Tuesday, July 7th - Thursday, July 9th, 2026
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Workshop Location
Workshop Location
Days/Times
Days/Times
Tuesday, July 8th, 10:00 am - 4:30 pm
Tuesday, July 8th, 10:00 am - 4:30 pm
Wednesday, July 9th, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Wednesday, July 9th, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Thursday, July 10th, 8:30 am - 3:00 pm
Thursday, July 10th, 8:30 am - 3:00 pm
The goal of the STEM Educator Institutes is to provide STEM Educators with renewable energy lessons, classroom equipment, and a unique hands-on learning experience to take back to their students. The events are funded by the CREATE Energy NSF ATE National Center. Any STEM educator of middle school through college is invited to apply!
The Solar Institute Includes:
The Solar Institute Includes:
- 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
- Equipment awards valued at up to $1200 available to each participant funded by the CREATE Energy NSF ATE National Center
Meet The Team
Meet The Team
Ken Walz
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
Joel Shoemaker is a Wisconsin state-certified Master Electrician with over 12 years of experience with photovoltaic systems.
Scott Liddicoat
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
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 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 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.
Claudette Mehrhoff
Claudette Mehrhoff
Claudette Mehrhoff is the Compliance Coordinator for the Center for Renewable Energy Advanced Technological Education (CREATE), employed by the lead institution for this project, Madison Area Technical College. She has fifteen years of grant management experience while managing and supporting several multi-million dollar state and federal grants. Claudette has spent the last seven years supporting the CREATE grants ensuring the grant’s activities and expenditures are allowable while following internal and external rules and regulations, including subaward monitoring to the grant’s subaward partners. She has served as the budget manager for the CREATE grants for the past three years. Claudette is a certified grants manager, certification through Management Concepts, and holds a bachelors degree in Leadership and Organizational Studies from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh.
Chris Miller
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.
“I always thought about wanting to be a teacher, and one day, I just decided that was it. I’m going to be a teacher,” he says — and he didn’t waste any time.
Chris is the Program Coordinator and Professor of Electronics, Industrial Maintenance, Mechatronics, and Renewable Energy at Heartland Community College.
Sam Howk
Sam Howk
Samantha Howk is the Administrative Coordinator for CREATE at Madison College. She earned a B.A. in German and a B.S. in Business Administration at Ohio State University and started her career in the private sector. She got her start in renewable energy in 2022 working for a residential solar installer and continues to serve on 2 boards of solar-related nonprofits. She joined the CREATE team in 2024 and is excited to support renewable energy education and the next generation of solar industry professionals.
Agenda
Agenda
Day 1
Day 1
Tuesday, July 7, 2026
Tuesday, July 7, 2026
9:30 - 10:00
Coffee and Breakfast
Coffee and Breakfast
10:00 - 10:10
Welcome - CREATE and Madison College
Welcome - CREATE and Madison College
10:10 - 10:20
Discuss Agenda & Logistics
Discuss Agenda & Logistics
10:20 - 10:50
Introductions
Introductions
10:50 - 11:00
Participant Lesson Choice
Participant Lesson Choice
11:00 - 11:30
Intro to PV Systems
Intro to PV Systems
11:30 - 12:00
Safety and Commissioning
Safety and Commissioning
12:00 - 1:00
Catered Lunch
Catered Lunch
1:00 - 3:00
Lesson/Lab Activity: Introduction to Amps and Volts
Lesson/Lab Activity: Introduction to Amps and Volts
3:00 - 3:15
Walkthrough of Full Size Systems, Components and PV Yard Layout
Walkthrough of Full Size Systems, Components and PV Yard Layout
3:15 - 4:00
Begin Work on PV Systems
Begin Work on PV Systems
4:00 - 4:15
Clean Up
Clean Up
4:15 - 4:30
Review of day’s work, Google Drive overview & Wednesday schedule
Review of day’s work, Google Drive overview & Wednesday schedule
Day 2
Day 2
Wednesday, July 8, 2026
Wednesday, July 8, 2026
8:00 - 8:30
Coffee and Breakfast
