New York City College of Technology (City Tech) in collaboration with Polytechnic High School of Engineering, Architecture and Technology (City Poly) and industry partners are implementing an initiative titled Fuse Lab in an effort to transform the AEC (architecture, engineering and construction) curriculum and develop faculty expertise. This initiative provides a model for other undergraduate AEC programs around the country. In order to produce students who can take advantage of and continuously adapt to the fields' rapidly evolving computational, construction and sustainable technologies, Fuse lab is 1) developing and implementing an articulated career pathway (3+2+2) that serves a diverse population of students and leads to the associate and baccalaureate degree while offering students multiple exit points that were integrated with industry certification; 2) creating curriculum units and faculty development opportunities that reflect the technology integration and interdisciplinary team work that have transformed industry practice; and 3) situating these activities in a larger advanced technology loop by creating sustainable mechanisms for industry participation across the career pathway and by joining existing feedback loops with ATE centers and related projects. The broader impact of the project includes addressing future needs of AEC technicians, increasing participation of underrepresented populations and producing a new AEC curriculum that can serve as a national model.
