List
ATE is Advanced Technological Education. With an emphasis on two-year colleges, the National Science Foundation's ATE program focuses on the education of technicians for the high-technology fields that drive our nation's economy.
ADMI Symposium 2026
Conference
March 26 Orangeburg, SC
The Association of Computer Science Departments at Minority Institutions (ADMI) is hosting a symposium devoted to computing issues relevant to minority students, education and institutions. This 2026 Symposium will be held in-person and will highlight undergraduate and graduate research with particular interest on innovations in the computing field. The theme of this year's symposium is Leveraging Artificial Intelligence in Learning, Teaching, and Research.
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Bio Career Prep Series: Workplace Navigation: Managing Expectations
Student Event
March 27 Online
Join Fridays from 11 AM to 1 PM PT (1-3 PM CT/2-4 PM ET) for the 2026 free interactive Bioscience Career Preparation Series. Learn how about your power in the interview process, the important skills needed for workplace success that may not be taught in classrooms, and then get a chance to speed network with bioscience industry professionals!
Series: Fridays, February 13th - April 24th
Topic: Workplace Navigation: Managing Expectations
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RDL Moonbase National Championship
Student Event
March 27 Johnson City, TN
The RDL Competition is designed to engage students in hands-on, student-centered learning, fostering essential skills for the 21st Century workforce. This year's challenge revolves around problem solving and creating innovative solutions centered around the American mining industry.
Teams in this challenge have partnered with with bio-mining experts to address environmental issues caused by the affects of hazardous mining activities that threaten all populations and communities worldwide. Instead of relying on hazardous processes, teams are tasked with researching and developing improved methods to help relieve stressed areas. Drones will play a crucial role in mapping the land, taking water samples, and more, while robots will handle tasks such as ordnance detonation, cyber hacking, waterline repair, and much more.
A strong emphasis on computer science programming is central to RDL, with drones and robots executing complex tasks. Students will collaborate to create complex algorithms and code for autonomous drone and robot operations.
The RDL Competition aligns with educational standards such as the Partnership for 21st Century Learning (P21), Common Core, International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
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ASME Extended Reality Challenge
Student Event
March 28 Online
The ASME Extended Reality Challenge is a Fully Digital competition, and it will focus on autonomous racing. Students will design a vehicle using CAD software, write an algorithm, and compete against other teams on a virtual race track.
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ABRF 2026 Annual Meeting
Meeting
March 28 Pittsburgh, PA
With the theme, Innovating at the Intersection of Science, Technology, and Collaboration, ABRF 2026 will bring together leaders across the scientific community to reflect on the lasting impact of their work, and to shape what comes next. From new technologies to transformative partnerships, the ABRF Annual Meeting is where discovery happens. It’s the must-attend event for Core facilities professionals in 2026.
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Aviation Technician Education Council 2026 Annual Conference
Conference
March 29 Portland, OR
This conference is for aviation maintenance technicians, IA's, industry employers, aviation vendors, students, and you! The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will be onsite to validate your IA certification training.
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Defense Manufacturing Conference 2026
Conference
March 30 Orlando, FL
DMC is the nation’s annual forum for enhancing and leveraging the efforts of engineers, managers, technology leaders, scientists, and policymakers across the defense manufacturing industrial base.
Experts from government, industry, and academia exchange insights on defense manufacturing policies, strategic direction, best practices, and funding opportunities.
This conference highlights the latest manufacturing innovations that will benefit our nation's warfighters.
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Bridging Skills Gaps through Desktop Simulations
Webinar
April 1
Learn about the immersive desktop-based simulations that the EARTh Center has available for educators and how they are created and utilized in the classroom.
The session will highlight the HAZWOPER-related training modules and simulations created by the EARTh Center in conjunction with the National Partnership for Environmental Technology Education.
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Mentor-Connect: NSF ATE Annual Report: Beyond the Boxes
Webinar
April 1
This webinar includes an Overview of NSF reporting requirements and how to monitor these requirements in Research.gov. There will be a deep dive into the preparation of Annual Reports, including how the project evaluation and how the evaluator’s report becomes part of the annual report to NSF.
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AI in Business: A Faculty Primer for Community College
Webinar
April 3
Introductory webinar that offers a practical overview of how Artificial Intelligence is transforming modern business operations. Tailored for community college faculty, it explores AI’s role in decision-making, customer engagement, marketing, finance, and supply chain strategy, highlighting how data-driven tools are redefining agility, personalization, and efficiency across industries. Participants will examine real-world applications and industry challenges such as workforce readiness and ethical deployment, while gaining insights into preparing students with the critical skills to thrive in AI-enabled roles. Whether teaching management, entrepreneurship, or marketing, this session equips educators to frame AI not just as a tech trend, but as a powerful lens for understanding business innovation.
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Mentor-Connect Webinar: Preparing Forms for your NSF ATE Proposal
Webinar
April 8
Forms can make up 2/3 of a final proposal submission and impact the quality and accuracy of a proposal. This webinar will provide an overview of proposal forms that need to be completed, share information about how to navigate and do this work in Research.gov, and highlight specifics about completing each required form.
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Northland Expo 2026 - East Grand Forks Campus
Student Event
April 9 East Grand Forks, MN
This event give students 10-12 grade to explore real career paths, hands-on workshops, and experience what college feels like. Northland Expo gives potential students a preview of what's ahead and what is possible.
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AURI’s Blended Approach to Catalyzing Innovation
Webinar
April 9
AURI catalyzes innovation, blending commercialization support from applied research and business development know-how to advance new ideas utilizing agricultural feedstocks to the market. Through its business and technical expertise, physical infrastructure consisting of laboratories, pilot space, and equipment, AURI is a trusted partner for farmers, small to medium-sized businesses, corporations, cooperatives, and entrepreneurs to propel their ideas to the next level.
