“Summer Is All About STEM-based Outreach”…..so says FLATE’s Executive Director!

Dr. Marilyn Barger & Danielly Orozco at Añarbe dam in Spain. 

Summer is a prime time for outreach – students and teachers are out of school and ready to relax, renew, and reinvigorate themselves. Cleared of the day-to-day stress of meeting classroom and school deadlines, most are eager to explore new topics and dig deeper into those that interest them in anticipation of the new school year.  Since dissemination, outreach, professional development are core to supporting our FLATE technician mission, summertime finds us busy working with both students and teachers across the state providing stimulation and excitement for students and educators for manufacturing through various STEM activities. Working together, building on our partnerships, FLATE reaches out into many of our Florida communities to build a strong next generation STEM, specific in terms of the manufacturing workforce. We are always looking for and welcome new industry partners to help us better impress upon educators and students the awesome opportunities in manufacturing based STEM careers.

             
The Regional Manufacturers Associations (RMA's) in Florida and manufacturers within their regions are partnering with FLATE, local schools, and community groups for various manufacturing and STEM outreach activities. Building on the momentum of ideas developed during the FLATE outreach workshop in February at Harris Corporation, the Volusia Manufacturers Association (VMA) and the First Coast Manufacturers Association's (FCMA) in Jacksonville have partnered with FLATE for educator and student outreach in their regions. You can read all about their planned activities in this issue of the FLATE FOCUS. Upon request, FLATE is also developing new materials for the Jacksonville area to use in their efforts starting this summer. South Florida Manufacturers Association (SFMA) and FLATE are also developing plans for summer outreach activities. The new Center for Advanced Manufacturing Excellence (CAME) is also partnering with FLATE to develop guidelines and best practices for partnerships between schools and industries as well as recognition programs for such partnerships through its Dream It! Do It! Campaign.

            
In the College of Central Florida (CF) service area working with the Marion Regional Manufacturers Association (MRMA), FLATE ambassador, Sara Lefils and others continue the outreach legwork. Sara is addressing K-12 students about manufacturing careers and educational pathways. In a separate effort in Ocala, Dr. “Row” Rogacki of the Florida Human and Machine Cognition Institute (IHMC), College of Central Florida, and Betty Hackmyer teamed up with FLATE to implement FLATE robotics camps at the impressive IHMC (www.ihmc.org) facility in Ocala. Sixty lucky Ocala area middle schoolers will be engaged in one of three Lego Robotics 1 week camps this month, adding 60 additional students to the over 100 young people who will be attending FLATE robotic summer camps on the HCC Brandon Campus.

            

Shifting gears, it is with great pride and pleasure that I get to share with you that Brad Jenkins, director of  engineering technology at St. Petersburg College and Co-PI of FLATE since 2001 will receive the NSF supported HI-TEC Conference Educator of the Year award.  He will receive this competitive award at the HI-TEC Conference in Denver next month. All of us in Florida technical education have always recognized Brad's contributions to technician education, are very lucky for Brad’s many years of dedicated service to engineering technology education in Florida, and are ecstatic that he is receiving national recognition for his work. He continues to be the mastermind of the Florida Forum for Engineering Technology. Congratulations Brad, on behalf of all FLATE stakeholders and staff!  For our readers, this is also a reminder that you too can recognize a Florida educator by nominating someone for the FLATE educator of the year awards. Nominations are open through August, and can be submitted online at www.fl-ate.org.

            
Enjoy our June issue of the FLATE FOCUS where the central focus is on manufacturing outreach across the state, and providing a glimpse of its varied manifestations. If you are inspired to pursue similar activities with your organization, and would like to engage in some local events please contact me at 813.259.6578/barger@fl-ate.org. For a different approach to outreach, check out the ideas for professional development for educators in one of the articles this month. Lastly, don’t forget to check your answer to STEM Puzzle # 28 titled “Which essence, skunk or pearl, is more volatile?” 

