Sustainable Energy Education and Training (SEET)

Green technology may be "the largest economic
opportunity of the 21st century."*

The Sustainable Energy Education and Training (SEET) Project is being developed by the Advanced Technology Environmental Education Center (ATEEC) and partners to help build the capacity of energy and environmental technicians to meet the challenges of energy sustainability in the 21st century workplace. The SEET project is providing professional development training for 50 upper level high school and community college technology instructors. Training focuses on the areas of sustainable energy and energy efficiency, delivered through two ten-day intensive annual workshops at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and continued through online networking activities.

At the 2007 and 2008 SEET Workshops, content experts shared knowledge about research advances in energy technology, the implications for a sustainable energy future, and the current and potential requirements for technicians. Instructors from the workshop continue to be connected and supported by an active online network and workshop follow-up support. Sustainable energy knowledge  will be further extended to additional technology educators through events facilitated by workshop participants in their home communities.

ATEEC, serving as lead partner for this project, coordinates all aspects of the project with three major project partners: NREL, the University of Northern Iowa, and the Partnership for Environmental Technology Education.

This project is funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF Award No. DUE-0602633) and runs from October 1, 2006 through September 30, 2009.

SEET Workshops

The 2007 workshop was held in Golden, Colorado at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) on July 16-July 27, 2007. The workshop focused on content designed to use energy resources more efficiently, including renewable energy. The workshop provided small-group presentations and discussion with NREL research scientists; hands-on, inquiry-based lab experiences; take-home equipment and training; and site visits and field work. The workshop participants produced instructional materials, identified teaching and learning strategies and materials, and established a peer network to share with high school and two-year college educators in an online energy resources clearinghouse.

Topics covered at the SEET workshops include:

• Climate change and sustainable energy technology
• Renewable energy installations
• Wind technology
• Biofuel/bioenergy
• Solar energy
• Photovoltaic installation
• Lab-to-lesson models

Educational institutions and states represented at the SEET workshops:

For details, go to 2007 Workshop or 2008 Workshop.

For more information on the SEET program, contact ATEEC by e-mail or by phone at 563.441.4097 or toll-free at 866.419.6761 .

* Quote from John Doerr, venture capitalist, in Time Magazine.com