Working Connections IT Faculty Development Institute offers cutting-edge, cost-effective professional development opportunities to current community college IT/convergence faculty (at non-profit schools only) that is often only available through expensive commercial training. Working Connections makes the newest technologies and industry trends available to attendees, as well as encourages the kind of networking and collaboration among educational and business leaders that can strengthen any IT educational program.

Working Connections training workshops offer several tracks that cover a range of the most in-demand topics in IT. The goal of Working Connections is to provide attendees with the expertise needed to teach their respective track in a subsequent semester, bringing the most current information to their classrooms either as a stand-alone course or as supplemental information to an existing course.

Since 2004, more than 1300 people have attended the National Convergence Technology Center's Working Connections professional development events, learning about more than 50 unique IT topics in that time. In the past five years, an average of 68% of the faculty chose a discipline that they were not currently teaching, leading to 155 new degrees, certificates, or courses created and implemented using the training provided. By the National CTC's calculations, over 54,000 students and faculty have been impacted by the training provided by Summer Working Connections training since the program began.

HICSS – The Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences – has been known worldwide as one of the longest standing scientific communities in the information systems and technology fields. Since 1968, it has become a respected destination that attracts high-caliber scholars and professionals in academia, industry and government agencies around the world to discuss their cutting-edge research.

Important Dates for Paper Submission
June 15, 2017 | 11:59 pm HST : Paper submission deadline
August 17, 2017:  Notification of Acceptance/Rejection
September 22, 2017: Deadline for authors to submit final manuscript for publication
October 1, 2017: Deadline for at least one author of each paper to register for HICSS-51

Important Dates for Doctoral Consortium
July 15, 2017 | 11:59 pm HST: Application deadline
August 17, 2017:  Notification of Acceptance/Rejection

The third-annual Winter ICT Educators Conference, hosted by the Western Academy Support & Training Center (WASTC), will be held January 4–5, 2018.  The conference will focus on the changing world of cybersecurity and IoT, but it will not be limited to these topics. As a Cisco Academy conference, it's a great venue to meet other California Information Communications Technologies (ICT) educators from high school to university, as well as industry representatives. 

Project Access includes principles in Universal Design for Learning (UDL), as well as instructs best practices for working specifically with deaf and hard of hearing students. 

This experiential workshop enables participants to gain an understanding of how deaf students experience a mainstreamed classroom, and provides real-life strategies and extensive on-line resources that will help teachers and faculty modify their teaching to provide greater access for students by:

• Sensitizing educators to challenges faced by deaf and hard-of-hearing students in a mainstream environment
• Presenting effective use of support service personnel (sign language interpreters, notetakers, tutors, and captionists)
• Preparing individual teaching strategy plans
• Assisting in mastering strategies to meet the goals of Universal Design in education

Project Access shares best practices for instruction for the benefit of all students in the classroom.

The Writing in the Disciplines workshop is designed to provide STEM faculty at both the secondary and post-secondary levels with strategies for including a variety of writing activities in their courses. Workshop participants learn how to add writing practice to their STEM courses that will help students improve their writing and at the same time enhance their learning in the discipline.

Topics include:

• Why writing matters - the theoretical underpinnings
• The role of informal and low-stakes writing both in and out of class
• Building a formal writing product using scaffolding techniques
• Developing meaningful rubrics for evaluating writing products
• Providing students with feedback on their writing in the context of a STEM classroom
• Sharing writing-related resources on the DeafTEC website

Each workshop participant will leave with a plan for developing a writing assignment that provides students with writing practice and the tools to provide constructive feedback.

Registration contact:  nancy.osborn@fscj.edu  904-361-6214

Project Access - including principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

A workshop designed to provide teachers with strategies for providing improved access to learning for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in mainstreamed classes.

This experiential workshop enables participants to gain an understanding of how deaf students experience a mainstreamed classroom, and provides real-life strategies and extensive on-line resources that will help teachers and faculty modify their teaching to provide greater access for students by:

•  Sensitizing educators to challenges faced by deaf and hard-of-hearing students in a mainstream environment
•  Presenting effective use of support service personnel (sign language interpreters, notetakers, tutors, and captionists)
•  Preparing individual teaching strategy plans
•  Assisting in mastering strategies to meet the goals of Universal Design in education

Project Access shares best practices for instruction for the benefit of all students in the classroom.

Registration contact:  Nancy.Osborn@fscj.edu   904-361-6214

CareerTech teachers will have the opportunity to attend professional development sessions on a variety of topics during the 2017-18 school year. Topics include technology, instructional strategies, classroom management and instructional planning, as well as many other topics.

