Athenas
The Project
This project dates were 2012 to 2015 with the goal to enhance professionals understanding of climate change and prepare students to transform the industry. "It is clear that the environmental impacts of the Fiber, Textile, and Clothing industry are great, the need for change is urgent, and meeting the challenge will require both a social science and natural science approach." (LeHew, Armstrong, Hiller & Anderson, 2012).
We are apparel and textile (AT) educators, responsible for preparing the next generation of industry professionals. We strive to be forward-thinking, recognizing challenges and opportunities facing our industry and seeking solutions and approaches for inclusion in educational programs to meet the needs of a changing industry. The sustainability challenge provides opportunities to rethink our curriculum, enhancing science knowledge and problem-solving capabilities of our students. Developing a strong foundation of science literacy and honing ability to develop solutions will increase the marketability of our graduates and accelerate the industry’s transformation toward sustainability. We are compelled to envision a better way forward. We seek to galvanize individual and collective action.
Join us! Help transform AT education and the AT industry. Contribute your research, educational resources, and connect with others who share the vision by communicating your experience in the transformation effort.
Contact us: athenas@k-state.edu
APA Citation for this website:
Anderson, B. G., LeHew, M. L. A., Hiller Connell, K. Y., Sutheimer, S., & Hustvedt, G. (2016, January 11).
Professional Development and Education for Apparel and Textiles Educators. Retrieved from: https://www.hhs.k-state.edu/consumer-sciences/research/athenas/
These pages provides AT educators with professional development modules to enhance their understanding of climate change and the connection climate change has to the AT industry. Educational resources for use in the classroom are made available with instructor guides. Additional supporting materials have been identified and links provided so that educators and students can easily access them to deepen their understanding. We expect to continually update the information and materials available on this site in order to provide appropriate educational support for AT educators. We are hoping others join this effort and encourage your participation in identifying quality resources to be added to the site.
ATHENAS was conceptualized during a large scale, multi-institutional initiative funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Higher Education Challenge Grant program. The purpose of the funded project was to encourage transformation of apparel and textiles (AT) education by:
- Accelerating the inclusion of climate change and other environmental sustainability competencies into AT programs in the United States.
- Enhancing the quality of instruction so that AT graduates have workplace skills and knowledge required for success in an industry undergoing transformation toward sustainability.
- Increasing the number and diversity of students who pursue a baccalaureate program in the AT discipline.
Development of the initial project was a joint effort between apparel and textile scholars at Kansas State University, Oklahoma State University and Texas State University San Marcos.
Melody L.A. LeHew, PhD
Department of Apparel, Textiles, and Interior Design, Kansas State University
Dr. LeHew completed graduate studies related to retail strategy and consumer behavior. Her research program focuses on sustainable behaviors at all levels of production and consumption and sustainability education in higher education. Dr. LeHew is particularly interested in exploring the sustainable products and processes that satisfy consumer needs; examining behaviors that lead to more sustainable consumption practices, and identifying both obstacles to and solutions for the integration of sustainability in apparel and textile curriculum.
Kim Y. Hiller Connell, PhD
Department of Apparel, Textiles, and Interior Design, Kansas State University
Dr. Hiller completed graduate studies related to apparel and textiles, environmental science and policy, as well as international development. Her areas of expertise are consumer behavior and sustainability within the fiber, textile and clothing supply chain. She has published in consumer and sustainability education related journals and has received funding for research related to understanding and encouraging sustainable apparel consumption. Dr. Hiller also teaches sustainability-focused courses at both graduate and undergraduate levels.
Gwendolyn Hustvedt, PhD
School of Family and Consumer Science, Texas State University San Marcos
Dr. Hustvedt completed graduate work in textile science and consumer behavior and her area of expertise are sustainable product development and the impact of labeling and production information on consumer demand for sustainable products. Her research has been funded by both industry and the USDA and her publications on organic and local consumption by both cotton and wool consumers have contributed to the growing body of literature on sustainable consumption. Dr. Hustvedt is also the graduate advisor for the Master's of Interdisciplinary Studies in sustainability Studies at TXSU.
Barbara G. Anderson, MArch
Department of Apparel, Textiles, and Interior Design, Kansas State University
Barbara Anderson holds a terminal MArch with an emphasis in American architectural history. She has taught sustainability at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Her scholarship has included consumer attitudes toward sustainability related to apparel and interiors, the role of building preservation in sustainability, and effective teaching strategies for transformational learning related to sustainability. She is Department Head in her unit and believes university students in every discipline have the potential to change the future by acquiring knowledge of sustainability.
ATHENAS was a multi-institutional initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture