Consortium for Advanced Manufacturing Foresights: Defining the Critical Needs of the Advanced Manufacturing Research Community

Regents Of The University Of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor MI

Investigators

Abstract

The revitalization of the U.S. advanced manufacturing industry requires that promising discoveries, innovations and inventions made in U.S. are matured and manufactured in the U.S. Achieving this goal requires the creation of a mechanism for identifying emerging advanced manufacturing technologies and maturing them through public-private investments in translational and interdisciplinary research and development. The Consortium for Advanced Manufacturing Foresights (Consortium) serves as a "think-and-do tank" to forecast which nascent technologies will most enable future U.S. leadership in advanced manufacturing by leveraging industry knowledge with federal investments in basic and applied research. Technologies will be prioritized based on economic impact, job growth, likely co-investment by the private sector, impact on multiple industry sectors, and the likelihood of the U.S. gaining a first-mover advantage. The Consortium will provide technology roadmaps and reports to the federal government outlining projections for technology development, application, and economic impacts. The Consortium will also identify and report on best practices in technology commercialization and workforce development to guide future investments. Outreach efforts will enhance public knowledge by conveying high-technology career opportunities in advanced manufacturing and the benefits of advanced manufacturing to the economic, energy, health and national security sectors. The Consortium will: 1) Serve as a formal mechanism for soliciting input from across the broad manufacturing community and its supply chains to identify opportunities for federal investments in next generation advanced manufacturing technologies; 2) Convene national thought leaders to prioritize among nascent technologies 3) Articulate visions for aligning advanced manufacturing research, workforce development, and outreach with national priorities and challenges, and; 4) Ensure that key stakeholders and broader audiences are made aware of the criticality and the benefits of advanced manufacturing via an integrated communications strategy. The Leadership Council of the Consortium consists of 30 thought leaders across multiple industry sectors, academia, key manufacturing associations and think tanks representing over 30,000 manufacturing and technology experts. Identification of technologies will incorporate contextual search of publications, datasets and federal research programs and solicited input from industry experts, entrepreneurs, venture capital community, academic researchers and federal technology leaders. The Consortium will produce detailed reports on selected emerging technologies and provide responses to requests for information by federal agencies.