REU Site: Research Experience for student Veterans in Advanced Manufacturing and entrePreneurship (REVAMP)

Georgia Tech Research Corporation, Atlanta GA

Investigators

Abstract

This REU site is funded by the Division of Engineering Education and Centers of NSF. The three year REU Site program at Georgia Institute of Technology will enhance the educational experience of undergraduate students in the fundamental principles of (1) advanced manufacturing science and technology; and (2) the transition of basic discoveries in manufacturing science into innovative commercial products and processes. This REU program will focus on training of veterans and minority students and it will engage 10 undergraduate students each year who will perform hands-on fundamental manufacturing research in several critical areas including additive manufacturing, precision machining, scalable nanomanufacturing, and sustainable design and manufacturing. By leveraging Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute (GTMI)'s world-class facilities, diverse technical expertise, and inspiring interdisciplinary research environment, the proposed REU activity will give students the opportunity to improve knowledge in the critically important advanced manufacturing technology topic areas mentioned above. Training in research methodology, performance of scientific manufacturing research, and completion of technical seminars provided by GTMI faculty will significantly expand each student?s manufacturing knowledgebase, preparing them for future careers in advanced manufacturing. The research experience will be enhanced by entrepreneurship training via seminars focused on the fundamentals of entrepreneurship offered by the Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI2) and interactions with startup company leaders through the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC). With such entrepreneurship training, students will also have a unique transformative opportunity to develop critical leadership skills for transitioning basic research discoveries into commercially-viable innovations. This REU site focuses on the critical national need of manufacturing, and more specifically, advanced manufacturing research and technology, which will play a crucial role in positioning the U.S. manufacturing sector as a continued world leader. A unique feature of this REU site is its focus on training of veterans and minority students. To accomplish this, GTMI will target the top 15 universities/colleges in the nation for veteran enrollment and several HBCU's and institutions with high female enrollment for recruiting effort. A minimum of five veteran participants will be recruited to the program each summer and at least 40% of all participants will be from underrepresented groups. This REU site will serve as a new educational model for training 21st century engineers. It will combine advanced manufacturing research training with the principles of entrepreneurship, encouraging students to become leaders in innovation and technology transfer, and thereby helping to fill the current void between fundamental research and technology commercialization in the US. The site will benefit from the unique skill sets and maturity of veterans while simultaneously providing an unparalleled opportunity to ease their transition back into civilian life as a student and improve their future employability. Consequently, it is expected that the site will serve as a model for educating veterans in STEM and entrepreneurship that can be replicated by other colleges and universities throughout the nation. In addition, the REU site will support and encourage strong participation by women and minorities in manufacturing-related STEM fields.