NORTHEAST – Ivy Tech Community College–Northeast is hosting a Materials Science Camp for Teachers through the American Society of Materials Aug. 1–5 at the Student Life Center on Ivy Tech’s North Campus (4900 St. Joe Road). The event will feature special guest speaker Aziz Asphahani, Ph.D., and Chancellor Jerrilee Mosier, who will conduct opening and closing ceremonies. Thirty high school teachers from 12 different school districts in northeast Indiana are set to attend the event.

“This free training for area high school teachers is a great opportunity to demonstrate simple tools that can be integrated into lesson plans,” said Lisa Smith, project consultant/corporate trainer for Ivy Tech’s Workforce and Economic Development division. “We received an overwhelming response from area educators and are excited to play a part in bringing this unique opportunity to Fort Wayne.”

This event, which is at full capacity, was funded by a professional development grant from the Talent Initiative. The camp is free to teachers and offers a $500 stipend to all participants upon completion, along with the opportunity to earn graduate credits through IPFW for an additional fee.

“Ivy Tech’s Materials Science Camp is an important component of the Talent Initiative’s $2.1 million Professional Development Grant Program,” said Talent Initiative Director Leonard Helfrich. “The PD Grants are designed to institute project-based learning throughout Northeast Indiana, and knowing that each teacher will walk away from this camp ready to begin a materials science-themed project in his or her classroom is very exciting for us.”

The ASM Teachers Materials Camp consists of workshops, taught by two masters teachers, designed to help educators make science principles relevant to students. ASM provides high-quality materials information, education and training, networking opportunities and professional development resources to professionals, nontechnical personnel and managers worldwide.

Chancellor Mosier will conduct the opening ceremony Aug. 1 and the closing ceremony Aug. 5. She will also introduce special guest Aziz Asphahani, Ph.D., who will speak Aug. 3. The camp will culminate Aug. 5 with a luncheon and award ceremony for participating teachers.

For more detailed information, contact Lisa Smith at 260-481-2292 or lsmith246@ivytech.edu.

About Aziz Asphahani, Ph.D.
Aziz Asphahani, Ph.D., is the director of Fund Development for ASM Foundation, senior adviser to the “Corrosion Engineering” curriculum development at the University of Akron, director of fund development for the ASM-Materials Education Foundation and president of Advanced Motion Technologies, Inc. In 2006, he retired as president and CEO of CARUS Chemical Co. Prior to this he held positions as president of CABVAL and vice president, director of R&D and corrosion engineer for HAYNES.  He also served on the Board of Directors of HAYNES, CABVAL and CARUS Corporation.

About Ivy Tech
Ivy Tech Community College is the state’s largest public postsecondary institution and the nation’s largest singly accredited statewide community college system. Ivy Tech serves nearly 200,000 students annually and has campuses throughout Indiana. It functions as the state’s engine of workforce development, offering affordable degree programs and training that are aligned with the needs of its community along with courses and programs that transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association.

About the Talent Initiative
The Talent Initiative, established by a $20 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., is a 10-county regional program focused on accelerating education and training initiatives in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The primary goals of the Talent Initiative are to increase the base of highly skilled workers to meet the needs of the defense/aerospace and advanced manufacturing industries, while increasing job quality and reversing the current decline in regional per capita income. The program receives financial oversight from Community Partnerships, Inc., a supporting organization of the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne and operational oversight from the Northeast Indiana Fund, a supporting organization of the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership.