SAN MARCOS, CA (September 3, 2025) — Palomar College received a $471,000 Advanced Technological Education (ATE) grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the U.S. government’s independent science agency.
Over the next three years, the grant will support the Tomorrow’s Water Technicians Project at Palomar College. The project will give faculty an opportunity to develop and test new approaches to strengthening the water technician education and training program at the college. Faculty and staff will focus on refining course curriculum, improving pathways for students, and assuring graduates are ready for careers in this high demand field.
“We are thrilled to be recognized as an institution with a high quality Water Technology program that has now been tapped to make program changes that will positively impact the student experience in ways that will prepare them for their long-term futures,” said Superintendent/President Dr. Star Rivera-Lacey. “We have been supporting the needs of our region’s workforce for decades and this grant facilitates the continuation of that work.”
This project seeks to build a pipeline of skilled workers ready to support public health and environmental sustainability by addressing the critical needs of communities across the nation including aging infrastructure, limited water resources, and an aging workforce.
“We have had many successes over the years within our Water Technology Program. Many of our students have gone on to work for public agencies throughout our region,” said Associate Professor and Grant Principal Investigator Jacob Shiba. Shiba will lead the initiative with Associate Professor and Co-Principal investigator, Jason Jarvinen. This grant will operate in partnership with the San Diego County Water Authority, Vallecitos Water District, and many other local water agencies.
“We’re thrilled to receive this support from the National Science Foundation. It will enable us to expand our outreach to prospective students and implement innovative teaching strategies that better prepare them for careers in the water industry,” Jarvinen said.
Shiba and Jarvinen began preparing the grant proposal in 2024 with mentoring and technical support from Mentor-Connect, which provides mentoring and technical resources to help two-year college faculty write competitive grant proposals. Mentor-Connect is an ATE project led by Florence-Darlington Technical College in partnership with the American Association of Community Colleges.
The ATE program focuses on the education of technicians who work in high-tech fields that drive the nation’s economy. Because two-year community and technical colleges are the leading sources of technician education in the United States, faculty from these higher education institutions have had leadership roles in most ATE projects since the program began in 1993.
Palomar’s Water Technology program is a two-year program where students can earn a Certificate or Associate Degree in Water or Wastewater Technology. Enrollment for the spring semester will start in November 2025. Students can find more information about the program at Palomar.edu.