NSF Org:	DUE Division Of Undergraduate Education
Recipient:	KENTUCKY COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE SYSTEM
Initial Amendment Date:	March 13, 2017
Latest Amendment Date:	June 25, 2024
Award Number:	1700496
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	Virginia Carter vccarter@nsf.gov  (703)292-4651 DUE  Division Of Undergraduate Education EDU  Directorate for STEM Education
Start Date:	July 1, 2017
End Date:	June 30, 2025 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount:	$3,999,394.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date:	$4,535,517.00
Funds Obligated to Date:	FY 2017 = $3,852,872.00 FY 2019 = $186,594.00 FY 2020 = $118,334.00 FY 2021 = $377,716.00
History of Investigator:	Vincent DiNoto (Principal Investigator) Vince.DiNoto@kctcs.edu Ken Yanow (Co-Principal Investigator) Richard Schultz (Co-Principal Investigator) Ann Johnson (Co-Principal Investigator) Nicole Ernst (Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office:	Kentucky Community & Technical College System 300 N MAIN ST VERSAILLES KY  US  40383-1245 (859)256-3397
Sponsor Congressional District:	06
Primary Place of Performance:	Jefferson Community and Techni 109 E. Broadway Louisville KY  US  40292-2005
Primary Place of Performance Congressional District:	03
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI):	GWSXAJZALU69
Parent UEI:	GWSXAJZALU69
NSF Program(s):	Advanced Tech Education Prog
Primary Program Source:	04001718DB NSF Education & Human Resource 04001920DB NSF Education & Human Resource 04002021DB NSF Education & Human Resource 04002122DB NSF Education & Human Resource
Program Reference Code(s):	1032, 9150, 9178, SMET
Program Element Code(s):	741200
Award Agency Code:	4900
Fund Agency Code:	4900
Assistance Listing Number(s):	47.076

ABSTRACT

The National Geospatial Technology Center of Excellence (GeoTech Center) is a collaborative effort of two-year colleges, universities, and industry to accomplish the vision of increasing the number and diversity of learners and workers who possess industry-defined geospatial technology (GST) skills and competencies. The need for a GST workforce that possesses current industry-defined skills and competencies is expanding at a rapid rate. Today, GST is becoming an essential tool in fields including (but not limited to) emergency response, sustainability, agro-science, energy, and a variety of STEM disciplines. These occupations require a skillset in the analysis of spatial data and geo-visualization. One impact of this project will be the national expansion and diversification of a GST workforce that possesses relevant and current industry-defined GST skills and competencies. GeoTech Center research has identified a lack of educational materials to meet the needs of the broad geospatial community of users. Curricula that are standardized and contextual, and that can be used in traditional college learning environments, as well as by individuals for self-improvement, is desperately needed. The GeoTech Center will design and develop industry-aligned educational materials that can be used in a modularized format and portable to different learning environments.

The GeoTech Center has four integrated Goals: 1) Research emerging trends and uses of GST; 2) Develop industry-aligned curriculum for new and incumbent users of GST; 3) Investigate best practices to increase (and retain) the number of underserved and underrepresented populations (including veterans, women, minority groups, and persons with disabilities) into GST and STEM fields; and 4) Develop and implement professional development opportunities and resources for secondary and post-secondary faculty. In order to successfully accomplish its Goals, the Center will build on strong, documented relationships with professional GST organizations and provide new and current workers access to educational resources to assist them in filling any gaps in their GST skillset (and for them to receive recognition of those skills through micro-credentials and professional certifications). The Center will expand its Community of Practice and address specific educational needs of targeted audiences, including underserved and underrepresented students, veterans, and faculty in STEM disciplines. The efforts of the Center to accomplish its Goals will provide the optimum framework and resources to increase the number and diversity of learners and workers who possess industry-defined GST skills and competencies.

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