DETROIT, Aug. 26, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Square One
Education Network and HARMAN International are gearing up to bring
vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2X) development to life in K-12
classrooms throughout Michigan. To
kick off this exciting initiative, Square One and HARMAN – working
closely with content partners P3 Group and PTC – held their first
teacher workshop today at the William D. Ford Career-Technical
Center, where teachers developed the first prototype classroom kit
of materials that will head to several Michigan schools in September.
The partnership with HARMAN, a company that designs and
engineers connected products and solutions for automakers,
consumers and enterprises worldwide, will assist in driving Square
One's hardware- and kit-focused teacher workshop model. The model
provides participating teachers with the necessary training and
classroom equipment for students to actively pursue V2X research,
design and demonstration activities. This collaboration supports
Square One's initiative to connect students with industry
professionals to give them access to technology, engineers and
opportunities that encourage the exploration of science,
technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers. In addition to
supporting these activities, HARMAN presented Square One with a
$10,000 donation for teacher
training, including V2X technology starter kits and workshops.
"We are proud to partner with Square One to support this truly
innovative program," said Phil
Eyler, President of HARMAN's Connected Car division. "At
HARMAN, our goal is to lead the automotive industry in new
connected technologies that make the in-car experience seamlessly
productive, entertaining, safe and secure. Extending this
investment into education – particularly in the emerging world of
V2X technologies and services - is a natural fit and one we are
proud to support."
The primary objective of this partnership is to establish the
first 10 of 20 planned "V2X Research and Development Lab Schools"
in Michigan in this school year.
This initiative is designed to satisfy industry demand for
technology leaders by strengthening the future workforce through
impactful, hands-on STEM programs. To achieve this goal, HARMAN's
support focuses on providing students with direct experience using
V2X technologies, including:
- Providing funding for
classroom V2X technology kits supporting two 3D Printed vehicle
platforms, fully equipped with various sensors, arduino hardware
and other detecting electronics so that students and teachers can
initiate their exploration and research involving vehicle
connectivity.
- Contributing expertise
from HARMAN engineers to provide support and guidance for teachers,
their students, and the Square One development team.
- Incorporating HARMAN
hardware to the lab schools to demonstrate a relationship between
the technologies in the kits and what is actually used in the V2X
industry.
HARMAN also plans to adopt local schools within the new V2X Lab
School Network to further support in-classroom participation at any
level.
"It is very clear that talent development is a critical element
in the ability for Michigan to
ably sustain the many companies that will need a large and
competent work and leadership force," said Karl Klimek, executive director of Square One.
"Through some amazing teachers, Square One works to support schools
and districts through the creation of impactful programs that
stimulate and engage students; our partnership with HARMAN will
significantly contribute to this goal. We are proud to launch this
important component that is essential to the economic future here
in Michigan."
To learn more about Square One Education Network, visit
http://squareonenetwork.org.
ABOUT SQUARE
ONE
Igniting the creative potential of K-12 students in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois through science, technology,
engineering and math (STEM), the hands-on Square One Education
Network serves the youth, educators and partners invested in the
development of tomorrow's workforce. This year, Square One will
invest $350,000 toward school grants,
professional development workshops for teachers, and Innovative
Vehicle Design (IVD) Performance Challenge programs. Its work will
reach 11,000 students and 250 teachers. Square One is based in
Waterford, Mich. For more
information, please visit www.squareonenetwork.org, or check us out
on Facebook and Twitter, using #SquareOneNet.
ABOUT HARMAN
HARMAN (harman.com) designs and engineers connected products and
solutions for automakers, consumers and enterprises worldwide,
including connected car systems; audio and visual products,
enterprise automation solutions; and connected services. With
leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®,
Lexicon®, Mark Levinson® and Revel®, HARMAN is admired by
audiophiles, musicians and the entertainment venues where they
perform around the world. More than 25 million automobiles on the
road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and connected car
systems. The Company's software services power billions of mobile
devices and systems that are connected, integrated and secure
across all platforms, from work and home to car and mobile. HARMAN
has a workforce of approximately 27,000 people across the Americas,
Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $6.2 billion during the 12 months ended
June 30, 2015. The Company's shares
are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol
NYSE:HAR.
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SOURCE Square One Education Network