The training dates are September 13 and January 24. The registration cost is $30 per training which includes a continental breakfast and lunch.  Because the trainings are individual and not part of a series, each one requires separate registration.  See registration link for details.

Writing in the Disciplines is a workshop designed to provide STEM faculty at both the secondary and post-secondary levels with strategies for including a variety of writing activities in their courses. Workshop participants learn how to add writing practice to their STEM courses that will help students improve their writing and at the same time enhance their learning in the discipline.

Topics include:

• Why writing matters - the theoretical underpinnings
• The role of informal and low-stakes writing both in and out of class
• Building a formal writing product using scaffolding techniques
• Developing meaningful rubrics for evaluating writing products
• Providing students with feedback on their writing in the context of a STEM classroom
• Sharing writing-related resources on the DeafTEC website

Each workshop participant will leave with a plan for developing a writing assignment that provides students with writing practice and the tools to provide constructive feedback.

Registration contact:  Nancy.Osborn@fscj.edu   904-361-6214

Cybersecurity has a diversity problem. In the shifting landscape of cyber threats, we need a new approach to hiring and retention if we have any hope of winning the cyber war. In this panel, the experts will discuss a future-focused cybersecurity industry landscape, key technological drivers, burgeoning career opportunities, seminal cyber workforce career categories, supporting roles and applicable skills, strategies for job searching and hiring that are inclusive and foster diversity, and what challenges one might expect within a cybersecurity career.

Moderator:
Deidre Diamond, Founder and CEO, Cyber Security Network

Panelists:
Priyanka Komala, Technology Director, The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine

Noel Kyle, Program Manager, Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Chad Loder, Founder and CEO, Habitu8, Co-Founder Rapid7

Participants will receive a webinar invitation once registered.
Additionally, another invite will be sent the morning of January 25, 2018. 

Attend SPIE Photonics West 2018, the world's largest annual event for the photonics, laser, and biomedical optics industries.

Join thousands of your peers – scientists, engineers, and executives – at the most comprehensive technical conference and exhibition spanning biophotonics for brain research and healthcare, lasers for research and advanced manufacturing, sensors and camera systems, imaging and displays, communications and optoelectronics, plus the core optical components that enable many of today’s consumer products.

Community college workforce and economic development efforts, now more than ever, require collaboration and cooperation across policies, practices, initiatives, partners, and funders. These critical intersections serve to build a sustainable, inclusive and forward thinking workforce. Further intersecting is the work our professional community does with foundation, industry, and federal partners in effectively serving our students.

Please join us at AACC’s Workforce Development Institute 2018: Exploring Intersections. We welcome attendees to explore their own intersections and create new ones while sharing best practices and promising solutions as we build a nation of learners.

This season, the ATE Central Webinar Series on Sustainability focuses on topics useful to Centers and Projects at all stages of growth. It is never too soon to be thinking about life “post-grant” – as a way to plan for eventual independence or as a way to prepare for a time when grants may not be forthcoming. This series addresses three critical angles – first, a basic “health check” to see how your project or center is faring today; second, strategies for moving forward, with a refreshed set of goals and priorities; and finally, taking to heart the need to plan for changes concerning the most valuable asset any project has: its people. This series is funded by the National Science Foundation’s ATE Central project and produced in collaboration with Nancy Maron of BlueSky to BluePrint, a consulting firm focusing on business strategy for leaders of innovative initiatives in the academic and cultural sectors.

Rachael Bower, ATE Central
Nancy Maron, BlueSky to BluePrint

How well is your project or center doing today? Where do you want it to be tomorrow? In this session, we will introduce a series of questions - a basic “health check tool” - you can start asking that will help you identify areas of strength that you may want to develop even further, and areas of vulnerability that you will want to address. Topics we will cover address the core concepts of sustainability planning, specifically: audience, stakeholders, the changing environment, and funding sources.

Special Guest: Lori Wingate, EvaluATE Center

Enrollment in community college STEM programs depends on the colleges’ ability to make prospective students aware of the programs’ benefits. Simply posting information about the programs in college catalogs or on websites has not been effective. General college promotions have also shown very limited success. This webinar will share recruitment best practices such as the use of students as program recruiters, along with web, mobile, and other strategies for attracting potential students.

Hosted by the National Center for Optics and Photonics Education on Wednesday, February 7, 2018 1:00-1:45 PM CST.

Project Access - including principles in Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

A workshop designed to provide teachers with strategies for providing improved access to learning for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in mainstreamed classes.

