Eastern Iowa Community College District
Bettendorf, IA
- Partners with business, industry, governmental agencies, professional organizations, and academic institutions.
- Defines technician knowledge, skills, and competencies needed for the evolving, converging, and emerging technical workforce.
- Collects, validates, and broadly disseminates exemplary educational materials.
- Supports and mentors institutions with environmental science and sustainable energy technology programs.
ATEEC’s Nahant Marsh Education Center Serves Natural Science Students of All Ages
Because of ATEEC’s close proximity to, and interest in, the biological health of the Mississippi River Basin, it maintains the Nahant Marsh Education Center for research, environmental, energy, and conservation technology learning experiences. More than 5,800 people participated in Nahant Marsh educational activities during 2009 alone. Center users include homeschooled children, elementary and secondary school students, community college and university students, energy technicians, and the general public. The center’s research on rare plants and animals provides early indications of ecosystem changes in the river basin.
The ATEEC Fellows Institute utilizes the center as a laboratory to study flood control and contaminant flow in waterways. The construction of a zero-energy greenhouse, which is powered by a wind turbine and solar panels, provides energy efficiency and renewable energy technology experiences for fellows in a working research station.
ATEEC Informs Technicians and Educators
ATEEC collaborates with colleges, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and government agencies to build a global workforce dedicated to creating a sustainable future. Each year more than 4,000 people participate in ATEEC education programs. Professional development opportunities include Fellows Institutes for college and high school science instructors, Brownfields Job Training for reclamation of abandoned and contaminated industrial and commercial areas, college courses, and regional and international learning experiences for students interested in environmental and energy technology fields. Technician education includes certificate and associate degree programs.
“It is critical for our workforce to seek out education in today’s competitive market,” says Chrysti Gilbreth, Environmental Safety and Health Officer at PB Leiner. The company encourages its technicians to use an Eastern Iowa Community College Health, Safety, and Environmental Technology program that combines online learning with traditional programming to make it easier for students with work and family obligations to obtain the skills they need to succeed.
All the educators who attended the 2009 Tribal College Fellows Institute added hands-on water analysis techniques to the science courses they teach. The professional development program instigated new collaborations between tribal colleges and state universities. A unique partnership was also developed between a tribal college and a state natural resources agency. One participant used what she learned to help the tribal college where she teaches and the state college where she works as a lab coordinator to obtain significant grants that are encouraging STEM learning among undergraduates and tribal community members. The National Partnership for Environmental Technology Education of South Portland, ME, organizes the Tribal College Fellows Institute in partnership with ATEEC with support from a National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education project grant.
