MEEP is NOW Accepting Applications for 2021 Cohort

The Tennessee STEM Innovation Network is thrilled to announce the return of the Manufacturing and Engineering Externship Program, sponsored by a grant from the Office of Naval Research. The Manufacturing and Engineering Externship Program, or MEEP, is designed to equip Tennessee educators to develop future ready talent. MEEP seeks to address the growing STEM skills gap in the manufacturing and engineering sectors by engaging K-12 Tennessee educators in paid summer externships with local companies in STEM industries.

After a successful cohort in 2019, the 2020 cohort was cancelled due to public health concerns due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this second year of participants, TSIN and its partners continue to make safety a priority. All plans for the Summer 2021 cohort will involve a virtual component to minimize risks for participants. While we plan for participants to spend 1-2 days with a manufacturing partner in the fall, we will continue to monitor the current situation and make adjustments accordingly.

But what will you do during your externship with MEEP? Through MEEP, you’ll see STEM concepts in action. Then, during professional development work, you’ll develop a new project-based learning experience to take back to your classroom. Additionally, teachers who complete the program’s requirements will receive a $2,500 stipend.

Program Timeline (2021)

April 1st - April 23rd: Application window open

Late May: Acceptance notifications

July 12 -15 OR July 19-22: Virtual PBL training and introduction to manufacturing professional development series (educators select one of these two weeks to participate in training)

September: Teacher readiness touch base

October - November: Teacher externship experience

November - December: Teachers submit a draft of their PBL created from the externship experience

February - March: Program reconvening (anticipated 1-day, in-person session)

Details about the Program

Eligibility:  The applicant must be a Tennessee K-12 teacher. Teachers can apply individually or in teams of two from their school.  Each applicant should submit their own application.

Responsibilities:

· Attend a Project-Based Learning (PBL) training hosted by TSIN in Summer 2021.

· Schedule a consultation call, or in-person visit, with the industry partner to ensure the industry partner’s Human Resources requirements are fulfilled before externship experience.

· Participate in a 1-2 day externship experience in Fall 2021.

· Develop and submit a PBL curricular unit based on externship experience to engage students with the STEM skills and habits necessary for success in the field and expose them to STEM career opportunities.

· Participate in the program feedback/wrap-up day in early 2022.

· Participate in the program evaluation process.

Selection Process:

· The application period will be open from April 1st through April 23, 2021.

· TSIN will select 50 teachers to participate in the program.

· Teachers will be notified of their acceptance in late May.

Application Link Here

Learn from a former participant

TSIN has recently welcomed a former MEEP participant to the team as a STEM Relationship Manager. Kristin McQueen, a former teacher at Ashland City Elementary STEM Academy in Ashland, TN, will be overseeing the MEEP program as well as other programs. To help answer some of the initial questions you may have, Zac Ames, with the Ohio STEM Learning Network sat down with Kristin to find out about her experience with MEEP.

Please explain your history with the MEEP program.

As a previous educator, I was always looking for ways to further my STEM toolbox through professional growth. It was because of my connection with the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network that I came across the MEEP opportunity. I presented the idea to my colleague and we decided to apply together knowing that we would impact more students in different grand bands. In 2019, we were accepted into the program and began our journey. With PBL and manufacturing training under our belts, we strolled into A.O. Smith, a hot water manufacturer. While there, we were able to experience multiple jobs including Robotics Mechanic, Engineering Technician, Production Manager, and Quality Manager. It was eye-opening to see all the steps that went into designing and building one water heater. I was able to quickly see the design cycle working in each formation of the process and with each position I shadowed.

What were you able to bring back to your students from this program?

After leaving A.O. Smith, it was clear to me that each position required STEM skills. I created my PBL around water filtration and was able to provide first-hand knowledge to my students through my experience using pictures and interviews. One of the Quality Engineers visited our classrooms and helped our students work through the engineering design cycle while planning out their ideas for a water filtration system. Through this collaboration, students were able to build and test water filtration systems that cleaned up dirty water. It was awesome to connect A.O. Smith to this because they have their very own Water Treatment Plant on site. I was able to show them pictures and videos from my time in the water treatment plant. My students gained knowledge around manufacturing and learned how to implement valuable STEM skills into a finished product.

How did your students enjoy the new coursework?

My students were so engaged during this project and a big piece of that was knowing that I “worked” there for a few days, that some of their family members work there, and they can physically see it behind our school. It made something they see daily into a reality. Students were invested in the project and excited to see if their water was going to test clean. It was exciting to see them collaborate and communicate with one another and work to solve problems together. I remember one group had tested their sample numerous times and each time the water kept filtering dirty; I encouraged them to revisit the design cycle, and after reworking some of their systems that third time hit it on the money. The water filtered clean, and they were jumping for joy and high-fiving each other. It was impactful to see the manufacturing world become a reality for them.

Now that you are organizing MEEP, what changes have you implemented to make the program better?

With going through the program to leading the implementation, my biggest focus has been to increase teacher knowledge surrounding the fundamentals of manufacturing and increase the outreach across the state. I want teachers to have a baseline understanding of the manufacturing world before they even set foot on their host site. I also have challenged myself to double the number of industries that participated in the MEEP program previously with a wide reach across the regions of Tennessee. I think that part of the impact comes from pairing teachers with an exceptional industry where teachers can truly experience the design cycle and STEM skills needed to function in the manufacturing world and have a lasting business partner to continue STEM supports throughout the school.

How have you altered to make the program more accessible during the COVID-19 transition?

MEEP is transitioning to an online platform with synchronous and asynchronous opportunities for professional learning. In the "live" (synchronous virtual) sessions, teachers will hear from the Battelle team and a Manufacturing Panel to help prepare them for the cohort. Teachers will also complete self-paced PBL training and manufacturing fundamentals with virtual check-ins with the Battelle team. With COVID restrictions in mind, our externship timeframe was also shortened to 1-2 days, previously 3-5, to help lighten the load on the industry side.

What advice would you give educators who might want to try this externship?

MEEP is a great opportunity for teachers to expand or gain new knowledge around building high-quality, authentic PBLs. It is also eye-opening to connect what we are teaching to real-life careers such as manufacturing and engineering. It opens a window of opportunity to gain a new business partner that can continue to help leverage STEM initiatives pushed within your school. Make sure to keep an open mind and push yourself to think outside the box. Utilize all the supports that are put in place throughout the MEEP program. Leave your host site with multiple contacts to help support your teaching. Lastly, have fun! We do not get many chances to learn outside of the classroom, let alone be physically put to work in manufacturing. Embrace the opportunity and see how it helps shape your teaching practices and expand student learning beyond the norm.

If you have any questions about this application or process? Email Kristin McQueen at Battelle at mcqueen@battelle.org .