FCMA: A Respected Voice in Strengthening Manufacturing in Northeast Florida

First Coast Manufacturers Association is a non-profit trade association serving as the voice for manufacturers located in the Northeast Florida counties of Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau, Putnam and St. Johns. The Association’s multi-faceted programs are designed to assist members in the successful operations of their business, help educate policymakers and the public about the value of manufacturing, and its significance to the local economy. FCMA also works with its member organizations, government agencies and the community to protect the environment.             

Established in 1989, the Association today represents all types of manufacturing, from small machine shops to top selling consumer goods to international high-tech medical products.  As an effective leader and “voice for local manufacturing” FCMA continues to grow, and is currently comprised of over 300 companies. Some of its larger, more recognizable members include: Anheuser-Busch InBev, BAE Systems (Shipyards and Safariland), CSX Transportation, Maxwell House-Kraft, RockTenn Corrugated, Swisher, Owens Corning, Gerdau, Colomer USA, and our largest industrial employer, the Navy’s Fleet Readiness Center Southeast.  

            

Its industry-centric focus is defined by the line-up of services it provides, and its mission to keep members abreast with latest tools and technologies. FCMA hosts several workshops and networking opportunities throughout the year, and has established SIGs (Special Interest Groups)so members can share their expertise and knowledge. SIG members interact monthly and are able to offer solutions to similar problems, or share resources of reliable service providers with proven performance. Currently the association has two SIGs, one for plant managers and one for maintenance and reliability. FCMA is also in the process of developing additional SIGs that have similar issues and concerns.

            

In an effort to keep members aware of each other’s production and support service needs, and to provide an opportunity for sharing best practices FCMA also conducts many plant tours. Sherri Mitchell, director of finance and education says the idea is to “keep our manufacturers updated on issues affecting manufacturing.” Partnership with local schools also play a vital role in developing relevant educational and training materials to meet the needs of local manufacturers, and in training the next generation of high skilled workers. FCMA regularly interacts with local schools and colleges, and encourages its members to develop partnerships with neighborhood schools. The Association has taken great strides to ensure manufacturing is a visible topic for discussion on the different advisory boards from the University of North Florida, to Florida State College at Jacksonville, to career academies, and local workforce boards.

            

In keeping with this goal to sustain and promote manufacturing throughout the region, FCMA is cultivating strategic partnerships with Center’s like FLATE to convey a consistent and cohesive message about the importance of manufacturing and its impact on Florida’s economy. “We all need to work together throughout the entire state to ensure the same message regarding manufacturing is getting out from all regions” said Mitchell. To get the ball rolling, FLATE and FCMA are currently working on compiling a handout highlighting local manufacturers, career opportunities and educational pathways available in the region. Once completed, the handout will be used to supplement FCMA’s efforts to build manufacturing awareness, and to showcase its impact around the state.

            

For more information on FCMA contact Sherri Mitchell at Sherri@FCMAweb.com, or visit www.fcmaweb.com. For information on FLATE, and its involvement/outreach initiatives with local regional manufacturers associations contact Dr. Marilyn Barger at barger@fl-ate.org, or visit www.fl-ate.org.

FLATE Ambassador Outreach Initiative--A First Hand, Behind-The-Scenes Look!

FLATE’s ambassadors are one of those behind the scenes people who play a pivotal role in raising awareness about FLATE’s state-of-the-art educational/professional development initiatives designed to promote excellence in high-tech manufacturing. You may not have spotted a FLATE ambassador at a regular FLATE event, but you might have run into them at a career fair, or spotted them at a local industry tour. FLATE’s ambassadors may not fit into the traditional corporate mould, but you will soon find out, they are equipped with a wealth of educational and professional resources.

            

Meet Sarah Lefils. Sara is a University of Florida graduate, with a degree in telecommunications. She is the wife of a peanut farmer and the mother of two children: James, age 6 and Rebecca, age 4.  The majority of her professional career has been as a preschool director at O2B Kids in Gainesville, Florida. She attained her child development associate’s certificate and director’s credential shortly after graduating from college. Sara began working for the College of Central Florida in the fall of 2010 as the “Career Pathways Coordinator” where she was also introduced to the role of a FLATE ambassador. Within this role, Sara visits all public high schools within the tri-county area (Marion, Citrus, and Levy) to speak about career and educational opportunities in the manufacturing field.

