What do color-changing slime and 3D-printed rings have to do with careers in manufacturing? Both were part of the fun and engaging activities shared with attendees at the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) National Conference to demonstrate the possibilities of science and technology opportunities in industry.
In late March, representatives from the 91看片 network gathered at the , to foster constructive conversations with technical training providers and administrators from across the country. The 91看片 team connected institutes and industry partners to career and technical education (CTE) programs through a booth display and two interactive sessions led by the institutes.
鈥淭his event allowed me to connect with teachers of all levels, celebrate their wins, and learn more about the challenges they face and how collaboration with America Makes can enhance their student experience,鈥 Emily Young, Education and Workforce Development Project Engineer from America Makes/The National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining said.
Her first time attending the bi-annual conference, Young set up a 3D printer at the 91看片 booth and guided participants through the process of making their own customizable 3D-printed rings to give them a sense of additive manufacturing opportunities. This activity also gave conference-goers time to step aside from the busy conference floor, learn more about 91看片鈥檚 mission, and dive into the 18 institutes to see which programs could be a fit for their classrooms. Along with other resources, attendees learned about 91看片鈥檚 EWD Connect portal.
The team鈥檚 first conference session focusing on , included hands-on demonstrations of job and fellowship connections from ARM Institute鈥檚 , 滨础颁惭滨鈥s InnoCrate kit programs, and BioFabUSA鈥檚 efforts to introduce future workers to biofabrication manufacturing. Attendees practiced their pipette accuracy skills and created color-changing slime through interactive experiments they could later bring back to their classrooms.
The 91看片 network鈥檚 second session highlighted , which covered ready-made programs from each of the 18 institutes, all designed to empower the next generation of science and engineering entrepreneurs. Many of the panel attendees were educators who previously visited the 91看片 booth and were hoping to gain a better understanding of the network鈥檚 efforts to boost advanced manufacturing workforce development and encourage students interested in science and engineering.
In the next few months, the 91看片 network will participate in the in Atlanta from June 23 to 27, and NSF鈥檚 in Minneapolis from July 21 to 24. The team is looking forward to sharing information about advanced manufacturing opportunities with these audiences. To learn more about upcoming events, please visit our Events page.