News Release
November 16, 2007
Dr. Patricia Altwegg receives Governor's Energy Award
Dr. Patricia Altwegg, Associate Director of Career and Technical Education for the Kansas Board of Regents, received the Governor’s Energy Recognition Award in Energy Leadership at the Kansas Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Conference held in Topeka.
Dr. Altwegg was co-author and project director of Renewable Energy Careers: Job Potential and Impacts — a project supported by a grant awarded by the Kansas Energy Office in 2003.
The first project of the six-step initiative was to develop and implement the first statewide postsecondary education renewable energy industry developer’s summit in January of 2004. The summit provided industry representatives, postsecondary educators, state agencies, and other stakeholders with an opportunity to develop an educational model that would leverage the resources of industry, universities, community and technical colleges in an attempt to shape a growing segment of the Kansas and national economy.
One outcome of the summit was an expression of support by industry and education representatives for an associate of applied science degree program in wind power technology. Cloud County Community College and Manhattan Area Technical College joined together to implement a program which was approved by the Board of Regents in 2004.
Through a second grant, Dr. Altwegg initiated a follow-up summit. This summit conference was a team effort between the Regent's Career and Technical Education, Kansas State University's Extension Service, Dodge City Community College, FPL Energy, Aquila, and the Kansas Energy Office. The conference allowed Kansas postsecondary educators to visit with industry leaders about the skills and knowledge required to build and maintain wind facilities.
In her position at the Board of Regents, Dr. Altwegg is the coordinator of the Innovative Technology and Technology Internship funds. She also continues to be the Career and Technical Education contact for Renewable Energy for postsecondary institutions and the wind energy industry.