            

Over the course of two years, Sara has been working with 16 high schools in the region. She has successfully reached out to 2500-3500 students and about 350 adults, or staff comprising of teachers, guidance counselors, administrators, task force members, industry leaders, college advisors. Sara uses different videos and stories to keep students engaged and inspired with job ideas they may not have known even existed. Sara’s video presentations include everything from the FLATE video, to a quick bit on 3-D printers, to the life story of Dirty Jobs’ Mike Rowe. To create a hook and get students interested in STEM and manufacturing, Sarah suggests highlighting real success stories. She also likes the idea of having small brochure/handouts that highlight an individual’s occupation, the training involved in securing such a position, where the jobs/businesses are located in Florida for that position, and their potential salaries. “While the videos show real people, I think having people share where they came from, where they are now, and how they got there would make more of a lasting impression on some kids.” She points to FLATE’s postcard, handout and video as an effective tool in getting students excited about manufacturing, and FLATER as a popular item—one that peeks students’ curiosity.

            

Sara also attends school functions like job fairs, or college fairs to showcase FLATE’s resource to teachers, parents, and students. To stay connected with local educators, Sara attends Marion Technical Institute task force meetings each month which gives her ample material to educate students about local opportunities. An additional dimension to her position is providing field trips. Over the past year Sara facilitated three field trips. One of which entailed Marion and Citrus County drafting students travelling to College of Central Florida to attend an open house for the college’s new engineering lab. She has special field trips planned next year for a group of 30 high school juniors at North Marion High School. Students are expected to tour E-One, Quality Banner, SPX and Trademark Metals Recycling. Her partnership with local industry has enabled her to visit SPX Flow Technology, Quality Banner Company, Phillips Printing, E-One, Southeastern Freight Lines and Forest High School’s EMIT program.

For information about FLATE’s ambassador program, or to coordinate a “Made in Florida” industry tour for students in your area contact Dr. Marilyn Barger at barger@fl-ate.org. To assist/enhance Sara’s outreach efforts in the Marion, Citrus, and Levy tri county region, or to partner with Marion Regional Manufacturers Association contact Sara at lefils@cf.edu.

sTEm-at-Work Puzzle #28 ANSWER: Boiling points of mixtures of two secret perfume liquids

The Problem

A technician has measured the boiling points of various liquids made by mixing different amounts of two “we-sell-smells” company secret perfume liquids. The first measurement was the boiling point of 100% pure “Essence of Skunk”. The last liquid measured was 100% “Essence of Pearl”. Fourteen other mixture boiling points are shown on the blue curve (the bubble-point curve).

In addition, the technician used a gas chromatograph to determine the percent of “Essence of Pearl" in the vapor just above each boiling mixture. That percent vapor (gas) data is shown as the red dotted curve (Dew-point curve). The technician knew that the smell of a small liquid drop of a perfume comes from the gas just above that liquid drop. Now, the technician knows a lot more about the behavior of the two secret perfume liquids when they become liquid mixtures with different percentages of Essence of Pearl.

For example the boiling point of 100% Essence of Pearl liquid is higher than the boiling point of 100% Essence of Skunk. YES or NO.

Points for discussion

The mixture of two pure liquids to create a third liquid is extremely common. The binary systems plot below provides information about the concentration of each component in each liquid in the liquid mixture as well as the concentration each component of in the vapor of the mixture.  The idea that a liquid has a vapor may be new to your students.  Perhaps you can start with the word gas and the properties of a gas as compared to a liquid.  The word vapor is used when the molecules can be put into the liquid state or the gas state by simple changes in temperature and pressure within the normal range of values found on earth.  its.  There is no difference between molecules in the gas state and the same molecules in the vapor state.  there is no difference between a vapor and a gas however, nitrogen is not usually labeled a vapor since it is not easily changed from its gas state to its liquid state.  By contrast water is labeled a vapor since it is really easy to change water molecules back and forth from gas state to liquid state.  Other properties of binary system plots will be explored in next month's puzzle so please check in again next month.

