With support from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the American Association of Community Colleges will host this year’s ATE Principal Investigators’ (PI) Conference on October 29-31, 2025, at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. The deadline for registration is October 2, 2025.

The event will bring together more than 850 NSF ATE grantees and project partners to collaboratively dive into the current issues and industry trends shaping advanced technological education. In its 32nd year, the PI conference continues to support innovation and partnership in preparing the skilled technician workforce of tomorrow. Leaders from community colleges, business, the private sector, and secondary school systems will drive valuable discussion and information sharing across disciplines.

For both new and established projects and centers, the annual PI Conference provides a chance to learn, grow, share advice, collaborate, and connect with others. Content will cover a variety of STEM fields, including engineering technology, biotechnology, advanced manufacturing, information technology, nanotechnology, and more. Spotlight sessions, learning labs, focused workshops, product demonstrations, and presentations will offer attendees the opportunity to network, share project or center updates, gain valuable insights for industry and education, and network with the ATE community.

To prepare for the 2025 ATE PI Conference, here are some resources and tools to support both first-time and seasoned attendees:

ATE Central’s Centers and Projects Map

ATE Central’s Centers and Projects Map offers a user-friendly way to explore potential collaborators within your geographical region or discipline, including those who may also be at this year’s PI Conference. Browse by general subject area or location and discover the projects or centers in your field or region.

ATE Central’s Records and Resources

Prior to the conference, ensure that your project or center’s record on ATE Central is up to date. This can support effective and relevant collaboration, connection, and outreach efforts. Contact us at [email protected] to add new resources, share social media contact information, or refresh your initiative’s description or goals.

Orientation Webinar

The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) will be hosting a conference orientation webinar on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, from 2:00-3:00PM EDT. It will provide an overview of the 2025 ATE PI Conference’s agenda and share tips on how to maximize networking opportunities, manage your time, and navigate the event. Register here for the upcoming webinar.

Pre-Conference Programming

Pre-conference programming will be held the morning of Wednesday, October 29, 2025, with several available workshops. Recommended for PIs, co-PIs, and other team members of recently awarded projects and centers, the “Getting Started for New Grantees” workshop will dive into the reporting and financial requirements for institutions and awardees as well as inform about the services and resources available from ATE Central, EvaluATE, NSF, and Mentor-Connect.

Other pre-conference workshops will cover project management, outreach and dissemination, and national partnerships. Advanced registration may be required. For more information, visit the ATE PI Conference’s website.

PI Meeting App

With the PI Meeting mobile application, you can plan out what sessions to attend and track your experiences during the conference. This year’s app will be available in October through the ATE PI Conference’s website.

Resources from the ATE Community

ATE Central, EvaluATE, and Mentor-Connect offer a variety of resources to help your project or center prepare for the 2025 ATE PI Conference and other major networking events. These tools can enhance visibility, impact, and reach, making it easier to build partnerships and share your work.

ATE Central’s Outreach Kit provides a step-by-step guide on how to develop, organize, and implement a personalized plan for engagement and dissemination. The toolkit also includes sample ideas, best practices for use, and corresponding templates to help support you during each step of the outreach planning process.

ATE Central's Microsite Service offers current grantees a free way to quickly create mini sites. These customizable websites can be used to announce upcoming events, highlight project or center updates, feature deliverables, and connect with others in the ATE community and beyond.

ATE Central’s Social Media Directory includes a list of ATE projects, centers, and partners with social media accounts across various online platforms. The directory can help streamline your searches for up-to-date content, best practices, professional development opportunities, and potential collaborators who may be attending the PI conference.

ATE Central’s newsletter, the ATE Central Connection, features monthly success tips for websites, social media, and outreach. Check out September’s issue for tips on developing an effective and succinct elevator speech.

EvaluATE’s resource library includes several guides and toolkits to help promote effective connection, including directions on how to create one-page reports and effective strategies for sharing updates, future opportunities, or deliverables.

Mentor-Connect’s resource library provides a comprehensive collection of recorded webinars, sample documents, templates, articles, tools, and guides to support proposal development and implementation.

Registration

Instructions on how to register can be found on the ATE PI Conference’s website. The deadline is October 2, 2025.

For questions or more information, visit the conference’s FAQs or contact the event staff here.