Coffee and Breakfast
8:30 - 8:45
Orientation to day’s activities
Orientation to day’s activities
8:45 - 12:00
Work on PV systems
Work on PV systems
12:00 - 1:00
Catered Lunch
Catered Lunch
1:00 - 2:00
Conclude work on systems and commissioning of full-size systems
Conclude work on systems and commissioning of full-size systems
2:00 - 3:15
Lesson/Lab Activity: Generating an IV curve
Lesson/Lab Activity: Generating an IV curve
3:15 - 4:15
Participants work on lesson plan of choice and Materials Awards Applications
Participants work on lesson plan of choice and Materials Awards Applications
4:15 - 4:30
Review & Thursday schedule
Review & Thursday schedule
5:00 - 6:30
Optional Field Trip – Madison College Truax Campus Rooftop PV System
Optional Field Trip – Madison College Truax Campus Rooftop PV System
Optional Social Gathering - Memorial Union Terrace
Optional Social Gathering - Memorial Union Terrace
Day 3
Day 3
Thursday, July 9, 2026
Thursday, July 9, 2026
8:00 - 8:30
Coffee and Breakfast
Coffee and Breakfast
8:30 - 8:45
Orientation to day’s activities
Orientation to day’s activities
8:45 - 9:45
Lesson/Lab Activity: Solar Pathfinder Lesson
Lesson/Lab Activity: Solar Pathfinder Lesson
9:45 - 10:15
Walkthroughs and presentations from each of the install teams
Walkthroughs and presentations from each of the install teams
10:15 - 11:15
Lesson/Lab Activity: PV Watts Lesson
Lesson/Lab Activity: PV Watts Lesson
11:15 - 12:00
Participants share ideas and plans for implementation of their chosen lesson
Participants share ideas and plans for implementation of their chosen lesson
12:00 - 1:00
Catered Lunch
Catered Lunch
2:30 - 3:00
Closing:
Closing:
Post-test
Post-test
Fill out evaluations
Fill out evaluations
Present completion certificates
Present completion certificates
Hotel Information
Hotel Information
Once you are accepted into the institute, we will book your hotel room for you.
Once you are accepted into the institute, we will book your hotel room for you.
AIRPORT SHUTTLE
AIRPORT SHUTTLE
A complimentary airport shuttle is available for service between Dane County Regional Airport and the hotel. The shuttle serves all overnight guests and runs between 4:30AM and 11PM.
From the airport: Simply call the hotel (608-257-6000) when you are ready for pick-up. The shuttle pick-up area is across the street from baggage claim Door 5. If you arrive after 11PM, taxis are available outside Door 7. Rideshare vehicles such as Uber and Lyft also pick up at the median across the street from Door 5.
From the hotel: Please make a reservation at the front desk. The shuttle runs to the airport daily on the hour and half-hour during shuttle hours.
Equipment Award Choices
Equipment Award Choices
Equipment awards valued at up to $1200 available to each participant funded by the CREATE Energy NSF ATE National Center
Equipment awards valued at up to $1200 available to each participant funded by the CREATE Energy NSF ATE National Center
25 Watt, 12 Volt solar panel
Pyranometer (Irradiance Meter)
Digital Multimeter
Digital Clamp Meter
10,000 Lumen, 100 Watt LED light
1.2 Watt, 6 Volt solar module
Resistance Decade Box
Solar Pathfinder
Places to Eat and Explore
Places to Eat and Explore
Check in with Sam Howk and Claudette Mehrhoff for more suggestions!
Check in with Sam Howk and Claudette Mehrhoff for more suggestions!
View the downtown skyline over Lake Monona with friends and family all around and a cold drink in your hand.
Come enjoy the iconic sunburst chairs, beautiful lake views, gorgeous sunsets, and your food faves. No reservations needed—just enter along the east side of Memorial Union, outside or indoors, to experience the Terrace.
1950s-style diner serving comfort food plus vegetarian & vegan options in a renovated gas station.
Picnic Point, a nearly mile-long peninsula along Lake Mendota’s south shore, is among Madison’s most distinctive features and is probably the most popular destination in the Preserve. Each year thousands of students and Madisonians visit the Point for outings.
Casual dairy shop run by the UW-Madison Agriculture Department, with ice cream, cheese & cafe eats.
Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream Co. is an ice cream company based in Madison, Wisconsin that manufactures and distributes ice cream, Italian ice, oat ice cream, and no sugar added ice cream. Try Joel's favorite flavor, The Exhausted Parent.
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