AMTEC is a collaboration made up of community colleges and industry partners and reports its progress of the grant goals to its sponsor, the National Science Foundation (NSF). AMTEC is one of the 39 NSF Advanced Technological Centers (ATE). The activities of the Center are evaluated using a 360 Balanced Scorecard for success by an evaluation team from Community College Research Center. As well as regular reports, the progress is presented to the National Visiting Committee (NVC) at an annual spring meeting. The NVC reports its findings and recommendations to AMTEC and the NSF. The Kentucky Community and Technical College System is the lead organization and fiscal agent for the Center. The following is the organizational structure for the Center.
AMTEC is supported entirely by a National Science Foundation (NSF) Advanced Technology Education (ATE) Program Grant (0903193). The 5.5 million dollar, four-year grant became effective September 15, 2009 and is entitled “AMTEC National Center for Excellence in Advanced Automotive Manufacturing”. As the funding organization, the National Science Foundation has oversight over the project and maintains close contact with both the principal investigator and the evaluation teams to ensure that the project is meeting its goals.
AMTEC has two evaluation teams: the National Visiting Committee (NVC) and the Community College Research Center (CCRC).
National Visiting Committee
Required of all NSF ATE Centers, the National Visiting Committee serves the two major roles of assessing and advising. As assessors, the NVC gathers evidence that the project is on track and carrying out the activities as promised. That information allows the NVC to fulfil its second major role of advising to help the Center make improvements and enhance its likelihood of success.
Current NVC members include:
Community College Research Center
The evaluation process is conducted by the Community College Research Center (CCRC) housed at Teachers College, Columbia University. CCRC brings extensive expertise in workforce programs associated with community colleges as well as knowledge of evaluation design, implementation, and utilization.
The evaluation process of AMTEC provides formative data for those participating in the Center to continuously improve their work, resulting in better educational opportunities for students entering or desiring to advance in the automotive industry as well as meet the educational needs of industry. It also provides information to wider audiences who may be interested in building upon the work of the Center to improve their own practice.
CCRC evaluators include:
Elisabeth Barnett Christine McPhail
The AMTEC Strategy Board (ASB) provides expertise in workforce education and industry needs and reviews the project progress advising the Principal Investigator (PI), Co-Principal Investigators (Co-PIs) and the Project Manager on direction to accomplish the goals of the Center. Strategy Board members include:
The Principal Investigator oversees the work of the Center and serves as the responsible agent for the lead institution. The Principal Investigator has overall financial and reporting authority to the NSF, the external evaluators, and the Strategy Board as well as broad authority over the Co-PIs in regard to the work of the project. The Principal Investigator serves as facilitator of the Strategy Board and a member of the AMTEC Leadership Team. Principal Investigator: Annette Parker
The Project Manager is responsible for the oversight and management of AMTEC that includes coordination of industry and college partners’ approved activities to meet goals and objectives of the Center, training for staff and volunteers, data collection, evaluation, budget management and other related activities. The Project Managaer serves as a member of the AMTEC Leadership Team and serves as the Leadership Team Facilitator. The Project Manager reports to the Principal Investigator. Project Manager: Craig Hopkins
Project staff assists the Principal Investigator, Project Manager, and Co-PIs as assigned in order to fully meet the needs of the project. Particular on-going duties may be assigned to one or more staff members as need dictates. The Project Staff serve as members of the AMTEC Leadership Team as well as Goal Teams, committees, etc. as assigned and/or deemed appropriate.Project Staff: Walt Barlow, Joan Partin, and Melody Traugott
Co- Principat Investigators (Co-PIs)
Co-Principal Investigators (Co-PIs) are assigned to lead or participate in each of the project goals, with normally no more than four Co-PIs identified for the project. Each Co-PI will be responsible for directing activities for his/her assigned goal and using funds, when needed, as directed by the Principal Investigator in consultation with the NSF and the Strategy Board to carry out those activities. CoPIs are compensated for their time and expenses based on the outline and requirements of the current grant based on KCTCS business procedures. Any change in Co-PIs will be approved by the National Science Foundation after selection by the Principal Investigator, in consultation with the Strategy Board. The Co-PIs serve as members of the AMTEC Leadership Team (ALT). The CoPIs report progress of their Team’s activities to the PI and the Strategy Board. Pursuant to a greater NSF interest in promoting auto technology, there is an additional Co-PI and team focusing on the needs of the Auto Service Community. All responsibilities and privileges of the Co-PI role will be granted to this person as well. Co-PIs include:
Senior Partners are representatives of educational institutions chosen from the AMTEC Partners to serve on the four goal teams because of their expertise and active participation in the project as well as having an identified industry partner in AMTEC. Senior Partners serve as members of the Goal Teams. Senior Partners are compensated for their time and expenses based on the outline and requirements of the current grant following KCTCS business procedures.
Additional senior partners added as supplemental to or in replacement of the ones currently listed may be invited by the Principal Investigator, after discussion with the appropriate Goal Team Co-PI, the Project Manager, and Strategy Board. The Senior Partners serve as members of the AMTEC Leadership Team (ALT). Senior Partners include:
Associate Partners are organizations of the automotive community and community colleges who have made a commitment and identify a primary representative to participate in activities of the Center. Representatives of these organizations assist in the work of AMTEC goals and objectives by providing their expertise and time when needed as well as attend AMTEC sponsored professional development academies, workshops, etc. They have access to all of the public AMTEC resources. An Associate Partner who has a corresponding industry partner may be invited by the Principal Investigator to serve as Senior Partner as needed. To continue at the Partner level, organizations are asked to complete an Associate Partner MOU and participate in at least two AMTEC activities per year. Partners who meet the commitment guidelines of AMTEC may be eligible for reimbursement for AMTEC activities as well as other professional development activities approved by AMTEC Leadership and as outlined in the current grant.
Participants are those organizations or individuals who have expressed an interest in AMTEC and its activities but have not made a commitment to participate in AMTEC. Participants may attend any of the AMTEC sponsored events. Participants may be required to pay registration fees and may not be reimbursed for such activities. Participants may also be asked to pay a fee for any of the AMTEC public resources. Participants may become an associate partner in AMTEC by completing the Associate Partner MOU.