NCNGM AT HI-TEC 2024 KANSAS CITY

Pictured left to right: Back row: Anthony Sihaphong, Diego Angeles, Eric Flynn, Andrew Angle, Douglas Mooney, Daniel Davidchik, Jerry Muller, John Birch. Middle row: Dr. Karen Wosczyna-Birch, Sharon Gusky, Alissa Pace, Kaiden Esteves. Bottom row: Wendy Robicheau, Marco Taverner. (Affiliations can be found at the end of this article).

Our team had a blast attending the High Impact Technology Exchange Conference (HI-TEC) 2024 at the Crown Center Sheraton Hotel. Despite the heatwave, attendance was record-breaking for the annual conference. The National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing (NCNGM), funded by the National Science Foundation, is honored to have been an Executive Level Supporter of HI-TEC in Kansas City, MO!

Jerry Muller answers HI-TEC attendees’ questions during the NCNGM sponsored Next Generation Manufacturing Special Interest Group (SIG) Workshop.

NCNGM sponsored several pre-conference activities and main conference session, providing students, professors, and professionals a platform to network and engage with its content. This opportunity to connect with diverse participants, gain valuable insights, and enhance their educational and professional journeys was a source of excitement and eagerness for all involved.

Dr. Karen Wosczyna-Birch speaks with HI-TEC attendees during the Business and Industry Leadership Teams for Advanced Manufacturing Programs panel discussion.

The NCNGM kicked off HI-TEC with a pre-conference workshop, Incorporating Professional Skills and Team Building Into Your Curriculum, presented by John Birch of The Birch Group. Participants in this full-day workshop learned about their own DISC behavioral profile and how to work with people of different profiles with the goal of developing successful, productive team environments.

The 2024 Next Generation Manufacturing Special Interest Group (SIG) meeting focused on equipping the future advanced manufacturing workforce with the skills needed by industry. The National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing facilitated discussion, dissemination, and networking among attendees. The SIG included a panel that provided an overview of the advanced manufacturing industry and how the field will be impacted by incorporating Industry 4.0 technologies such as AI. Presenters from our leadership team reviewed strategies for addressing challenges within the national advanced manufacturing technician education community that can be implemented at participants’ institutions.

During the panel titled Business and Industry Leadership Teams for Advanced Manufacturing Programs, members of the NCNGM leadership team shared their experiences developing Business and Industry Leadership Teams (BILTs), incorporating the information learned into programs, and plans for BILTs in additional disciplines. NCNGM Principal Investigator & Executive Director Karen Wosczyna-Birch, Mechatronics  Consultant Doug Pauley, NCNGM Co-PI’s Tim Baber, Jerry Muller, and BILT Consultant Ann Beheler demonstrated how the BILT model works and which BILTs have been completed for advanced manufacturing disciplines.

Finally, during the Diversity and the Advanced Manufacturing Workforce panel, attendees heard personal experiences from students in advanced manufacturing fields, including what helped them persist when facing challenges throughout their career paths. They also learned about strategies and resources for recruiting and retaining students from underrepresented populations in advanced manufacturing fields from Dr. Karen Wosczyna-Birch.

MET² students present their project during NCNGM HI-TEC 2024 poster session. Pictured left to right: Diego Angeles, Anthony Sihaphong, Alissa Pace, and Kaiden Esteves.

NCNGM also had a booth in the exhibit hall and a poster session where attendees spoke with students from the Connecticut Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering Technologies (MET²) Program, leadership partners, and professors from Central Community College in Nebraska, College of the Canyons in California, Columbus State Community College in Ohio, and Connecticut State Community College in Connecticut. We are committed to highlighting our other programs and activities, ensuring everyone feels included, welcomed, and valued in our community!

Daniel Davidchik explains the curriculum of the Summer Mechatronics Workshop offered by Central Community College to eager-to-learn students of NCNGM sponsored MET² program. Pictured left to right: Kaiden Esteves, Daniel Davidchik, Alissa Pace, Diego Angeles, and Anthony Sihaphong.

We thank our partners and leadership team for a successful HI-TEC 2024 conference experience! Partners Central Community College College of the Canyons Colombus State Community College Connecticut State Community College Connecticut State Colleges and Universities Connecticut College of Technology EdAdvance Professionals, Faculty, Students and Staff Dr. Karen Wosczyna-Birch, Principal Investigator and Executive Director, National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing Tim Baber, Co-PI NCNGM and Department Chair, Manufacturing Technology , College of the Canyons, California Jerry Muller, Co-PI NCNGM and Industrial Technology Coordinator/Trainer, Central Community College, Nebraska Ann Behler, Co-PI Director of BILT program and Business Consultant Andrew Angle, STEM Teacher Bloomfield School District, Connecticut Daniel Davidchik, Mechatronics Instructor, Central Community College, Nebraska Douglas Mooney, CT State Community College Northwestern, Connecticut Doug Pauley, Associate Dean, Community and Workforce Education, Central Community College, Nebraska Eric Flynn, Professor, CT State Community College Gateway, Connecticut John Birch, The Birch Group, Connecticut Sharon Gusky, Professor, CT State Community College Northwestern, Connecticut Wendy Robicheau, Assistant Director, National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing Marco Taverner, Community Engagement Coordinator, National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing Anthony Sihaphong, University of New Haven, Connecticut Alissa Pace, CT State Community College Manchester, Connecticut Diego Angeles, CT State Community College Manchester, Connecticut Kaiden Esteves, Central Connecticut State University, Connecticut