| NSF Org: |
DUE Division Of Undergraduate Education |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | July 19, 2014 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | July 19, 2014 |
| Award Number: | 1361567 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Heather Watson
DUE Division Of Undergraduate Education EDU Directorate for STEM Education |
| Start Date: | September 1, 2014 |
| End Date: | August 31, 2018 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $199,712.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $199,712.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
235 MARSHALL AVE SAINT PAUL MN US 55102-1807 (651)403-4463 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
235 Marshall Avenue Saint Paul MN US 55102-1807 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | Advanced Tech Education Prog |
| Primary Program Source: |
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| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.076 |
ABSTRACT
Saint Paul College's (SPC) Advanced Technological Education project provides students with cutting-edge scientific technician training in collaboration with the scientific community. Industry partners support development of curriculum, provide internship placements and have access to high-tech caollege facilities. SPC houses an instrumentation lab including a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR), and class 1000 clean room. The project increases the number of highly trained technicians to support workforce demand and connects local businesses to high-tech facilities of the college. SPC demonstrates success through an established and growing for-credit stackable Science Instrumentation Technician program with at least 24 students enrolled each semester. The program offers for-credit problem-based internships with mentor guidance from industry professionals and at least five industry partners are using the high-tech instrumentation center and class 1000 clean room facilities on a regular basis. Intellectual merit is provided through collaboration of the principal investigator and industry partners led by a Technical Program Advisory Committee. The broader impact is realized as SPC produces graduates that meet the needs of the workforce in chemical technology and science instrumentation fields. SPC achieves regional impact as a high-tech provider of working instrumentation laboratory equipment and facilities. This work furthers the goal of the Minnesota Legislature to create a corridor of high-tech industry between the metropolitan areas of Minneapolis and Saint Paul.
PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
Through award number 1361567 from the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program, Saint Paul College (SPC) was able to create a new program and Associate’s of Science Degree called Science Technician. This effort arose because of local industry’s direct need of skilled technical graduates with 2-year degrees in the sciences. Saint Paul College, because of the unique capabilities of its faculty and advanced instrumentation laboratories was an ideal partner to the Minnesota workforce in training these technicians. Additionally, because of SPC’s location near downtown Saint Paul, it has the distinction of being the one of the most diverse campuses within the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. The goal was to properly educate and prepare students to excel as they entered into the industry at the associate’s degree level.
The first graduates of the Science Technician Program emerged in 2016 and the program has successfully enrolled 20 students as of this writing in October 2018. The students who completed the program were all formally trained in the classroom and out, as they participated in industry-led internships. The partners that collaborate with SPC in this project include local small industries, local large industries, and local colleges and universities. This collaboration benefits not only the students who garner great experience, but also the industries, who have access to SPC’s equipment. One of the graduates of the program said the following:
“[A friend of mine in the program] told me about the capstone course. Where he was able to actually go out and get field work and kind of work with the industry partners. I thought that was really cool because it could give you more of a look at what it’s like to apply these skills that we’re learning in a real- world setting. I was like, “That’s really cool and I want to learn more and I want to be a part of that.”
One of the industry partners had the following to say:
“The people that I see - I think they are the cream of the crop. They are the most motivated, they are the most academically successful, they have the people skills and communication skills, which all but guarantee they’re going to be successful ... Everybody that I’ve been able to work with has had those traits, those skills in some measure... All of them are ready and quite employable.”
The data and quotes above illustrate the broader impacts this project has had and will continue to have on the students and businesses in the Twin Cities Metro Area. The Science Technician Program has seen success from the standpoints of industry and the student, and has shown enrollment growth since its inception. Saint Paul College hopes to continue the initial momentum and expand to different areas of study and offer this opportunity to even more students, industries, and faculty.
Last Modified: 11/12/2018
Modified by: Travis J Mills
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