• It recovered %80 percent after it was 100% discharged and recharged 500 times
• It recovered %75 percent after it was 50% discharged and discharge/recharged 600 times and
• it was 30% discharged in less than 30 minutes and recovered %70 percent  after 1,200 charge/discharge cycles.

The Tech did not authorized shipment of this lot of batteries to the customer. Yes or No. Submit your answers below this blog post, or on www.fl-ate.org.          

Hillsborough Community College in Brandon. Dr. Soto who served in this capacity since 1999 was reputed for his role in promoting strong education programs, and his support of FLATE. Under Soto’s guidance, FLATE flourished and is today considered the go-to organization for excellence in manufacturing and advanced technical education not only in Tampa Bay, but in Florida and across the nation.

Dr. Soto was at the helm of many key decisions affecting the Center since it was established in 2004. Dr. Soto served as a member of the FLATE Industrial Advisory Committee as well as the National Visiting Committee. He was also a liaison between FLATE and manufacturing communities in the region. He was also a champion of the statewide A.S degree in Engineering Technology developed by FLATE and offered at HCC and 14 colleges across Florida. Soto viewed FLATE as a ‘high prestige endeavor’ that enabled HCC to reengage people in manufacturing,’ and encouraged students to pursue careers in advanced manufacturing.

As Dr. Soto bid farewell to FLATE and HCC, we wish him the best in his personal and professional

endeavors and likewise acknowledge the quintessential role he played, especially during FLATE’s infancy years, in securing a strong partnership between FLATE, HCC and the broader academic community in Florida. In that same breath, FLATE would also like to extend a warm welcome to the new Brandon campus president, Dr. Nancee Sorenson. FLATE looks forward to working with Dr. Sorenson and the entire HCC community to impact manufacturing and technician education throughout Florida.

Switching gears and crossing the bay over to Pinellas County, FLATE has one more colleague who is marking an important milestone. Bradley Jenkins, co-PI of FLATE and associate dean of the engineering technology at St. Petersburg College also retired last month after serving the SPC community for 40 years. Jenkins is credited with laying the foundation and spearheading several successful projects and programs. Jenkins played a leading role in laying down the foundation for the Collaborative Center for Emerging Technologies at SPC. He was also instrumental in launching the A.S. degree in engineering technology at SPC. Under his leadership, enrollment into the A.S.E.T program skyrocketed. More than 1,800 students earned their certificates and degrees, and over the past three years, enrollment in manufacturing programs at SPC rose by 20%.

In keeping with his academic engagement, Jenkins was the co-Chair of the Florida Forum on

Engineering Technology, and worked closely with the Florida Department of Education in restructuring the state common course numbering system for all engineering technologies. He served on both SACS and TAC ABET visiting teams and the engineering technology leadership committee for the America Society of Engineering Education. In addition to his role as an educator, Jenkins currently serves as co-PI of FLATE. He has served in this capacity since 2002, and is on the Center’s leadership team. Under this role, he heads up curriculum and professional development initiatives for college faculty throughout Florida. He also works with local and statewide industry organizations, economic and workforce development agencies to ensure alignment of academic programs with industry needs.

His engagement and expertise has earned him many accolades. In 2012, Jenkins received the prestigious, NSF-supported national HI-TEC Conference Educator of the Year award at the HI-Tec Conference in Denver, CO. ‘Brad’s quest to introduce innovative strategies into engineering technology related programs/courses have reshaped statewide technology education in Florida’ said Dr. Marilyn Barger, executive director of FLATE. FLATE extends hearty congratulations to Brad on his many successes and on his retirement from SPC. The entire FLATE team looks forward to continue working with Brad as he serves as the co-PI of FLATE and as a member of the FLATE NVC team.

Congratulations to the Robotic Bears FIRST LEGO League Team! What a spectacular time everyone

had at the FIRST LEGO League (FLL) tournament, Robopalooza, last Saturday, January 10, 2015. The event coordinators, the Cornerstone School in conjunction with Forest High School, were host to over 20 FLL teams and ensured that all participants left with a sense of accomplishment. Hammett L. Bowen, Jr. Elementary School’s Robotic Bears took first place in the research category and brought home the award. GO BEARS!

In the robotic Challenge, students programmed an autonomous robot to score points on a themed

playing field (Robot Game). Without the help of Ursula M. Schwuttke,  director of educational outreach at the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, and Sam Ajlani, program director of Engineering Technology, Business, Technology and Workforce at the College of Central Florida, we would not have been able to compete. Ursula talked her colleagues into loaning the Bears two of IHMC’s robots and Sam unexpectedly called to offer his programming support.

