Government Issues and Politics
Insurance and Employee Benefits
Business and Economic Info
Human Resources and Safety
Education Policy and Practice
Training and Consulting Services
Education Policies & Practices
School Improvement Preparing Students for Careers Education in the Workplace Employer Involvement

Teachers and Students See High Tech in Action at CBIA Tech Expo

More than 300 teachers and students from Connecticut’s high schools and community colleges gathered to hear about emerging technologies at a CBIA-sponsored technology expo held at Manchester Community College. The event included presentations, exhibits and demonstrations on such cutting edge technologies as nanotechnology, virtual reality and laser technology.

     Called “Technology at Work: Here and Now,” the expo was funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) that emphasizes professional development for math, science and technology teachers at the high school and community college level. The expo was designed to bring together teachers and select, interested students with industries that could demonstrate what technologies are being used in engineering, biotechnology, manufacturing and information technology.

     According to a number of teachers who attended, the expo was a great success. “We made a great connection with the virtual reality demonstrators,” says Lenore Mullady, business technology teacher at Pathways Magnet School, Hartford. “We’re always looking to develop new curriculum. We actually connected with their representatives, and they’ve agreed to come to our school to give a presentation. This is exactly what we’re looking for.”

     Deborah Young, a teacher from Mark Sheehan High School in Wallingford, was equally impressed. “We enjoyed the Expo very much. We have participated in others and this one was our favorite.”

     In addition to exhibits and demonstrations, participants chose from a number of presentations, including:

  • Industrial Water Use: Reduction and Recycle – Fuss & O’Neill
  • 3D Imaging and Virtual Reality – Consortium for Imaging in CT Schools
  • Life After Liftoff: Technology for Life on Mars – Hamilton Sundstrand
  • Innovating for the Future: Laser Technology in Manufacturing – Trumpf
  • Clean Energy: Power of Tomorrow is Here Today – Clean Energy Fund
  • Project Lead the Way: Pre-engineering in Grades 6 – 12 – CT State Dept. of Technology Education
  • Researching Diseases: Operating at the Intersection of Modern Biology, Computer Science and Chemistry – The Rothberg Institute for Childhood Diseases
  • Nanoceramics for Biomedical Engineering: New Medical Implants – Inframat
  • Nanotechnology for Batteries and Fuel Cells – U.S. Nanocorp
  • Anthrax in the Mail: A Case Study in Technology Integration for Homeland Security – Pitney Bowes
  • Enterprise Network Security:Teamwork Makes it Happen – SBC

CBIA member companies who exhibited and gave demonstrations included:

Branson Ultrasonics
Computer Sciences Corporation
Connecticut Clean Energy Fund
CURE
Cytec
Fuss & O’Neill
Hamilton Sunstrand
Henkel Loctite

Pitney Bowes
Protein Sciences
Rothberg Institute for Childhood Diseases
SBC
Trumpf
UTC Power
U.S. Nanocorp
Inframat Corp

     For more information about this event and the National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program, please contact CBIA's Mary deManbey at CBIA, 860-244-1900.