This experiential workshop enables participants to gain an understanding of how deaf students experience a mainstreamed classroom, and provides real-life strategies and extensive on-line resources that will help teachers and faculty modify their teaching to provide greater access for students by:

• Sensitizing educators to challenges faced by deaf and hard-of-hearing students in a mainstream environment
•  Presenting effective use of support service personnel (sign language interpreters, notetakers, tutors, and captionists)
• Preparing individual teaching strategy plans
• Assisting in mastering strategies to meet the goals of Universal Design in education

Project Access shares best practices for instruction for the benefit of all students in the classroom.

This Project Access workshop is part of an ALL-DAY training:

Tentative schedule

9:00 am - 11:30 am  Project Access/UDL
11:30 am - 12:00 pm Lunch
12:00 pm - 3:00 pm Writing in the Disciplines

Registration contact:  nancy.osborn@fscj.edu   904-361-6214

The Introduction to Nanotechnology for Educators workshop is designed for post-secondary and secondary STEM educators, guidance counselors, school administrators, etc. who are interested in discovering what nanotechnology is and how it might be beneficial for their students to have access to this type of education. Participants of this free workshop will learn about the growing applications of nano in industry, the basics of nanofabrication processes and cleanroom usage for both outreach and research.

The workshop will be held in four consecutive Friday sessions beginning on Feb. 9, 2018 (Feb. 9, 16, 23, and March 2) from 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. EST. For more information, visit the workshop website (http://www.nano4me.org/workshops). Applications are due by January 26, 2018 and can be found at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScnXRsYPOZLHPAiWiGNvteZFwIIlARsSa7vHlLohGT0Amkt-A/viewform

Bring your LOVE of writing with you to:

A workshop designed to provide STEM faculty at both the secondary and post-secondary levels with strategies for including a variety of writing activities in their courses. Workshop participants learn how to add writing practice to their STEM courses that will help students improve their writing and at the same time enhance their learning in the discipline.

Topics include:

• Why writing matters - the theoretical underpinnings
• The role of informal and low-stakes writing both in and out of class
• Building a formal writing product using scaffolding techniques
• Developing meaningful rubrics for evaluating writing products
• Providing students with feedback on their writing in the context of a STEM classroom
• Sharing writing-related resources on the DeafTEC website

Each workshop participant will leave with a plan for developing a writing assignment that provides students with writing practice and the tools to provide constructive feedback.

Registration contact: nancy.osborn@fscj.edu   904-361-6214

The AAAS Annual Meeting is interdisciplinary and inclusive. Each year, our community of leading scientists, educators, policymakers, and journalists gathers to discuss cutting-edge developments in science, technology, and policy. Learn about the critical roles of academia, government, and industry in moving ideas into innovations.

• Seminars on technology and innovation; the future of artificial intelligence; diversity and inclusion; and communicating science
• 120+ scientific sessions in 14 disciplinary tracks covering the latest research advances
• 4 fash talk sessions: dynamic presentations and discussion
• Network with colleagues and attend career development workshops

Recent applications of digital technology combined with automotive industry expertise have produced impressive advancements in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and automated driving systems (ADS). The increasing use of powerful artificial intelligence (AI) techniques promises to revolutionize the driving experience and mobility strategies even more broadly.

This event will feature expert speakers on the topic of AI in the automotive industry, discussing cutting-edge technologies expected to be integrated into production vehicles in the next two to five years. Topics will include guided machine learning, computer vision, sensor fusion, systems integration, validation, and more.

RCNET is excited to announce a unique professional development opportunity.  Redesigning Math is a workshop to discuss and share best practices to eliminate math as a barrier to program entry and successful completion.  This one-day workshop will be hosted on the SUNY Ulster Campus in Stone Ridge, NY.  

Attendees will work in partnership with RCNET personnel and SUNY Ulster faculty to: 

• Determine factors to increase minority involvement in STEM programs 
• Discuss the construction of a replicable model of technical math designed to meet the dynamic needs of emerging industries
• Review a set of quantitative reasoning course options designed to promote program success

A small number of $500.00 stipends are available to help with your travel expenses upon completion of the workshop.  To be eligible for the stipend, you must complete a stipend application prior to attending the workshop, attend the full workshop and respond to RCNET post-workshop surveys.

To learn more and apply for a stipend, go to http://gonuke.org/suny-ulster-pd/  or visit the RCNET website at GoNuke.org.  Spaces are limited and you are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. 

For more information, contact Jo Ann Balsamo at jbalsamo@irsc.edu or at 772-462-7172.

