RESERVE — John Sluder, Director of Technical Programs at River Parishes Community College, was recently appointed as the Two-Year College Representative on the Association of Technology, Management and Applied Engineering Board of Directors.

ATMAE sets standards for academic program accreditation, personal certification and professional development for educators and industry professionals involved in integrating technology, leadership and design. ATMAE’s primary focus is supporting faculty, students and industry professionals dedicated to solving complex technological problems and developing the competitive technologist and applied engineering workforce.

Sluder began his teaching career with Colorado Mesa University/Western Colorado Community College in 1998, where he served for 18 years as a professor and Department Head. His previous industry experiences include launching computer Distributed Control System (DCS) to regional oil and gas industries, advanced manufacturing, agricultural processing/beverage industries, and technical process operations for the Department of Energy nuclear remediation.

At his current appointment with RPCC, Sluder developed the first online technical course Introduction to Process Technology based on QM standards and helped develop a statewide Process Technology curriculum standardization that established consistent program structure across Louisiana. Sluder brought the North American Process Technology Association (NAPTA) National Troubleshooting competition to Louisiana and serves as the Technical Editor for the new NAPTA Instrumentation 2e textbook through Pearson Publishing. He is the Lead Director on a multi-industry, multi-disciplinary team designing and building a Process Equipment Trainer at RPCC’s Gonzales campus. The PET, a full-scale glycol processing unit will be utilized by RPCC to train students and the industrial workforce in all aspects of operating, maintaining, and servicing a processing unit.