Nanotechnology is fundamentally changing the industrial world revolutionizing transportation, aerospace, biotechnology, medicine and manufacturing. The state of Texas has the fourth largest number of nanotechnology companies and institutions in the U.S. with over 66 nanotechnology-related companies and 50 nanoscience-related research and community organizations. The proposed Alamo Institute for Materials Technology (AIMTEC) project addresses the state's urgent workforce development needs in nanotechnology as identified by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in its recent "Nanotechnology Forecast" report.
The Alamo Institute for Materials Technology (AIM-TEC) at Northwest Vista College will create a self-sustaining and replicable regional workforce model that leverages local resources and partnerships to address the critical need by industry for quality technician education and training in advanced materials technology. AIM-TEC will act as a regional hub for 1) supporting the educational preparation of next generation technicians with skills in micro-nano-bio technologies; 2) strengthening the transition points from high school to college, and college to workforce and/or advanced education through innovative student recruitment and retention strategies; 3) increasing community awareness of nanotechnology and available educational and career pathways. AIM-TEC will demonstrate effective ways that two-year institutions can creatively establish and lead an interconnected network of 7-12, 4-year institutions, NSF Centers, and industry partners to meet regional nanotechnology industry workforce needs. Through collaboration with national and regional educational and industry partners, AIM-TEC will establish micro-bio-nanotechnology curricula to produce graduates with industry-relevant technical competencies. A sixty-credit Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Advanced Materials Technology embedded with two stackable Level-1 certificate options in Nano-biotechnology and Semiconductor technology will be developed. These curricular changes integrated with student experiential learning opportunities will diversify student skill sets, thereby creating multiple career pathways into nanotechnology-enabled industries. Additionally, AIM-TEC will pilot dual credit courses that will facilitate seamless transition of high school graduates to postsecondary educational institutions. The AIM-TEC project will increase the participation of underrepresented individuals in STEM fields by providing nanotechnology training, research opportunities and career development activities in a supportive environment at Northwest Vista College, a Hispanic-serving Institution.