Due to the latest NSF ATE Solicitation released in 2017, this webinar will act as an addendum and focus on specifics that have changed on this topic. A live Q&A will occur the last 30 to 45 minutes of the webinar.

We highly encourage that you watch the original webinar recording prior to attending this one. The original webinar was held on February 16, 2017 which covered the following information.

Competitive grants for the NSF ATE program must be built on at least one innovative idea and goals must be well-defined and clearly explained. However, framing an innovative idea and clearly explaining goals can be difficult. Further, proposal development requires a great deal of planning and a detailed timeline. This session will focus on planning for grant proposal development and will explore how to determine whether or not an idea is innovative, what is meant by developing and explaining goals clearly and what must be considered in planning development work and the timeline for such work.

This workshop will benefit winemakers, cellar workers, winery staff, and wine enthusiasts who seek a deeper understanding of these topics and their impact on a winery’s success. In addition, workshop attendees will be guided through sensory test methods to access perceived differences and preferences in wine.

Topics include: Welcome and Introduction to Tasting, White Sensory Standards, Red Sensory Standards, and Evaluating Palate Attributes: Alcohol, Acid, and Tannin Wine Defects, Descriptive Wine Analysis of White Wines, Descriptive Analysis of Red Wines, Laboratory Investigating, Wine Competition Methodology and Professional Wine Rating Systems. A certificate will be awarded after the completion of this workshop.

The International Conference on Learning Analytics & Knowledge (LAK 2018 ) moves to the southern hemisphere for the first time, convening in the centre of historic, vibrant Sydney on March 5–9, 2018. LAK18 is organised by the Society for Learning Analytics Research (SoLAR) and is hosted by The University of Sydney, one of Australia’s leading research universities. The preparations for LAK18 are currently ongoing and we will be releasing information in the coming months.

The SXSW EDU® Conference & Festival fosters innovation in learning by hosting a community of optimistic, forward-thinking, purpose-driven stakeholders with a shared goal of impacting the future of teaching and learning.

The eighth annual SXSW EDU will return to Austin, March 5-8, 2018, for four days of compelling sessions, in-depth workshops, engaging learning experiences, mentorship, film screenings, startup events, policy discussions, competitions, exhibitions, networking and so much more. Through collaboration, creativity and engagement, SXSW EDU empowers its global community to connect, discover and impact.

SXSW EDU is a component of the South by Southwest® (SXSW®) family of conferences and festivals. Internationally recognized as the convergence gathering for creative professionals, SXSW EDU extends SXSW’s support for the art of engagement to include society’s true rock stars: educators!

Your 2018 SXSW EDU registration purchase includes access to:

• Keynotes and featured speakers
• Sessions and workshops
• Summit programming
• Film screenings and Q&As
• Playground displays, talks and hands on sessions
• Startup competition, spotlight and events
• Policy Forum
• Learn by Design competition and events
• Mentorship program
• Bookstore and book signings
• Lounges, meet ups and mixers
• Networking and parties
• eduSocial network

A registration badge is required for admission to all SXSW EDU 2018 activities. Registration for the 2018 event will open on Tuesday, August 1. Once registered, your email confirmation will include an activation code for eduSocial and instructions for picking up your badge onsite in Austin, Texas. For additional information, read the registration FAQ or email reg@sxswedu.com.

This season, the ATE Central Webinar Series on Sustainability focuses on topics useful to Centers and Projects at all stages of growth. It is never too soon to be thinking about life “post-grant” – as a way to plan for eventual independence or as a way to prepare for a time when grants may not be forthcoming. This series addresses three critical angles – first, a basic “health check” to see how your project or center is faring today; second, strategies for moving forward, with a refreshed set of goals and priorities; and finally, taking to heart the need to plan for changes concerning the most valuable asset any project has: its people. This series is funded by the National Science Foundation’s ATE Central project and produced in collaboration with Nancy Maron of BlueSky to BluePrint, a consulting firm focusing on business strategy for leaders of innovative initiatives in the academic and cultural sectors.

Rachael Bower, ATE Central
Nancy Maron, BlueSky to BluePrint

This session takes on a thorny problem: your grant is coming to an end, but the work needs to continue. What aspects of your work need to be supported going forward? Which might you decide are complete and need no further work? In this session, we will introduce an evaluative tool for prioritizing the strands of work and activity that your project or center has developed over time and determining what each will require to have the greatest impact. Topics will include prioritizing, preservation versus growth strategies, and budgeting for the post-grant phase.


Special Guest: Ann Beheler, National Convergence Technology Center

Due to the latest NSF ATE Solicitation released in 2017, this webinar will act as an addendum and focus on specifics that have changed on this topic. A live Q&A will occur the last 30 to 45 minutes of the webinar.

