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Consolidating Two NSF Online Materials and Information Resource Centers for Manufacturing and Engineering Technology Education

Abstract

This presentation describes the plan for the future of the Manufacturing and Engineering Resource Center (MERC), which integrates two existing National Science Foundation electronic clearinghouses for manufacturing and engineering technology educators.

Introduction

Since 2005, engineering technology and manufacturing technology educators have been served by two online searchable databases for high quality materials to facilitate and improve classroom and lab activities. Funded primarily by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Manufacturing Education Resource Center (MERC, based at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio) and the National Engineering Technology Education Clearinghouse (NETEC, based at Middlesex County College in Edison, New Jersey) operated cooperatively but independently until January of 2008, at which time the responsibility for both clearinghouses was assigned to the Sinclair Community College team.

In addition to integrating the two websites into a comprehensive resource for all of engineering technology education, the newly formed Manufacturing and Engineering Resource Center (MERC) will also focus on attracting students at the pre-college level into the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) pipeline, and also will research trends and best practices in engineering technology and manufacturing education programs. The goal is to increase the national impact of engineering and manufacturing technology education reform through the dissemination of model instructional resources via the web-based clearinghouse, as well as by offering faculty professional development and related outreach services.

The merger of the two resource centers was supported by their joint National Visiting Committee (NVC), which met in August 2007. The NVC representatives present at the meeting included: • Abi Aghayere, Rochester Institute of Technology • Walter Buchannan, Texas A & M University • William Clark, Bell South Corporation • Beverly Davis, Purdue University • Winston Erevelles, Robert Morris University • Mark Stratton, Society of Manufacturing Engineers

The Need for MERC and Benefits for MERC Users

The need for MERC is evident and perhaps even urgent. Manufacturing accounts for two-thirds of all US research and development expenditures and 90% of all US patents (Molnar, 2005)1. Manufacturers require significant numbers of highly skilled and broadly adept engineering technicians who are educated in numerous disciplines such as computer science, electronics, environmental, industrial, information technology, materials, mechanical, and welding.

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Pomeranz, G., & Mott, R., & Wendel, S., & Anderson, S., & Falkowski, S., & Wolff, R., & Waintraub, J. (2008, June), Consolidating Two Nsf Online Materials And Information Resource Centers For Manufacturing And Engineering Technology Education Paper presented at 2008 Annual Conference & Exposition, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 10.18260/1-2--3412