National Science Foundation: Manufacturing Centers

Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Program
National and Regional Manufacturing Centers

Through ATE’s competitive grant process, the National Science Foundation provides seed money to innovative educators to develop and test their ideas for improving the education of technicians and the educators who teach them. The NSF provides two types of support: ATE project grants and ATE center grants.
(quoted from http://www.atecenters.org/about2.html)

The ATE Centers have many educational resources as a result of their collaborations with regional and national employers and with colleagues in secondary schools and universities. To see a complete list of ATE Centers, click here. Certain ATE Resource Centers use electronic clearinghouses to disseminate exemplary materials, curricula, and pedagogical practices developed by previously funded ATE centers and projects. To see a complete list of ATE Resource Centers, click here.

NSF-ATE Manufacturing Centers - Selected Resources

CARCAM – Consortium for Alabama Regional Center for Automotive Manufacturing (www.carcam.org)

• CARCAM Automotive Manufacturing Industry Training Analysis Results summarizes major work areas and the “must have” training for each area, separated by company size
• Automotive Manufacturing Technology degree
• Summer STEM Camps for high schools
  

CNEU – Center for Nanotechnology Education and Utilization (www.cneu.psu.edu)

• Hands-on laboratory experiences for students: the 18-credit capstone semester in nanofabrication is taught at the Penn State Nanofabrication Facility
• Student recruitment materials: Careers in Nanofabrication information video, displays, and brochures complement three-day summer Nanotech Camps for secondary students at Penn State
• Nanofabrication Workshop for Educators and Industry
  

FL-ATE – Florida Advanced Technological Education Center (www.fl-ate.org)

• Made in Florida website www.madeinflorida.org (What is Manufacturing? Power Point presentation; Made in Florida manufacturing video)
• Outreach to K-12 education in Florida
• HSTI modules

MATEC – Maricopa Advanced Technological Education Center (www.matec.org)

• MATEC Networks Resource Center: the online, searchable database for resources in semiconductors, automated manufacturing and electronics
• Work-Ready Electronics Modules: enhancing technician education and training in the field of electronics
• Fab Way to Work Video
• 50 curriculum modules that cover everything from RF to Vacuum to Factory Dynamics and Problem Solving

MatEd - National Resource Center for Materials Technology Education (www.materialseducation.org)

• Resource Center: an online, searchable database for resources for the broad field of materials technology
• A set of core competencies to define the materials-related skills a technician needs in today's advanced manufacturing environment
• Curriculum to introduce the competency-related concepts into their manufacturing and engineering technology courses
• Resources, papers, and presentations about Material Science education

NBC2 - Northeast Biomanufacturing Center and Collaborative (www.biomanufacturing.org)

• Biomanufacturing Expansion, Education and Training, Apprenticeships and Jobs
• Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Industry Skill Standards
• BIOMAN annual conference

NCME - National Center for Manufacturing Education (www.ncmeresource.org)

• MERC Online Resource Center: the online, searchable database for resources for the broad field of manufacturing technology
• A complete two-year program in Manufacturing Engineering Technology, available by individual modules and learning activities
• Do-It-Yourself kit to create ALTs (Authentic Learning Tasks)
• State affiliate for Project Lead The Way Ohio and Ford PAS Ohio high school programs

RCNGM - Regional Center for Next Generation Manufacturing (www.nextgenmfg.org)

• Manufacture Your Future career videos and marketing materials
• Hybrid curriculum including virtual reality modeling and simulation
• Faculty externships in next generation manufacturing industries

SCME - Southwest Center for Microsystems Education (www.scme-nm.org)

• Articles, presentations, and publications on microsystems and education
• MEMS classes offered at CNM Community College
• MEMS job profile

The TIME Center - Technology and Innovation in Manufacturing Education (www.time-center.org)

• CYBERFACTURING: QUALITY CONTROL CHALLENGE for high school students
• The Inside Series provides an in-depth look into innovative and successful manufacturing companies
• TIME Center Guidelines - Manufacturing Internships