Petersburg College. State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota (SCF) had equally impressive numbers with 23 awards among nine students (7 males, 2 females). Six males and two females received the A.S.E.T degree.These eight students, joined by a seventh male, received a total of 15 CCC awards. The two females receiving the associate degrees earned three of the 15 certificates. Hillsborough Community College had four graduates (all male) and eight CCC (7 males, one female) holders in the past academic year, while Florida Gateway College currently has six students enrolled in the A.S.E.T degree with three expecting to graduate in 2014-2015. 

The A.S.E.T degree has been adopted by 14 of Florida’s 28 state and community colleges. The degree

conceived, engineered, and coordinated by FLATE is the first program of its kind. Core courses align with the Manufacturing Skills Standard Council (MSSC) certification, and provide for an articulation agreement of 15 credit hours. Colleges continue to “self-align,” and three more colleges are expected to add the ET program in 2014.

common communication platform on LinkedIn to reach out to engineering technology graduates, educators, industry professionals across the state. FLATE is also working towards developing a mobile ET site. Stay tuned for these latest updates, or visit https://madeinflorida.org/e-t-alumni and join this exclusive ET network. You can also contact Dr. Marilyn Barger, executive director of FLATE at barger@fl-ate.orgfor more information, updates, networking and partnering opportunities.

conferences in DC, hearings on Capitol Hill, research being sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF), meeting and learning directly from principal investigators, sitting in on panels, touring scientific and government institutions, and participating in educational policy discussions have all been very heady. My placement at NSF is with the Computer and Information Science and Engineering Directorate (CISE). This directorate is responsible for everything from supercomputers at national laboratories, to combating cybersecurity threats, to promoting computer science education and broadening the participation of underrepresented populations, to how to make air travel and medical devices safer. NSF is not laboratory as many might think, but a granting organization with about an 8 billion dollar annual budget.

from the leading scientists in our country. They then solicit research proposals, use the merit review process – again using the leaders in the scientific community – to determine what research ideas should be funded, and then they fund, track, and report on the findings of that research. Many breakthrough science and engineering activities can be traced directly back to NSF grants. Prior to having this experience in Washington D.C., I had noted with interest that some of my most worthwhile professional development had been with funding from the NSF.

the essential integration of STEM in the curriculum and helping our academic counterparts better understand how to do this, I would work to promote advanced manufacturing in our CTE programs. Desktop manufacturing, 3D CAD, and open source electronics are rapidly changing the world we live in. In order for our students to be successful, we need to revolutionize our educational purpose and mindset away from that of helping students become job seekers, to helping our students become entrepreneurs and job creators. Perhaps the best way to prepare our students is by borrowing from the field of industrial design, teaching the principles and skills of industrial designers and empowering them to create innovative products on their own. That to me is the wave of the future.

region-wide open house, inviting educators, industry leaders, students and anyone interested in robotics, to attend and celebrate national robotics week in Tampa. As part of this effort, FLATE partnered with local robotics clubs to showcase applications of robotics technology in industrial and everyday settings. “The educational component of robotics represents true project based learning, and is tied to so many other aspects of everyday life” said Amanda Peterson. She and her son, Graham Peterson were attending the open house as part of Middleton High School robotics team who were there to showcase their FRC robots to visitors.

everyday settings, and got a first-hand look at various software used by VEX, FLL, FTC and FRC team

members to operate and program robots while competing at regional and national robotics competitions. The Vibots—an “All Girls” robotics team from McLane Middle School was phenomenal. “The neatest thing about robotics is that it is not gender specific” said Rachel Haselwood and Payton Libe from McLane Middle School. Their VEX robot, whom they had named Lucious, qualified for the national world VEX competition after winning the state championships. “With 10,000 elementary, middle and high school VEX teams worldwide and only 750 qualifying for world championships, McLane’s robotics team did the impossible and won the Education (STEM) Award for a second time” at the 2014 VEX World Championship, said Mike Wilson, robotics teacher at McLane Middle School. According to Wilson, the Educate Award is given to a team that has successfully integrated VEX robotics into STEM curriculum and demonstrated to the judges that VEX is not just an extra-curricular activity, but a valuable tool used to teach across many subjects in the classroom.

Graham Peterson and Daniel Brown also showcased the robot they built for the regional FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC). Graham and Daniel agree “technical skills are central to any engineering field.” They hoped their demo inspired students attending the robotics open house to develop technical as well as leadership skills, and motivate them to join local/regional robotics team. 

modern, high-tech manufacturing facilities. Walking through different stations, visitors worked through mini LEGO^®Mindstorms^®NXT challenges involving motors and ultrasonic sensors to calculate speed and distance. “The way engineering aligns with science and mathematics is very interesting and intricate” said Darrian Bagley, a student at Strawberry Crest High School in Tampa who was doing a demo on how to use motors, sensors, computing and programming to operate a robot. Bagley hopes students can “enjoy finding new ways to solve problems, or explore a variety of solutions that they can create to solve a problem.”  

the significance of robotics, and its role in spearheading interest in STEM education. “Robotics and programming are not scary” pointed Janelle Baldwin who is a high school robotics mentor and coach at Middleton High School in Tampa. Jeanelle hopes anyone can look at robots and see their future in it. “We’re an ‘all girls’ team who are having a lot of fun while mastering knowledge about robots, STEM and attempting engineering feats that have not been seen before” Jeanelle said. To add more fun to STEM, visitors also got a tutorial on designing and making their own buttons.

education” said Dr. Marilyn Barger, executive director of FLATE. The effort also serves as a gateway to showcase state-of-the-art high-tech equipment at FLATE’s engineering technology laboratory at HCC, and create awareness about the two year A.S. degree in engineering technology currently offered at Hillsborough Community College and 13 other state and community colleges across Florida. Through this effort “we hope to educate the public and inspire students of all ages to pursue careers in robotics and STEM” Barger said. For more information on National Robotics Day, or to enroll in one of FLATE’s all NEW and improved robotics camps visit www.madeinflorida.organd www.fl-ate.org. You can also read our blog article about upcoming camp dates, location and sign up instructions, or contact Dr. Marilyn Barger at  barger@fl-ate.org, and Desh Bagley, outreach manager for FLATE at bagley@fl-ate.org.