                                                                               

The Answer

The boiling point of 100% Essence of Pearl liquid is higher than the boiling point of 100%  

Essence of Skunk.  NO

Volusia Manufacturers Association Defines What It takes to be a Leading Voice for Local Manufacturers

Regional Manufacturers Associations play a significant role in reflecting the interests and translating the needs of local manufacturers. Volusia Manufacturers Association (VMA), located in Ormond Beach FL, has been a leading voice in promoting manufacturing through education, training, outreach and networking opportunities. Since 1980, the organization has served as a focal point in providing tools to help manufacturers succeed in a local and national arena.

What defines VMA is its extended array of outreach initiatives, and its cohesive network of partnerships with local industry leaders and educators. The organization enjoys 37% market penetration whereby access to a local manufacturer, education facility, or legislator is almost instantaneous. Jayne Fifer, president and CEO of VMA says the organization has developed a strategic plan of action that is geared to address the national and local shortage of skilled laborers in manufacturing. Fifer says the plan centers on building awareness among young people, and propagating the message that “manufacturing still exists in the USA” and is thriving in Volusia and Flagler counties.

           
To kick start its strategic plan of action, VMA has a pipeline of outreach projects and has partnered with local engineering and manufacturing related academies. The “Poster Project” at the Advanced Technology College, for example, is designed to showcase manufacturers and their products. Participants are currently working on designing large posters that tell who they are, showcase their products and list all the careers and jobs it takes to run the company. The posters will be unveiled during a special unveiling ceremony at VMA’s general membership meeting in August. The “Adopt an Academy” program is yet another outreach initiative for local manufacturers to adopt a local manufacturing-related academy.

        

In keeping with its goal to foster education and community awareness initiatives, VMA has devised a structured outreach campaign targeted to raise awareness among students, educate the educator about manufacturing, and connect them with local manufacturers. The organization is a member of the Career Connections Cadre which represents a partnership between Volusia County Schools, area business and industry, the Center for Business Excellence and Volusia colleges and universities.VMA is currently actively involved with Volusia County Schools and the Cadre in charting a five year strategic planning process targeted to bring more business input into the development and redesign of its career and technical education programs. The initiative is also geared to help career academies “keep pace with demands of the business community.” Other VMA initiatives include monthly plant tours, meetings and seminars that emphasize business growth, human resource issues, excellence in manufacturing technologies, financial and accounting issues.

           

“Raising awareness of manufacturing is a grassroots effort” says Fifer.  In keeping with this, VMA has organized a Manufacturers Speakers Bureau whereby members are scheduled to give several presentations to teachers at local engineering/manufacturing related academies, ERAU engineering classes and DSC STEM classes. A total of 22 presentations have been scheduled for June 19. Fifer outlines the initiative as a pathway to inform teachers and help them raise awareness about manufacturing and the tremendous opportunities it provides. The expectation, she says, is if students, teachers and parents hear about manufacturing in a focused campaign, they will share their ideas with others.  In essence the idea is to “win one person at a time, producing a ripple effect.”

           

To keep industry continually engaged with its efforts VMA has also planned a “Manufacturers Mentoring Day” in September. Each academy is set to send six students to participate in a two hour, job shadowing experience with a local manufacturer. VMA has also planned a manufacturers’ expo to increase visibility of manufacturers in the community, and to connect them to the community at large. The expo will be held in October at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, FL.   

            

Given its array of programs and partnerships, VMA enjoys a robust partnership with FLATE in promoting manufacturing education and excellence in Florida. In 2008, VMA actively participated in the FLATE-led campaign to produce three 30 second public service announcement to showcase and educate the community at large about educational and career pathways in high-tech manufacturing in Volusia County. Fifer commends FLATE in taking the first step to create state of the art programs for local manufacturers, and equipping local manufacturers with resources to help them succeed.

