HCC Professor to Receive Special Recognition at Manufacturers Summit

TAMPA, Fla. - Nov. 25, 2013 - PRLog -- Manufacturers and educators committed to promote, educate, and train Florida’s high-tech workforce willreceive special recognition at the 10^th Annual Manufacturers Association of Florida, Manufacturers (MAF) Summit. The awards will be presented on Dec. 5 at the Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort and Golf Club in Saint Petersburg, Fla., by FLATE (Florida Advanced Technological Education Center), the National Science Foundation (NSF) regional center of excellence for manufacturing located at Hillsborough Community College (HCC) in Brandon. This year’s awardees join a distinguished group of educators and industry professionals who have made significant contributions in enhancing technician training and education in Florida.

Dr. Alessandro Anzalone, professor and director of the A.S. degree in engineering technology (A.S.E.T), will receive the Post-Secondary Educator-of-the-Year award. Anzalone has been a leading factor in driving enrollment of students into the A.S.E.T program at Hillsborough Community College in Brandon. “Dr. Anzalone’s excellent teaching, mentoring and outreach efforts have done much to dramatically expand the ET degree and certificate program at HCC” said Sabrina Peacock, dean of A.S. degree programs at HCC. Anzalone believes the strength of the A.S.E.T degree lies in its industry-centric focus which has helped all graduates to either get a better job, or climb up the corporate ladder.

Anzalone is well-connected with other regional institutions of higher education, local manufacturing industry. He has been working on an innovative project at USF to design, build, and test prototype of a product that can be used primarily in developing countries. Anzalone is also involved in the Florida Trade Advanced Manufacturing Consortium, a 15 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to develop and implement technical training programs and services for displaced and unemployed workers, incumbent workers, students and veterans. “I believe this cross pollination between schools is very important as it leads to a better streamlined curriculum that prepares students for the workforce” Anzalone said.

2013 marks the seventh year of the FLATE awards. Since the implementation of the awards program in 2006, FLATE has recognized 14 educators in secondary and post-secondary educational institutions, and seven industry partners. For more information on the FLATE awards, or to nominate an awardee for next year, visit www.fl-ate.org, or contact Dr. Marilyn Barger, executive director of FLATE at barger@fl-ate.org/813.259.6578.

FLATE 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 46 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.