEEC Board member
Joan Conrad is a woman of commitment and action, both at work and at home. From rescuing basset hounds to writing about environmental and health and safety concerns at Deere & Company as senior writer in those areas, Joan works diligently to make a difference. As ATEEC’s newest Board member, we welcome Joan.
Conrad entered the environmental field early in her career. Her first post-college job in 1976 was as a lab technician, and later chemist, at the Davenport, Iowa, municipal wastewater treatment plant.
Several years later, Conrad accepted a position in chemical engineering
department at John Deere’s Davenport Works, where she was involved in the factory’s environmental projects. In 1996, she became a member of the factory’s environmental staff. For almost three years, she managed the facility’s solid waste and wastewater programs, incorporating extensive waste minimization and recycling processes. In 1998, her submission netted the Davenport Works an honorable mention for the Iowa Governor’s Annual Waste Reduction Award for having one of the best overall waste reduction programs in the state.
The same year, Conrad was offered the chance to manage the Davenport Works’ internal employee communications. In 2000, her communications skills netted her a position in John Deere’s corporate communications department, as senior writer for the company’s supply management organization.
In 2002, as Conrad puts it, “the moon and stars aligned,” and she was offered the opportunity to combine her technical background and communications expertise to manage the company’s environmental, health and safety (EHS) communications. Today, she is responsible for John Deere’s “Running Green” web site on the company’s corporate web site. Conrad also is responsible for all internal EHS communications, manages a variety of EHS-related projects, and does speechwriting for the company’s executives on environmental issues.
In her spare time, Conrad incorporates recycling in several other ways. She’s fond of antique furniture, and her favorite pieces are “orphans” or other people’s discards that almost always require repair and refinishing. She and her husband Steve “recycle” dogs by fundraising or doing transports for the local basset rescue organization. They own two bassets, Truman and Sadie.
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>Student Profile
Beverly Carter, Environmental, Health and Safety Supervisor at 3M Precision Optics, Inc.
Beverly Carter, this issue’s Student Profile, is the environmental, health and safety supervisor at 3M Precision Optics, Inc., in Ohio She enjoys and wants to continue working in the environmental, health and safety field. However, she is interested in moving into a managerial role and would also like the opportunity to be a divisional EHS contact for her company. Since 1999, Bev has been enrolled in EICCD’s Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSET) distance learning program, taking both correspondence and online courses.
Carter feels her next step is to obtain a bachelors degree in the EHS field, which will open additional opportunities and will give her the ability to advance throughout her facility, division and 3M. Working at 3M Precision Optics (3MPO) for 20 years, she spent the past 18 years in the environmental field and has been focused on the health and safety field since 1997. In 1999 she became the Environmental, Health and Safety supervisor.
She would like to continue to work at 3M in the EHS field because 3M is a dynamic and fast-paced organization. Her day-to-day challenges and variety of tasks create an atmosphere providing opportunitues to grow and learn.
Bev and her husband Scott have two children, a son, Tyler, who is 12, and a daughter, Taylor, who is 10. Both children are very active in baseball, softball, basketball, and gymnastics. Outside of 3MPO, Bev is both a chauffeur and cheerleader.
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Mark Aronson Receives Bohumil Shimek Environmental Educator Award (pictured on the right below)
Mark Aronson, Scott CC Teacher, Receives Prestigious Award
Mark Aronson is helping people connect with landscapes in the classroom and in the field. Aronson is an Environmental Science and Conservation Biology instructor at Scott Community College (SCC), Bettendorf, Iowa, whose enthusiasm for the environment has just earned recognition by the Iowa Association of Naturalists and the Iowa Conservation Education Council. He has been an ATEEC Fellow and has participated in the creation of ATEEC’s “Connected by a River” and “River Tales” CDs.
This year, Aronson was awarded the Bohumil Shimek Environmental Educator Award for his outstanding efforts as an environmental educator. Those efforts include founding the environmental club at the college in 1988, leading the annual Wilderness Study Group to Montana, and his national ecological endeavor, the I-15 Corridor Education project.
SCC's environmental club is growing with each year, and now, Aronson said proudly, "The group is drafting a management plan for the Nahant Marsh in Davenport. This may be a first. Usually professional managers do that."
The 2004 Wilderness Study Group is a study of the Yellowstone ecosystem in Livingston, Montana. Aronson calls it "a journey to reconnect with the land and understand the significance of human presence in wild areas."
Known nature writer and wildlife advocate Doug Peacock and his wife Andrea - also an environmental writer - will serve as mentors for the excursion.
Another of Aronson's undertakings is the Montana I-15 Corridor Education project. Part two of the wilderness study group, this project records the effect of limited corridors on animal populations. Corridors connect core wildlife areas; however, Aronson said that highways have a tremendous impact on the corridors and core areas. Animals are either killed by cars while crossing the road or are afraid to cross, consequences which both disrupt the gene flow.
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