For more information about VMA contact Jayne Fifer at jayne.fifer@vmaonline.com, or visit www.VMAonline.com. For information about FLATE’s partnership with regional manufacturers associations in Florida, and its outreach initiatives kit designed to promote regional manufacturing activity contact Dr. Marilyn Barger at barger@fl-ate.org, or visit www.madeinflorida.org and www.fl-ate.org. 


Snapshot of the 2011 VMA Expo

ET Degree: New Energy Efficiency Specialization Under Development

The Florida Advanced Technological Education Center (FLATE) and Florida Energy Systems Consortium (FESC) have been collaborating with the National Science Foundation-funded Energy Systems Technology Technicians (EST²) project team to design a new specialization for the Engineering Technology (ET) Degree and associated College Credit Certificate. The EST² project team comprises individuals from Brevard Community College, Florida State College at Jacksonville, Tallahassee Community College and Hillsborough Community College.

Together with FLATE, FESC and experts from industry, government and academia, the team has been working on defining the new specialization from an industry perspective. Keith Zipper, president of Energy Reduction Solution, a company focused on increasing electrical energy efficiency on the plant floor, has been working closely with the EST² team. By opening up his plant to the team he will provide them with an up-close, real-life opportunity to experience what kinds of skills are needed for future energy efficiency technicians in the industrial and/or commercial setting. Representatives from the Universities of Florida, Miami, Alabama and Rutgers have been invaluable in providing support from the academic realm. John Smegal, a technical assistance centers deployment specialist from the United States Department of Energy, has also provided the EST² team with expertise and guidance. Jon Jensen, who heads up the Energy Conservation Group at SMC Corporation of America, has given the team a great deal of insight about what he has found in the field, and what the industry is looking for as far as skills and knowledge.

            
The Industrial Energy Efficiency specialization tract comes at a time when interest in reducing operating costs through energy efficiency maximization is growing significantly both in Florida and throughout the nation. The new specialization will be designed to provide the training necessary to teach manufacturing, industrial and other appropriate technicians, such as HVAC technicians or electricians to save energy costs on the plant floor. Hands-on courses will focus on identifying and correcting some of the energy inefficiency in industrial and/or commercial facilities. Courses will target major energy consumption areas including motors, hydraulics, pneumatics, compressor, heat, or cooling loss, and automated systems.

            
Students will be required to demonstrate the ability to evaluate energy efficiency technologies and energy assessment methodologies. Analysis of energy consumption data for energy efficiency opportunities and use of instrumentation for energy efficiency will also be covered. As a part of the curriculum, students will also receive content focused on addressing behavioral issues in industrial settings. The final course will be either a capstone course focused on integrating systems, or work experience. Upon completion of the program students will be armed with the knowledge and skills necessary to implement energy efficiency strategies in industrial processes/systems, and as a result impact the bottom line.

            
A short survey was conducted in March to gather data to ensure the new framework is comprehensive and covers all areas necessary to produce the skilled workforce needed in this area. In addition, it provided an opportunity to identify individuals interested in collaborating to work on the new curriculum framework. More than a third of survey respondents indicated that they were currently working on curriculum including energy efficiency in industrial/commercial settings components. These included consumption analysis and reduction factors, energy auditor tasks and energy management system protocols (e.g. ISO 50001), energy efficient HVAC and building construction. Air flow, pump/compressor/motor efficiency were also listed. Occupations respondents intend to train students for positions such as: energy technicians; environmental technicians; sustainability planners; smart grid technicians, energy auditors and all individuals involved in developing and implementing energy management programs for their company. The vast majority of respondents were very interested in collaborating to craft the new curriculum framework. The EST² team plans to submit the framework to the Florida Department of Education later this fall so colleges can implement it in the 2012-2013 academic year.

            
For more information contact Nina Stokes, FESC project manager at stokes@fl-ate.org, and Dr. Marilyn Barger at barger@fl-ate.org.

It's Going to be STEMtastic Summer!

Building our pipeline of STEM workers includes more than outreach to students informing them about careers in manufacturing and STEM industries. We also need to reach out to teachers and provide them with information about new and emerging technologies, high tech careers, new teaching methods and pedagogies as well as opportunities to share their own best practices with each other. Check out these highlights from our upcoming summer teacher professional development activities.

