| NSF Org: |
DUE Division Of Undergraduate Education |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | April 3, 2018 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | November 25, 2019 |
| Award Number: | 1800992 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Christine Delahanty
cdelahan@nsf.gov (703)292-8492 DUE Division Of Undergraduate Education EDU Directorate for STEM Education |
| Start Date: | July 1, 2018 |
| End Date: | June 30, 2022 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $511,599.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $511,599.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
3136 DICKENS AVE MANHATTAN KS US 66503-2444 (785)587-2800 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
3136 Dickens Avenue Manhattan KS US 66503-2499 |
| 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
Critical environments include laboratories that can keep harmful substances or organisms from escaping and clean rooms that can maintain contaminant-free conditions for manufacturing. To work properly, critical environments need special air handling, mechanical systems, security features, waste treatment, decontamination systems, and programmable controls. Many facility technicians are not trained to work with critical environment applications and other common mechanical or automation systems. The region surrounding Manhattan Area Technical College in Kansas has an increasing demand for technicians to maintain critical environments. This local demand is driven by the biotechnology, life science, and animal health laboratories in the area, as well as the new Department of Homeland Security?s National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility. To meet this need, the college will develop certificate and associate degree programs focused on teaching students the skills and knowledge they need to operate and maintain critical environments. The program will be the first of its kind, and thus has the potential to serve as a model for other institutions.
This project will develop courses for a certificate and an associate of applied science degree in critical environments engineering technology. The curriculum will incorporate industrial safety and maintenance engineering topics in combination with biosafety principles. The instructional design of the program will offer two pathways to meet the specific needs of different students. Students could take individual modules to fill specific training needs, or complete a curriculum to obtain a certificate or degree. The individual modules will be stackable to encourage students to work toward completion of their education. The program will emphasize a hands-on approach to integrate behavioral-based training methods in a simulated biosafety laboratory environment. This laboratory environment includes building automation systems technology with core mechanical applications such as air handling, welding, hydronics, and construction. The program will directly support workforce needs in regional industries. It can also provide professional development opportunities to incumbent employees, so they can add the skills needed to work in critical environments. The project also aims to strengthen the safety, compliance, and operations of the growing number of industries and companies that use critical environments.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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