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Flate Focus is a monthly publication that highlights notable people and projects within FLATE's realm.

FLATE Newsletter

From the Executive Director's Desk

I’d like to recap some highlights from the High Impact Technology Exchange Conference (HI-TEC) in Orlando the last week of July. The HI-TEC conference was sponsored by 25 NSF ATE Centers of Excellence. This second, of what will be an annual event, was hosted by FLATE and SPACE TEC which are two National Science Foundation centers in Florida.

The conference offered several venues for networking and professional development. Over 70 Florida industry representatives and educators from high schools, state/community colleges, technical schools and universities attended the conference with almost 400 joining from across the country. From the “Welcome Florida Industry Panel Session” on Tuesday evening hosted by FLATE where industry brought their perspective to the audience of educators in both formal and informal venues, to the captivating keynote speakers living and working right here in Florida, FLATE and SPACE TEC worked hard to give the conference a strong Florida flavor.

Biomass Energy…what’s in it for the sunshine state?

Focus on research for alternative and renewable energy sources is at an all time high across the nation. This surge in interest coupled with rising fuel prices, concerns over depleting natural resources has created a strong market for renewable energy sources. Among other forms of alternate energy like solar, wind, or hydro power, biomass energy occupies an important role in Florida. The state is one of the few in the nation with high biomass resources. Subsequently, harnessing these resources is a key component of Florida’s energy strategy. (Source: Florida Energy Systems Consortium, FESC).