Close to home, FLATE is partnering with several groups at USF for summer activities. The FLATE—FESC partnership is also offering an energy-focused professional development workshop during the last week of June that will be conducted by Dr. Denis Karaiskaj, assistant professor of physics. Our second FLATE Engineering Technology Summer Institute will provide intense mechatronic training for 20 secondary and post-secondary STEM educators from around the state at HCC-Brandon campus starting June 13, and will involve experts from USF college of engineering. This 3-day workshop will focus on a systems approach to the types of integrated systems found across the state in many manufacturing facilities. Next week, FLATE is offering another intense three-day summer camp for teachers designed to provide tools to help educators attract and retain girls in STEM education and career opportunities. Both FLATE educator workshops will provide stipends to participants. 

We are also partnering with the USF NREC (Nanotechnology Research and Education Center) to deliver nanotechnology and manufacturing career information to high school students in Pasco County as well as hosting the four-day Pressure Sensor Workshop for technical educators in partnership with the Southwest Center for Microsystem Education (SCME) in the University of South Florida clean room facilities. USF NREC and FLATE will also be partnering with the American Vacuum Society (AVS) for its annual Science Educator Workshop that is part of its annual conference. This October 29-30 workshop is legendary for providing high school teachers with rich modeling ideas and concepts of working in controlled environments, a site visit to Plasm-Therm in Pinellas County and over $1000 in equipment.

In August, FLATE will be providing professional development for secondary STEM teachers in the pre-school days of August, and look forward to another workshop at EMS-USA who provided a wonderful workshop on the emerging technologies of additive manufacturing for Hillsborough County teachers in January.

In July, FLATE will take a number of college educators and stakeholders to the annual HI-TEC conference where they will be exposed to new and emerging technologies, will interact with industry from across the country, and have the opportunity to network with their peers from other institutions. We will also present at the annual FACTE (Florida Association of Career and Technical Education) conference. There is more information on each of these events on the www.fl-ate.org home page, or you can contact us by email. If you are interested in partnering to offer other professional development events for teachers, please contact Dr. Marilyn Barger at barger@fl-ate.org.

Congratulatory Notes

Congratulations to Brad Jenkins, co PI of FLATE and program director for engineering technology at St. Petersburg College for being selected as the HI-TEC Educator of the year. Jenkins will be honored in July during the awards luncheon at the HI-TEC conference in Denver, CO. We look forward to honoring Jenkins’ many contributions to engineering technology education over many years, in Florida and across the country.

Special kudos to Dr. Edward Niespodziany for over 20 years of service to the engineering technology education community in Florida. Niespodziany is the program manager and the principal faculty member for engineering technology at College of Central Florida. He was also the recipient of the FLATE, manufacturing post-secondary educator-of-the-year award in 2008.

Congratulations to Emilio Sanchez and Burton Bellamy for earning their A.S. degree in engineering technology at Hillsborough Community College. Emilio and Burton both graduated in May 2012, and have secured jobs and new assignments. Look out for full updates on Emilio and Burton and their career/educational pathway in the next edition of the FLATE Focus.

STEM Educators Corner

It’s the time of year to recognize your peers who make significant contributions to technology education for tomorrow’s advanced manufacturing workforce. There are three categories:

· Manufacturing Secondary Educator of the Year
· Manufacturing Post-Secondary Educator of the Year
· FLATE Industry Distinguished Service Award

Awards are presented during the December MAF Annual Manufacturers Summit Awards Banquet in Orlando, Florida. Additional criteria and a fast and easy form is ready to use atwww.fl-ate.org/awards. This is a great way to recognize Florida secondary school and college teachers you work with, but also provides an opportunity to recognize your industry partners in education who help with field trips, career days, speakers, and internships.

Don’t have an industry partner for your school? Wish you did? Let FLATE help put you in touch with your Regional Manufacturer’s Association to make this connection.

For additional information, please contact Dr. Marilyn Barger at barger@fl-ate.org.