| NSF Org: |
DUE Division Of Undergraduate Education |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | June 2, 2011 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | July 30, 2014 |
| Award Number: | 1104311 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
David Brown
DUE Division Of Undergraduate Education EHR Direct For Education and Human Resources |
| Start Date: | June 1, 2011 |
| End Date: | August 31, 2014 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $899,941.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $899,941.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
411 Central Avenue Salinas CA US 93901-1628 (831)755-6995 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
411 Central Avenue Salinas CA US 93901-1628 |
| 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
Hartnell College is creating 2+2+2 career pathways for technicians, engineers, and engineering designers in two emerging fields of sustainable energy, power engineering and engineering design. The goals of the project are to (1) improve the STEM pipeline from two area high schools to Hartnell College and to the University of California at Santa Cruz, (2) integrate renewable energy technologies into existing curricula at participating high schools and Hartnell, and (3) prepare students to work in sustainable energy and engineering technologies jobs. The project is forming a consortium of at least 10 partners, including industry, in sustainable energy education; creating and supporting new energy career pathways; increasing student enrollment in high school and bridge program sustainable energy programs; developing and implementing an internship program; and using a newly constructed sustainable energy and research facility. Project deliverables include new courses, research findings from student projects, a model consortium, high school outreach and instructional materials, and project evaluation data.
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.
During the 3 years of the NSF ATE grant, 297 high school, community college, university and graduate students were engaged in multiple research projects and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs which resulted in an additional 169 STEM majors at Hartnell College, and the completion of 16 engineering and energy research projects. Enrollments at UCSC from Hartnell College have more than quadrupled during this period, but even more importantly, foundations for ongoing Engineering and Sustainable Design Programs are in place at Hartnell College. With full time Engineering and Sustainable Design faculty, 6300 square feet of new labs and classrooms at Hartnell College’s Center for Advanced Technology available for student education, engineering research, sustainable design and green construction, a micro-grid test facility, and a well developed Consortium of regional schools, industry, government agencies and nonprofits, Hartnell College is well positioned for continued growth in student success including STEM areas.
The Salinas Valley Consortium for Sustainable Energy, Education, and Research was initiated in 2011 to develop educational pathways in Engineering and Sustainable Design. These education tracks were designed to serve the needs of a largely agricultural based, 80% Latino, immigrant population living in the Salinas Valley.
Led by Hartnell Community College Engineering, Sustainable Design, and Construction programs, and in collaboration with UCSC Engineering, the Consortium expanded to include nine colleges and universities and twelve high schools. Other partners included Chevron Energy Systems, Pacific Gas and Electric, Applied Solar Systems, Hayward Building Materials, local government agencies, and nonprofits.
Over 3 summers, in a collaboration between Hartnell College and UCSC’s Engineering Program, 52 students including 32 community college and 20 high school students participated in 8-week renewable energy research projects. The projects ranged from developing renewable energy solutions for USDA pumping stations to investigating the properties of the Kapany Solar Window Wall. 100 % of the student interns continued on in higher education or directly to STEM related employment. Student projects were presented at Hartnell College’s Annual STEM Symposium.
In 2014, 3 community college mentors and 13 Salinas high school interns completed an 8-week research internship program designed to introduce engineering principles to students while building a Tiny House. The goal was to create greater interest in Engineering programs. 25% of the students indicated increased interest in pursuing an education in Engineering.
Interns also participated in conferences and competitions. In 2013 two Hartnell College student interns were selected to present their research regarding their model off-the-grid, self-sustaining “Pocket House” at the annual ATE conference in Washington D.C. Additionally, in 2014, a Hartnell team became the first community college to win the International Mock Firm Skyscraper Design Competition.
To develop the educational paths in Engineering and Sustainable Design, Hartnell College hired its first full-time faculty in Engineering and in Sustainable Design and Construction in 2011. In addition, 5 Project Lead the Way educational programs were arranged for local high school faculty between 2012 and 2014. An agreement between UCSC and Hartnell College in 2011 introduced new Renewable Energy curriculum to not only the Engineering Program at Hartnell College, but also to Consortium partners Cabrillo and Foothill Community Colleges...
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