NSF ATE Planning Grant: A Gulf States Collaborative to Develop a Strategic Plan for a Gulf States Advanced Technology Education Center for Coastal Resources

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This project is developing a comprehensive, inclusive plan for an ATE regional center that will educate technicians and improve the prospects of economic development associated with coastal wetlands, estuarine and marine environments of the Gulf States. The Gulf States -- Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida -- are geographically, socially, and economically linked and have similar job needs for environmental and engineering related technicians.Skilled technicians are needed for preserving and restoring coastal and wetland ecosystems; building levees and other containment structures for retaining water; building structures for offshore energy production and transport; rebuilding and repairing storm damaged infrastructure; facilitating shipping, logistics, and commerce at ports; cleaning up oil spills; implementing the designs of city planners; hurricane response and dredging.The planning team and its advisory board combine the intellectual capacities and real world work experiences of leaders in industry, academia, and government. Participants contribute marine and engineering technical experience, administrative experience, knowledge of science, and educational leadership in preserving coastal and wetland ecosystems.During the planning process the PI team is making site visits to successful ATE Centers with similar goals in order to determine the best organizational structure and to develop a strategic plan for the programs and activities of the new center. They are forming regional partnerships with representatives of community and four-year colleges, high schools, business and industry, and federal and state agencies. To reduce duplication and align program components with industry standards and industry needs, they are reviewing existing associate degree programs in technician fields, identifying workforce skills and required knowledge sets, evaluating GIS, AutoCad, and related tools, investigating distance learning and making plans to integrate internships and field experiences in the new curriculum. Methods to recruit and retain underrepresented groups and high school students are being adapted from previously validated models and incorporated into the Center plan.