The showcase sessions are a highlight of the PI conference, with opportunities for projects and centers to share and display their work and learn about what others in the community are doing. It's also a great opportunity to connect with NSF program officers.

This year, showcases will take place in two sessions, the first on Wednesday, October 23, and the second on Thursday October 24. When reserving their slot, participants can select their preferred session. Showcase booths will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

First-time ATE grantees will share a booth with other new grantees and are asked to prepare a poster and/or one-page handout for display and sharing purposes. Other ATE projects and centers, whose funding is not new as of the FY19, will each be assigned their own booth. Booths will have electrical access and non-new grantees can also request a flat screen monitor.

All projects and centers are required to have a display at the showcase sessions, so don't forget to fill out your showcase submission before the September 19th deadline! 

This year’s ATE PI Conference is fast approaching! This year’s theme is Innovation and Impact: ATE for the Future, centering on “the significant role that ATE projects and centers play in creating and implementing successful and impactful career pathways resulting in a highly skilled U.S. workforce.”

In this vein, conference organizers are accepting session proposals demonstrating “how the ATE community has successfully broadened impact through partnerships and collaboration with key stakeholders.” These proposals can be formatted in several ways, including as a forum, demonstration, discussion session, breakfast roundtable, high impact practice workshop, or synergy meeting.

Any of the following criteria may also be addressed: evidence-based project or center impact in one of the six session track topic areas, focus on multi-discipline-relevant learning experiences and strategies, interactive learning activities with take-away resources, or collaborative efforts among multiple ATE centers or projects. 

Those interested in submitting session proposals before the August 23 deadline can do so here.

It’s hard to believe summer is going by so quickly! HI-TEC is almost here and we are so excited to join members of the ATE Community in St. Louis. If you are planning to attend the conference July 22-25, stop by Booth #404 and say hello to ATE Central PI Rachael Bower, or participate in ATE’s special session on July 26 from 8:30-11:00 am CDT to give feedback on the current program solicitation and outreach efforts. See you there!

If you are interested in developing your mentoring skills and giving back to the ATE community, apply to the Mentor Fellows internship program offered by Mentor-Connect. While shadowing experienced Mentor-Connect mentors and attending Mentor-Connect workshops and webinars, Mentor Fellows learn how to guide new-to-ATE college faculty as they prepare competitive ATE grant proposals through Mentor-Connect. Mentor Fellows receive a stipend and travel support. Applications are due September 27. Those interested in applying can learn more here. 

Those looking to apply the latest research on student learning styles to their teaching practices may be interested in NISOD’s The New Science of Learning: Teaching That Promotes Student Success webinar. The talk will demystify the most successful methods of motivating students and targeting deep learning. It will also cover best practices for getting learners “more involved with course content,” as well as overviewing “applications of pedagogical research that can be used in almost any class.”