Invited Letter: Greetings from the US National Science Foundation

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Autore principale: Pierrakos, Olga
Natura: Recurso digital
Lingua:inglese
Pubblicazione: Zenodo 2025
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author Pierrakos, Olga
author_facet Pierrakos, Olga
contents <p><strong><span>From First-Generation Student to Champion of America's Skilled Technical Workforce</span></strong></p> <p><strong><span> </span></strong><span>My story begins in Sparta, Greece, where I was born before becoming a naturalized US citizen at age 10. As a first-generation college student and engineer at Virginia Tech, I balanced my studies while staying connected to my family in Richmond, VA, by taking courses at J Sargeant Reynolds Community College. This experience at a community college opened my eyes to the transformative power of accessible, practical, and affordable education. Throughout my eleven years of engineering studies and research at Virginia Tech, I worked closely with skilled technicians across aerospace, mechanical, and biomedical applications, developing a deep respect for their essential contributions to innovation. My success depended on these skilled technicians, and I was indebted. This foundation led me to my current role as Lead Program Officer for NSF's Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program, where I champion the skilled technical workforce—nearly half of all STEM workers—that drives America's innovation leadership and global competitiveness.</span></p>
format Recurso digital
id zenodo_https___doi_org_10_5281_zenodo_16806254
institution Zenodo
language eng
publishDate 2025
publisher Zenodo
record_format zenodo
spellingShingle Invited Letter: Greetings from the US National Science Foundation
Pierrakos, Olga
NSF
ATE
technician education
<p><strong><span>From First-Generation Student to Champion of America's Skilled Technical Workforce</span></strong></p> <p><strong><span> </span></strong><span>My story begins in Sparta, Greece, where I was born before becoming a naturalized US citizen at age 10. As a first-generation college student and engineer at Virginia Tech, I balanced my studies while staying connected to my family in Richmond, VA, by taking courses at J Sargeant Reynolds Community College. This experience at a community college opened my eyes to the transformative power of accessible, practical, and affordable education. Throughout my eleven years of engineering studies and research at Virginia Tech, I worked closely with skilled technicians across aerospace, mechanical, and biomedical applications, developing a deep respect for their essential contributions to innovation. My success depended on these skilled technicians, and I was indebted. This foundation led me to my current role as Lead Program Officer for NSF's Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program, where I champion the skilled technical workforce—nearly half of all STEM workers—that drives America's innovation leadership and global competitiveness.</span></p>
title Invited Letter: Greetings from the US National Science Foundation
topic NSF
ATE
technician education
url https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16806254