Hammett Bowen, Jr. Elementary

As a gift from Santa’s Workshop there are some surprises. This puzzle is a platform for some STEM

path discussions. The one under consideration this time, is directly connected to the plot provided and the STEM idea deals with light’s wave characteristics. (You can always start with light rays as a review and then move on to waves).

The plot shows that the meter responds to the short wavelength light but does not have much (if any) reading in the longer wavelength region of the spectra. The puzzle indicated that the meter is battery powered, is being used in a dark forest, and is supposed to be sensitive to red light. Since Rudolph is in good health, the meter would not be necessary if his nose did not glow at all. (They would see that right away). Thus, the question is not if his nose is “off,” but if his nose is bright enough. (Remember “… ” then one foggy Christmas eve, Santa came to see…”) Since the meter is suggesting that his nose is “off” or almost “off”, there is something wrong with the meter. Of course, the meter could just be busted, but a first corrective action, especially since it is almost time to get that sled on its way, is to change the battery. Thus, the puzzle does not have a slam dunk correct answer, but it does allow you to emphases an early, if not the first, step in electronic equipment trouble shooting! “Check power and Ground!”

campuses and programs more” green”, the number of staff positions (including coordinators, managers, directors, and chief sustainability officers), dedicated to college sustainability efforts and programs is also growing. Colleges however, do still lag far behind universities in terms of numbers of full-time positions focused on sustainability. Results of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s (AASHE) July 2013 “Salaries & Status of Sustainability Staff in Higher Education” report, shows an increase in University positions from 74% in 2010 to 85% in 2012.

ASHEE’s report also shows that although campus sustainability positions are relatively new within higher education, numbers are rising (this report includes Florida colleges and universities). The newness of sustainability positions can be reflected in the finding that nearly 90% of respondents have been in their current positions for five years or less. Nearly half of all respondents in 2012 were in positions created or upgraded since 2010, indicating significant growth for sustainability positions in recent years. The shift toward sustainability is clear and the increasing number of staff sustainability positions is a powerful visual indicator of this shift.

In October 2014, FLATE conducted an informal survey of college sustainability staffing and sustainability-related programs. According to the survey, of the 28 state and community colleges (with 68 campuses and 178 sites) in Florida, only two (Valencia Community College and Hillsborough Community College) have dedicated, paid sustainability positions (Director of Sustainability and Sustainability Coordinator respectively). VCC’s Office of Sustainability was established in November 2011 within the Facilities department and HCC’s Sustainability Council was established in 2009 with the coordinator position added in 2011. Other colleges have staff that carry out sustainability-related tasks such as recycling and energy efficiency measures, but these individuals are usually facilities/operations maintenance and management staff members. Sustainability-related tasks are only a small part of their positions’ responsibilities.

Without fail, all of Florida’s colleges have active student sustainability, green and/or environmental

Sustainability staff (usually coordinators) often drive volunteer

clubs and groups dedicated to sustainability causes and educating fellow students, staff and the community about the importance of sustainability. All colleges have recycling programs and many have ridership programs to encourage students to carpool and lessen their impact on the environment, while at the same time saving money. Energy-saving practices and measures are the norm on college campuses. Eight of Florida’s colleges have Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified buildings (which promote energy efficiency, human and environmental health, and sustainable site development, among other features), and many of those that do not are planning new buildings to meet LEED standards. Seven are members of ASHEE and 12 are members of Sustainability Education and Economic Development (SEED). Many colleges have received sustainability-related awards including Hillsborough Community College. HCC was selected as “Overall Winner” of the American Association of Community College’s (AACC) Inaugural Green Genome Awards in 2012. The award is designed to identify and honor community colleges who have taken strong strategic leadership roles promoting sustainability, and green workforce development throughout their institution and community as a whole.

Creation off-campus sustainability offices are becoming increasingly more common in colleges and universities as sustainability careers continue to increase and evolve. In AASHE’s July 2013 report, survey responses showed that 67% of 2012 respondents indicated that their positions were housed in a sustainability office, compared to just 23% in 2010. Higher education sustainability-focused job announcements presented in the AASHE Bulletin in 2013, increased by 34% from 2012, supporting the upward trend in dedicated positions reported in the 2013 report. There are significant opportunities for continued growth in state and community colleges’ sustainability staffing moving into the future, and buy-in and commitment from campus administration is essential for these positions to become a reality. Some sample positions and descriptions include:

• Sustainability Positions – Job Description Examples: https://www.aashe.org/resources/example-job-descriptions
• Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE’s) July 2013 “Salaries & Status of Sustainability Staff in Higher Education” report

For more information on sustainability efforts, programs and staffing at Florida Colleges visit https://fl-ate.org/projects/fesc.html, or contact Nina Stokes, FLATE-FESC project manager at stokes@fl-ate.org/813.259.6587.