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Hotel Accommodations for two nights in downtown Madison
Breakfast and lunch provided each day
$600 Stipend paid to each participant upon completion of the institute
One graduate credit available (estimated cost $65)
Equipment awards valued at up to $1200 available to each participant

The goal of this event is to provide STEM Educators with lessons, classroom equipment, and a unique hands-on learning experience to take back to their students.

Meet Your Instructors

Ken Walz

Dr. Kenneth Walz has taught science, engineering, and renewable energy at Madison Area Technical College since 2003, where he serves as the Director of the CREATE Energy Center funded by the National Science Foundation.

Joel Shoemaker

Joel Shoemaker is a Wisconsin state-certified Master Electrician with over 12 years of experience with photovoltaic systems.

Scott Liddicoat

Scott Liddicoat just retired from teaching for the last 30 years at Green Bay Southwest High School. In the last decade he taught a high school class for college credit on energy conservation and renewable energy. During this time he has also been employed as a classroom lesson writer, curriculum manager, and teacher trainer by the National Science Foundation (Center for Renewable Energy Advanced Technological Education, 5 years).

Jim Reichling

As a dual credit energy instructor for the Madison Metropolitan School District, in Madison, WI, Jim Reichling teaches students about energy and practical skills applicable to real world jobs in the industry.

Jim’s interest in energy dates back to his days growing up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin. He was fascinated by the science behind the energy required for farm machinery and operating equipment and by the use of techniques like crop rotation to better produce feed for livestock. His curiosity resulted in a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry Education and a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering with a focus on hybrid power systems. Mr. Reichling has spent the past 25 years teaching high school chemistry and physics to the future generations of energy professionals.

Liz Reinke

Liz has been teaching physics and engineering courses at Madison College since 2008. In addition to teaching, she serves as an academic advisor for engineering transfer students. Liz joined the CREATE team in July 2022 and she is excited to help students pursue paths in renewable energy.

Cris Folk

Cris began teaching in 1982 for the U.S. Navy and has provided training ever since. He teaches PV and wind courses at the MREA, is an ISPQ Certified PV Instructor and has installation experience with solar thermal and photovoltaic systems.

Chris Miller

Chris Miller didn’t spend his whole school career training to become a teacher, although he admits he always wanted to be one. Instead, he spent a lot of his young life (“A past life,” he says with a chuckle) working as an automotive technician for General Motors. But making window and door lock switches just wasn’t cutting it for him.

By 2010, the renewable energy program at Heartland Community College (HCC) was up and running.

“We wanted to structure our program to be as fundamental as possible — teaching core electrical technology and skills to get students into the solar area, wind area, building controls, or any number of emerging renewable, sustainable fields. That’s how we decided to get into it.”

Special Guest: Nick Matthes

Nick is the Solar Project Manager for the MREA. He works in a variety of capacities across training programs, performing courses and curriculum development along with working on the Solar Corps and Solar on Schools initiatives. He has been teaching the whole range of curriculum for over ten years and especially enjoys the advanced level hands-on courses.

Nick is a NABCEP certified PV Installation Professional with WI master electrician and commercial electrical inspector licenses, and has a passion for making electricity from sunlight.