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Workshops - 2008

National Educators Workshop

College professors from around the nation and Connecticut high school teachers benefited from a four-day conference focusing on materials science recently. Sponsored by the RCNGM and held in Hartford, CT, the National Educators Workshop(NEW) was produced by the Center of Excellence for Materials and Process Development.   Keynote speakers included Mel Richardson from the University of Portsmouth (UK) who spoke about a village in China that is benefiting from volunteers sharing innovative technologies and expertise.   Approximately 75 educators attended the conference, which included breakout sessions on nanotechnology, development of advanced composite modules for engineering courses, exploring optics "magic" and photon projects, and structure property relationships in materials.

Manufacture Your Future Careers Expo: Faculty Workshops

More than 50 high school and college faculty attended workshops as part of the Manufacture Your Future: Careers Expo, held June 3-5, 2008.  The workshops were sponsored by the Regional Center for Next Generation Manufacturing and presented by three other National Science Foundation Center programs.   The workshops included:

The Toothpick Factory - (Florida Advanced Technological Education Center for Manufacturing).  The workshops raised awareness of the importance of soft skills in the workplace.  Through hands-on activities and teamwork, participants discussed and learned effective workplace skills such as: communication, leadership, teambuilding, listening skills, flexibility and active listening. 

Raid Prototyping - (National Center for Rapid Technologies) - Faculty gained information on rapid technologices and how to utilize the technologies in support of multiple subject areas.  Those areas included:  art and animation, engineering, math, medical, biology, and architecture. Tthe  technologies discussed included digital shape verification (reverse engineering), rapid prototyping, and rapid tooling. 

Gender Equity in Engineering and Technology Education - (National Resource Center for Materials Technology Education)  The importance of gender equity in engineering and technology education was discussed.  Strategies were presented to encourage women and minorities to pursue careers in engienering and technology through real-world projects and innovative learning processes.

Following the workshops, participants toured the Expo.

Workshops - 2007

In the spring of 2007, more than 100 Connecticut teachers were exposed to manufacturing technologies and practicies through a series of workshops sponsored by the Regional Center for Next Generation Manufacturing and organized by the Connecticut Business & Industry Association. The idea behind the workshops was to not only give teachers the opportunity to experience today's manufacturing, but it was also an opportunity to introduce the Center's new Teacher Guide package that accompanies the "Manufacture Your Future" DVD.

The workshops included:

Connecticut Global Fuel Cell Center (Storrs, CT )

 A leader in the research, development and commercial deployment of fuel cell engineering and technology, the Center presented presentations from leading scientists on the latest in fuel cell development. Attendees had the opportunity to participate in hands-on activities. (Go to http://www.ctfuelcell.uconn.edu)

General Dynamics' Electric Boat (Groton , CT )

 Electric Boat's 10,000 employees manufacture the nation's newest and most advanced nuclear-powered submarines. The workshop included a tour of the shipyard, presentation of the Electronic Visualization System and viewing the model room. (Go to www.gdeb.com)

Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology (East Hartford, CT)

 Modeling & Simulation tools allow students to exercise their imagination in 3D while learning the fundamentals of science, technology, engineering and math. The workshop took place in the CCAT Modeling & Simulation theater, which employs a 16- x 9-foot Vizwall screen where simulations were demonstrated in 3D passive stereo mode. (Go to http://www.ccat.us)

 Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Stratford , CT )

Teachers learned about how helicopters are manufactured from the world's leader. Sikorsky Aircraft, a subsidiary of United Technologies, designs and manufactures advanced helicopters for commercial and military uses, including the Black Hawk helicopter. (Go to http://www.sikorsky.com)

Today's Manufacturing - Highlights from the Regional Center for Next Generation Manufacturing

Teachers heard from community college faculty who are developing new curriculum around current industry practices. They also learned about Center activities and the current marketing campaign to inspire students to enter manufacturing careers.

Career Counselor Workshops

Two workshops were given specifically for career counselors to introduce them to opportunities in manufacturing. Counselors were given tours and presentations at Trumpf, Inc., a leader in the manufacture of lasers, and at Mott Corporation, both in Farmington.

 

 

 

 

 

 


The Regional Center for Next Generation Manufacturing is funded through a grant from the National Science Foundation Advanced Technology Education program. Copyright 2005. All rights reserved.