Introduction: Mike Lesiecki is the Founding Director and PI for theMATEC ( http://matec.org ), an NSF national center. With its partners in education and industry, MATEC develops programs, materials, and training that enables students, faculty, and technicians to continuously master the evolving competencies in science, mathematics, technology, and communications required by the workforce of the semiconductor, automated manufacturing, and electronics industries. MATEC is located in Tempe, Arizona.Mike Q: Mike, what is the history of MATEC and how has it evolved over the course of its funding?MATEC was established in 1996 as the 7th ATE center (today there are 33.) The center is a member of the division of academic affairs at the college. Initially founded in close collaboration with the semiconductor manufacturing industry the center made a strategic decision to expand to electronics and highly automated manufacturing to better serve its users.Today MATEC is an umbrella organization with distinct strategies to develop relevant materials, provide faculty professional development and to encourage awareness for high tech fieldsThe center houses the MATEC national resource center called MATEC Networks as well as projects in highly automated manufacturing and electronics funded by the NSF. Industry sponsors a unique career awareness program called high tech U that is produced by the center. The SAME-TEC national conference will be held for the 11th year this summer in Dallas.As you can see the center has evolved fro m a single focus to a multiple project, multiple funding source model all designed to support technical education at the community college levelFirst 10 years to develop material, next 4 years after that to disseminatematerial, what has he done to make sure MATEC was successful in both of those endeavors. First and foremost was the use of industry subject matter experts coupled with our own instructional design and media people this insures relevancy.Just building the materials and electronic delivery system does not mean people will come.     o    We sponsored workshops and conferences for professional            development and we stressed incorporation of our materials into            existing programs     o    Our delivery system was web based from the beginning and            adaptableNetworks, our resource center, now is designed for access to these resources as well as national resources to help faculty find what they need  in a one stop fashion.We seek strategic linkages with industry through SEMI, SIA, TPIC and partners such as Intel and TIGordon: What are the products and services that make up the MATECOrganization now?We have adopted a modular approach and our core materials comprise 50 semiconductor, 24 electronic and 7 highly automated manufacturing modules.Skill standards - Our NRC features these resources and others in a customized experience for faculty that includes unique opportunities for faculty externships.Industry accesses our materials through a partnership with Semizone- 10th and 11th graders experience high tech u- Contracted expertise in curriculum development (SCME)- Same-tec conferenceMATEC's funding sources are wide, from NSF grants to industry projects.Mike Q: How do all of those fit together to achieve MATEC's vision: to be the worldwide leader in education and industry collaboration, supporting the ongoing development of a highly skilled workforce?I think the real key is the diversity of funding sources. We do not depend on any single source. For example the Maricopa colleges fund about 28% of our operations, grants about 50% and sales of products and materials plus revenue from conferences and industry specific projects provides the other 25%. That's the money side.To support the ongoing development of the workforce it is all about      partnerships. Let me give you examples     o    Albany NY     o    HTWI     o    WRE     o    HTUAlso for partnership development our Resource center, MA