Environmental and natural resource technology (earth) center

The National Science Foundation Division of Undergraduate Education awarded Central Carolina Community College $6,303,334 on October 1, 2026, under the STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076) to lead the Environmental and Natural Resource Technology (EARTH) Center, a renewal project extending through September 30, 2031.

The EARTH Center develops and deploys simulation-based instructional modules, strengthens industry alignment through an AI-enhanced job task analysis tool and employer engagement forums, facilitates student research pathways, increases environmental technology program visibility through a national program map and conference engagement, and delivers faculty professional development via workshops and communities of practice. The center operates in partnership with the National Partnership for Environmental Technology Education, Nahant Marsh Education Center, and Front Range Community College to prepare technicians for the environmental technology sector and integrate digital systems, regulatory compliance, and interdisciplinary tools into community college curricula. Since 2021, the EARTH Center has reached over 400 community colleges nationwide. Place of performance is Sanford, North Carolina.

Abstract

The environmental and natural resource technology (earth) center is led by central carolina community college (cccc) in partnership with the national partnership for environmental technology education (national pete), nahant marsh education center (nmec), and front range community college (frcc). This renewal award will allow the center to continue to advance technician education and workforce readiness across the environmental technology (ET) sector. The center addresses the national challenge of preparing new technicians to replace a rapidly aging ET workforce while equipping them with the technical proficiency in digital systems, regulatory compliance, and interdisciplinary tools that many community college programs have the capacity to deliver but have not yet fully integrated. Since 2021, the earth center has impacted over 400 community colleges across the united states. This renewal award will broaden the reach and deepen the impact. The earth center will pursue five interconnected objectives: (1) IT will develop and deploy immersive ED, a suite of open-source, simulation-based instructional modules designed to run on standard computers, providing accessible, repeatable exposure to real-world ET scenarios. (2) the center will strengthen industry alignment through an AI-enhanced job task analysis (JTA) tool and structured employer engagement forums, enabling faculty and employers to collaboratively identify evolving workforce competencies. (3) the center will facilitate student pathways by expanding research experiences to advance technician education. (4) the center will increase ET program visibility through a national program map, newsletters, conference engagement, and mentoring of new ATE project leaders. (5) the center will deliver robust faculty professional development through virtual and in-person workshops, communities of practice, and access to classroom materials, ensuring that instructors are equipped to deliver current, workforce-aligned instruction. Together, these efforts will expand access to high-quality ET education, strengthen the national technician pipeline, and generate replicable models for workforce development at community and technical colleges across the united states. Partnerships with industry, professional societies, and other federal agencies will continue to support the work of the earth center. This project is funded by the advanced technological education program, which focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are planned for this award.