SMARTT Workshop- Module 2- Flying High in the Classroom using Drones- Karen Birch and Eric Flynn

Abstract:
In addition to academic program and transfer pathway development, the College of Technology (COT) and Regional Center for Next Generation Manufacturing (RCNGM) provides extracurricular programming for high school and community college students to enhance both their professional and technical skills in preparation for entry into the advanced manufacturing workforce. Technical skills such as coding drones has been a successful addition to capture the interest of students in pursuing advanced manufacturing careers. Best practices from these programs are disseminated through educator professional development programs so the same professional and technical skills can be incorporated into classrooms nationwide.

About the Speakers:
Dr. Karen Wosczyna-Birch
State Director, Connecticut College of Technology; Executive Director and Principal Investigator of the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing

Dr. Karen Wosczyna-Birch has been a champion of engineering and technology education for over 30 years. Since 1995, she has been the state director of the Connecticut College of Technology where her leadership has been instrumental in creating nationally recognized seamless pathway programs in engineering and technology between all 12 public community colleges in CT with 10 universities and high schools. She is also the Executive Director of the Regional Center for Next Generation Manufacturing, a National Science Foundation (NSF) Center of Excellence and a Professor of Applied Technology at Tunxis Community College. She has received over $25M in funding from the NSF, including two grants for international partnerships and the recently awarded National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. Karen has implemented strategies to increase enrollment of underrepresented populations in STEM programs at community colleges and serves on various local and national boards. She received numerous awards including the recent 2020 HI-TEC
Innovative Program of the Year Award and the 2021 ITEEA Special Recognition Award.

Eric Flynn
Department Chair, Engineering & Applied Technologies, Gateway Community College

Eric has served as a professor for community college engineering and technology programs for over a decade and is currently the Department Chair, Engineering & Applied Technologies at Gateway Community College in New Haven, CT. His focus is on bringing the latest technologies in engineering and manufacturing technology to programs for high school and community college students and educators. Eric has served as principal investigator and co-principal investigator on National Science Foundation grants on engineering technologies and advanced manufacturing for STEM education and has received a faculty research grant with NASA to develop low-cost approaches to Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) design.

This workshop is part of the Smart Manufacturing for America's Revolutionizing Technological Transformation (SMARTT), NSF Award 1801120 ( www.nsfsmart.org )