Establishing an Environmental and Natural Resources Technology Center

环境技术(ET)是一个应用数学、科学、技术、经济、工程、法律和通信技术来管理、保护和维持自然资源，确保人类健康和安全的职业领域。环境技术人员是保护我国大气、水和土壤的国土安全的一部分，也是解决全球变暖和水污染等重大环境问题的重要组成部分。ET还将重塑后新常态的教学方法和实践教学，并成为任何其他传染病大流行后工作场所健康和安全问题解决方案的一部分。ET工作不能被外包并在经济低迷中幸存下来。雇用环境技术人员的主要行业包括工程服务、地方和州政府、咨询服务、公共卫生机构、制造和修复服务，所有这些行业都迫切需要环境技术人员。环境和自然资源技术中心将综合ET相关部门的跨学科努力，并与行业、政府和公共机构、专业组织、2年制和4年制大学以及高中合作，定义和传播在ET教育中提供领导和支持环境先进技术行业所需的关键知识和技能。为了实现这一使命，该中心将追求几个目标。首先是创建一个领导力网络，以支持发展和分享ET劳动力发展方面的最佳实践。第二是在ET领域现有的ATE项目和新的ATE项目之间建立合作，以指导未来的PI并扩大ATE的影响。第三，为二级、两年和四年制院校、商业和工业、经济发展机构和政府之间的合作提供模式和领导。第四，促进ET职业发展，同时解决培养高技能技术人员和提供教师专业发展的需要。第五是发展中心职能的制度化，以维持授标后期间的活动。该中心将积极接触所有学习者，包括妇女、参加STEM的人数不足的少数族裔学生、面临经济困难的学生、第一代学生以及部落和/或农村背景的学生。该中心计划交付的成果包括：具有职业能力的DACUM图表；明确的ET报告；面向URM、女性、军事和土著学生的ET领域招聘、留住和完成学生的最佳实践指南；一套互动职业网站；以及AVR学习模块。该项目由高级技术教育计划资助，该计划专注于为推动国家经济的先进技术领域培养技术人员。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Environmental Technologies (ET) is a career field that applies math, science, technology, economics, engineering, law and communication to manage, protect and sustain natural resources and to ensure human health and safety. Environmental technicians are a part of homeland security in the protection of our country’s air, water and soil and an important part of the major environmental issues of global warming and water pollution. ET will also reshape pedagogy and hands-on delivery of learning in the post-COVID “new normal,” as well as become part of the solution for health and safety issues in the workplace following any other infectious disease pandemic. ET jobs cannot be outsourced and survive economic downturn. Major industries that employ environmental technicians include engineering services, local and state government, consulting services, public health agencies, manufacturing and remediation services, and there are immediate needs for Environmental technicians across all of these sectors. The Environmental and Natural Resources Technology Center will synthesize the cross-disciplinary efforts of ET-related sectors and collaborate with industries, government and public agencies, professional organizations, 2- and 4-year colleges, and high schools to define and disseminate the critical knowledge and skills required to provide leadership in ET education and support the environmental advanced technology industry.To achieve this mission, the Center will pursue several objectives. First is to create a Leadership Network to support the development and sharing of best practices in ET workforce development. Second is to establish collaborations between existing and new ATE projects in ET fields to mentor prospective PIs and broaden the impact of ATE. Third is to provide models and leadership for collaborations among secondary, 2- and 4-year institutions, business and industry, economic development agencies and government. Fourth is to promote ET careers while also addressing the need to educate highly skilled technicians and to provide faculty professional development. Fifth is to develop institutionalization of Center functions to sustain activities in the post-award period. The Center will actively reach out to all learners, including women, those from minorities who are underrepresented in their participation in STEM, those facing economically challenging circumstances, first generation students, and those from Tribal and/or rural backgrounds. The Center's planned deliverables include DACUM charts with occupational competencies; a Defining ET Report; a Best Practices Guide for Recruiting, Retaining, and Completing Students in ET Fields targeting URM, female, military, and indigenous students; a set of interactive career websites; and AVR learning modules. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.