Exec. Director of Tampa-based NSF ATE Center of Excellence in FL Wins 2014 SME Education Award

TAMPA, Fla. - June 17, 2014 - PRLog -- Dr. Marilyn Barger, principal investigator and executive director of FLATE (http://www.fl-ate.org/), the National Science Foundation Center of Excellence in manufacturing, supporting high-tech manufacturing and manufacturing-related careers and technical education in Florida, received top honor at the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) International Awards gala. Dr. Barger received the 2014 SME Education Award on June 9in Detroit, MI. The Award recognizes significant contributions to the field of manufacturing engineering in the areas of manufacturing technologies, processes, technical writing, education, research, management and service to SME. It also honors the educator most respected for the development of manufacturing-related curricula, fostering sound training methods, or inspiring students to enter the profession of manufacturing.

Dr. Barger was recognized with the SME Education Award for her leading efforts, in developing manufacturing-related curricula for the entire state of Florida, and served as a national model for other states for emulate. Dr. Barger has been a long standing member of SME, and is renowned in the national engineering education community for inspiring students to pursue manufacturing-related education and career pathways. She serves on several national panels/advisory boards for technical programs, cur­riculum and workforce initiatives, including the National Association of Manufacturers Educators’ Council. As a firm advocate and leader in engineering technology education, she has more than 20 years of experience developing curricula. She is a licensed engineer, a Fellow of the American Society of Engineering Education, and a charter member of the National Academy and USF’s Academy of Inventors.

Barger has been at the helm of many successes. Under her leadership, FLATE was awarded the ePIE Business/Education Partnership Award, Education Chancellor and FACC Workforce Award for innovative education programs, and three Best Practice Awards for the Engineering Technology Degree program, sTEm-at-Work puzzles and the Toothpick Factory. She has served as the Chair of the NSF ATE Centers, HI-TECH Committee, and awarded the 2010 HI-TECH Innovative Program Award.

For more information on SME visit www.sme.org. For information on Dr. Marilyn Barger and her contributions to world-class engineering education in Florida and across the United States visit www.madeinflorida.org and www.fl-ate.org.

FLATE (http://www.fl-ate.org/) is a National Science Foundation Regional Center of Excellence, committed to ensuring Florida has a well prepared workforce for advanced and emerging technologies. Created in 2004, FLATE is one of 39 Advanced Technological Education Centers in the United States funded by the National Science Foundation focused on improving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education and training to meet the needs of American advanced technology industries. For more information visit www.fl-ate.org.