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ATE Projects and Centers
Mfg
Advanced Manufacturing Technologies topics include:
- Additive manufacturing
- Automotive manufacturing
- General manufacturing
Ag/Env
Agricultural and Environmental Technologies topics include:
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Environmental technologies
- Natural resources
- Nuclear power
- Solar energy
- Wind power
Bio/Chem
Bio and Chemical Technologies topics include:
- Biotechnology
- Chemical and process technologies
Eng
Engineering Technologies topics include:
- Electronics and controls
- General engineering
- Marine technologies
- Materials technologies
- Optics
- Space technologies
Gen
General Advanced Technological Education topics include:
- Evaluation
- Learning research
- Recruitment
- Teacher preparation
Info
Information and Security Technologies topics include:
- Geospatial technologies
- Information and communications technologies
- Logistics
- Security, information assurance, and forensics
Nano
Micro and Nanotechnologies topics include:
- MEMS
- Microsystems
- Semiconductors
This video from the Internet Scout Research Group is part of a series that highlights student success stories related to advanced technological education (ATE) programs. In this video, Emily Mackzum discusses her experiences with Northwest Arkansas Community College's Integrated Design program and how it prepared her for working in fabrication. Mackzum discusses her career path and her current position as a lead fabricator for a company that repurposes old bike frames. Funding for the program from the National Science Foundation (NSF) is also explored.
The video runs 4:45 minutes in length.
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This lesson, presented by the National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure, covers the general concepts of measurement by using a pool noodle to measure objects. The activity "encourages students to consider features that are useful when developing or using a measurement tool." The lesson introduces scale by considering factors of ten which will aid in future lessons about the metric system and possibly even nanotechnology. A Teacher Preparation Guide and Student Guides for K-2 and 3-12 students are included.
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This resource, published by Portland Community College, is the first issue of the third volume of J ATE. J ATE is a peer-reviewed technical journal focused on community college faculty and staff who work with technician education. This journal is cross-disciplinary and encompasses all technologies under the National Science Foundation (NSF) Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Program. Some of these technologies include: Micro Nano, Biotechnology, Autonomous Technology, Cyber Security, Advanced Manufacturing, Earth Sciences, Agriculture Technology, Energy, and Welding. Some topics that cross cut across all disciplines of technician education are also covered. Those topics include: Evaluation, Mentoring, Undergraduate Research, and Applied Technician Research.
The issue spans 167 pages and focuses on community college faculty work and research. Included are 17 full articles and a guest letter from Kalyn Owens, ATE program director. Listed below is each article and corresponding DOI...
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This video from the Internet Scout Research Group is part of a series that highlights student success stories related to advanced technological education (ATE) programs. In this video, Seethal Meda discusses her experiences with Montgomdery Community College's biotechnology and biomanufacturing program. Seethal describes her experience reentering the workforce after a 15 year break, overcoming anxiety around taking classes in a different country, and presenting her internship project at the ATE conference in Washington DC. Funding for the program from the National Science Foundation (NSF) is also explored.
The video runs 5:56 minutes in length.
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This video from the Internet Scout Research Group is part of a series that highlights student success stories related to advanced technological education (ATE) programs. In this video, Sam Martinich discusses his experiences with Central Wyoming College's geospatial information systems and technologies (GIST) program. Topics covered include Sam's career path and journey to Central Wyoming College, the impact of the program on his life, and his work collecting climate data. Funding for the program from the National Science Foundation (NSF) is also explored.
The video runs 5:38 minutes in length.
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| Active ATE Centers | 15 |
| Active ATE Projects | 282 |
| ATE Resources | 7,029 |
| New Projects/Centers | 62 |
| New Resources | 59 |
ATE Resources by Subject Area
ATE Events by Subject Area
Upcoming Event: AACC Annual Conference
The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Annual Conference offers relevant professional development and networking opportunities for community college faculty and staff. The event provides access to the nation’s community college leaders, who will discuss a variety of topics pertinent to educational access, leadership development, priority challenges, and navigating AI.
The AACC Annual conference will take place April 10-14, 2026, in Seattle, Washington.
For more information or to register, visit AACC Annual
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New Community College Grant Program Included in the House Farm Bill
An article released by the American Association of Community Colleges(AACC) highlights key policy changes regarding funding for agricultural workforce training. The Food, Farm, and National Security Act was advanced by the House Agriculture Committee in early March, which controls legislation for programs run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Agriculture Improvement Act had expired in 2023, but has now been revitalized by the Farm bill.
In the Farm Bill, competitive grants for community colleges, technical education schools, and consortia of community colleges are included, specifically for agriculture and natural resources programs. Grants will be prioritized for schools that provide work-based learning in these fields.
To read more about this exciting advancement for agricultural workforce training, visit “Washington Watch: House Farm Bill includes new community college grant program.”
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New Research: Accelerating Recovery in Community Colleges Network
Created by the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences (IES), the Accelerating Recovery in Community Colleges Network (ARCC) is centered on boosting nationwide postsecondary enrollment since the COVID-19 pandemic. The network is currently conducting two research studies:
- Enrollment and Transfer Trends: Building on National Student Clearinghouse data, this research provides valuable insights into postsecondary enrollment and outcome trends.
- Spending of Federal Recovery Funds: Relying on data from two sources within the Department of Education, this study looks at the amount of federal recovery funds community colleges received, how much they spent, and what proportion of funds went to the institution and student needs.
To learn more about these research studies or to dive into the ARCC’s other initiatives, visit the Community College Research page.
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