Video coverage of the Robotics Week Open House hosted by FLATE at the HCC campus in Brandon, FL. The event was attended by students, parents and the general public. FLATE is the Florida Advanced Technological Education Center. It is a National Science Foundation Regional Center for Advanced Technological Education.

System’s (GCS) Development Manufacturing department, began working toward her Associate of Science (A.S) degree in Engineering Technology from Eastern Florida State College, she probably didn’t realize where her studies were about to take her. Since starting the A.S program, Kelly has not only traveled to Spain, but has also made her way across Florida speaking about her educational experiences and the importance of manufacturing careers.

Education Center (FLATE), a statewide National Science Foundation Advanced Tchnological Education Center, to speak to groups across the state about the special training program and the benefits and rewards of working in manufacturing in Florida,” said Scott Gibbons, Engineering Manager for Development Manufacturing. “Kelly has truly become the ‘face’ of this important career and the spokeswoman for the importance of manufacturing educational opportunities.”

educators including programming languages that provide fundamental communications for any robotic system. Many students around the state are preparing for national competitions in FIRST Robotics, BEST, VEX and many other competitions that require designing, building, and programming an autonomous robot to perform certain tasks within given constraints which could include time, materials, cost, size, and functionality. With mentoring from employees in the manufacturing industry, we hope these outreach initiatives enable team members/participants to gain increased awareness of technical careers involving robotics as well as the skills needed to become successful in those careers.

for researchers. The competition recently held a semi-finalist round in south Florida where 17 teams from around the world competed. The top eight competitors received funding to continue to prepare for the final competition in December. The 25 member Florida based IHMC (Institute for Human Machine Cognition)placed second overall and first among the teams that elected to use the Atlas robot as a platform. The DRC design challenge is focused on developing robots capable of assisting humans in responding to natural and man-made disasters and meant to be extremely challenging. The first phase teams guided their robots through eight individual, physical tasks that tested mobility, manipulation, dexterity, perception, and operator control mechanisms. The 2015 final will involve a set sequence of tasks and de-graded communications between the operators and the robots. We might say that DARPA is focusing research teams to “push the same envelope” with these competitions. 

society now infiltrating our daily lives. Students who get interested in robotics can apply their interest to a large number of applications and find themselves employed in applied technologies, or manufacturing. There are related high wage and high skill technical jobs at many levels requiring technical degrees, associate and/or bachelor degrees. For those students who love student competitions, they might be able to continue to compete at these higher levels.

decisions and choices that are sometimes difficult to make, or even fathom. Regardless of the direction they venture into, exposing students to opportunities that lie outside the parameters of their immediate vicinity is an important aspect in helping them expand the range of education and career possibilities. “It is important for educators to make students aware of the world beyond the classroom and connect whatever they learn to the outside world” said Juanita Bingham, science teacher for the Polk County Pace Program. Bingham was one of the teachers who accompanied 13 girls from the Pace Center for Girls, Inc. for Polk County in Florida to attend a robotics workshop hosted by FLATE.  This was one of two hands-on robotics and manufacturing career workshops for middle and high school girls last month.

teachers from both the PACE and PROMISE program. “It is nice to expose students to the college campus” said Jesilynn Drake, transitions counselor for PACE center for Girls Inc. in Lakeland, FL. Drake pointed the workshop and the curriculum was relevant and gender responsive to girls which further helped students think outside the box and connect/apply what they saw in the Made in Florida video with the outside world. During the workshop students learned how to reconfigure Lego^® Mindstorms^® robots and program them to follow specific commands, be part of robotic team challenges and witnessed the operation of a 3D printer. “I had seen robots only on TV; today I learned how to program one” said Marissa PACE student from Hillsborough County. “This has got me thinking about robotics” said Karla a student from Polk County PACE program who was earlier considering becoming a tattoo artist. In addition to the challenges the students also learned about lucrative STEM related careers and jobs that are available to them in Florida. “What they saw today opened their minds to a new dimension in what they can do in the future and the jobs they can pursue” said Tiffany Thomas, PACE program specialist for Hillsborough County.

that the engineering technology experience at the workshop would help them with STEM based courses in school. “Robots are only as smart as the person who made them” stated one of the Promise scholars in the post visit survey. Another added she “learned a lot about what the technology and computer science related courses offered at Hillsborough Community College.” Approximately 85% of PACE students and 89.5% of PROMISE scholars said they would recommend the engineering technology experience to other students. “I had a great time and it would really inspire others too” said one of the PROMISE scholar from Van Buren Middle School in Tampa.

through different stations, they will witness demo of electric cars built by members of Electrathon Tampa Bay. They will also get an overview of various robotics software currently used by local/regional robotics teams that compete in VEX, FLL, FTC and FRC.  Robotics team members from Middleton and King high schools are set to bring their FTC and FRC robots to showcase some “safe” and “fun” robotics action. Visitors will get the opportunity to work through mini LEGO^® Mindstorms^® NXT challenges involving motors and ultrasonic sensors. The challenges are coordinated by FTC teams. In addition to the tours and challenges attendees will get a first-hand look at an industrial robotic arm that are used in high-tech manufacturing settings, and get a chance to enter a sweepstakes to win a free week of FLATE’s locally/regionally acclaimed summer robotics camps.