Algae Technology Educational Consortium: Difference between revisions
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Latest revision as of 00:06, 4 March 2025
Stored: Algae Technology Educational Consortium
| Type | Program |
|---|---|
| Sponsor Organization | Office of Nuclear Energy |
| Top Organization | Department of Energy |
| Creation Legislation | Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 |
| Website | Website |
| Purpose | The Algae Technology Educational Consortium develops educational programs to train a workforce for the algae bioeconomy. It aims to advance algal cultivation and biotechnology skills for sustainable biomass production. |
| Program Start | 2016 |
| Initial Funding | $2.55 million |
| Duration | Ongoing |
| Historic | No |
Algae Technology Educational Consortium (ATEC) is a Department of Energy initiative under the Office of Nuclear Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office that collaborates with the Algae Foundation and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to educate over 102,000 students, professionals, and educators across all 50 U.S. states and 66 countries, fostering a skilled workforce in algae cultivation and biotechnology as of 2025. Launched in 2016 with a $2.55 million grant, ATEC has established certificate and degree programs at 21 community colleges and universities, delivered Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) via Coursera, and trained K-12 students through the Algae Academy, supporting the bioeconomy with over 300 years of collective expertise, with 2025 efforts enhancing online platforms post-Hurricane Helene to sustain algal education momentum.
Goals
- Train a workforce in algal cultivation and biotechnology for bioeconomy jobs.[1]
- Develop sustainable biomass production skills for bio-based products.
- Promote algae education across K-12, collegiate, and professional levels.
Organization
The Algae Technology Educational Consortium was sponsored by the Office of Nuclear Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) within the Department of Energy, headquartered in Washington, D.C.[2] Funding came from Congressional appropriations, with a staff coordinating over 40 partner institutions—including NREL, UC San Diego, and Santa Fe Community College—delivering programs like the Algae Cultivation Certificate and Algal MOOCs, guided by the Algae Foundation’s ATEC committee and BETO oversight.
The leader at the Department of Energy level was the Director of the Bioenergy Technologies Office, currently Valerie Sarisky-Reed (as of February 22, 2025), with ATEC operations led by Algae Foundation President Ira Levine.
History
The Algae Technology Educational Consortium was established in 2016 under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which expanded DOE’s biofuels R&D, with ATEC formalized via a BETO grant.[3] It grew from the Algae Foundation’s 2013 efforts, launching with MOOCs in 2017, certifying its first Santa Fe Community College graduates by 2018, and reaching 102,000 learners by 2025, with milestones like the 2022 AlgaePrize and 2025’s post-Helene online platform enhancements.
Funding
Initial funding in 2016 was $2.55 million from Congressional appropriations via BETO.[4] Funding began in 2016 and continues within BETO’s $250 million FY 2025 budget, supporting over 300 projects, with no end date as appropriations sustain efforts like 2025’s $500,000 for digital course updates.
Implementation
The program was implemented through certificate programs at 21 institutions, MOOCs on Coursera, Algae Academy K-12 modules, and Algae Cultivation Extension Short-courses (ACES), training over 102,000 learners.[5] It operates continuously with no end date, leveraging over 2,000 partners, with 2025 efforts refining online delivery post-Helene to support algae bioeconomy resilience.
Related
External links
- https://algaefoundationatec.org/
- https://www.energy.gov/eere/bioenergy/algae-technology-educational-consortium - BETO Overview
- https://www.doi.gov/ - Department of the Interior Overview
- wikipedia:United States Department of Energy
Social Media
References
- ↑ "ATEC Overview," Algae Foundation, https://algaefoundationatec.org/, accessed February 22, 2025.
- ↑ "ATEC Collaboration," U.S. Department of Energy, https://www.energy.gov/eere/bioenergy/algae-technology-educational-consortium, accessed February 22, 2025.
- ↑ "ATEC Launch," U.S. Department of Energy, https://www.energy.gov/eere/bioenergy/articles/algae-education-and-future-bioeconomy, accessed February 22, 2025.
- ↑ "ATEC Funding," U.S. Department of Energy, https://www.energy.gov/eere/bioenergy/articles/algae-education-and-future-bioeconomy, accessed February 22, 2025.
- ↑ "ATEC Programs," Algae Foundation, https://algaefoundationatec.org/, accessed February 22, 2025.