We highly encourage that you watch the original webinar recording prior to attending this one. The original webinar was held on March 9, 2017 which covered the following information.

An insider’s look at unique characteristics of National Science Foundation (NSF) grant funding, particularly the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Program. Guidelines and timelines will be shared along with tips to keep in mind if you have previously been funded by NSF ATE for a smaller grant and aspire to submit a proposal for a larger scope of work. Resources specific to preparing a competitive NSF ATE grant proposal will be highlighted.

Mike Ward is a Certified Sommelier, Certified Specialist of Spirits, Certified Wine Educator and has successfully completed the Wine and Spirits Education Trust Level 2 Intermediate exam. Mike completed certification at the Napa Valley Wine Educators Academy. His passion and expertise have led him to become a member of the Society of Wine Educators.

This workshop will benefit winemakers, cellar workers, winery staff, and wine enthusiasts who seek a deeper understanding of these topics and their impact on a winery’s success. In addition, workshop attendees will be guided through sensory test methods to access perceived differences and preferences in wine.

Topics include: Welcome and Introduction to Tasting, White Sensory Standards, Red Sensory Standards, and Evaluating Palate Attributes: Alcohol, Acid, and Tannin Wine Defects, Descriptive Wine Analysis of White Wines, Descriptive Analysis of Red Wines, Laboratory Investigating, Wine Competition Methodology and Professional Wine Rating Systems. A certificate will be awarded after the completion of this workshop.

NSTA conferences offer the latest in science content, teaching strategy, and research to enhance and expand your professional growth. Take advantage of this unique opportunity to collaborate with science education leaders and your peers. Each year, NSTA hosts a national conference on science education (in the spring), three area conferences (in the fall), and a STEM Forum & Expo.

Proposals are no longer being accepted for the 2017–2018 conferences. Please check back in September when we'll begin accepting proposals for the 2018 STEM Forum & Expo, the 2018 area conferences, and the 2019 St. Louis national conference.

Save the date—NSTA is holding its 2018 national conference in Atlanta, Georgia, in March 2018.

The conference will begin with concurrent sessions on Thursday, March 15, at 8:00 AM and end on Sunday, March 18, at 12 Noon.

Presentation topics will include:

• Solutions for Autonomous Systems Software Prototyping
  • Autonomous Vehicles –  Transforming Vehicle Development
  • RTMaps Embedded - Facilitating the Development and Testing of Complex HAD Software on Modern ADAS Platforms 
• Simulation Technology: A Key Enabler for Autonomous Systems
  • Simulation Technology - Bringing Real World to Virtual Test Drives
  • Sensor Simulation: Key to Autonomous Driving Development
• Meeting the Testing Challenge
  • Cutting Edge Solutions for HIL Testing of AV Features Involving Video Injection, Radar, LIDAR, V2X Communication, etc.
  • Managing the Testing Challenge - Virtualization, Clusters and Data Management  

This event is free-of-charge, courtesy of dSPACE. Breakfast, lunch and snacks will be served. Register today to save your seat. We look forward to seeing you!

Cristin has provided consulting services to many Northern Michigan producers for everything from Tasting Room Training to Start-Up and Operations. Her husband Brian is the winemaker at Chateau Chantal and Hawthorne Vineyards, and together they own a farm on Old Mission where they grow a diverse variety of grapes and flowers.  Additionally, Cristin is the Managing Partner of a start-up winery called the 1855 Project, in its infancy. 

Cristin received a top notch education, on the job, from Charlie Edson, PhD, at Bel Lago Vineyards and Winery, where she served as the Operations Manager and Assistant Winemaker for 7 years and was in charge of day to day operations of the Tasting Room, Cellar and Custom Crush clients.  Cristin had the opportunity to work with over 100 grape varietals under Charlie’s tutelage and has served on many boards and committees furthering the Michigan Wine Industry.

This workshop will benefit winemakers, cellar workers, winery staff, and wine enthusiasts who seek a deeper understanding of these topics and their impact on a winery’s success. In addition, workshop attendees will be guided through sensory test methods to access perceived differences and preferences in wine.

Topics include: Welcome and Introduction to Tasting, White Sensory Standards, Red Sensory Standards, and Evaluating Palate Attributes: Alcohol, Acid, and Tannin Wine Defects, Descriptive Wine Analysis of White Wines, Descriptive Analysis of Red Wines, Laboratory Investigating, Wine Competition Methodology and Professional Wine Rating Systems. A certificate will be awarded after the completion of this workshop.