NCNGM attends the CT Manufacturing Summit 2024

Oct 30

3 min read

Pictured left to right: Mary Bidwell, Director of Advanced Manufacturing at CT State Asnuntuck; Dr. Karen Wosczyna-Birch, Principal Investigator and Executive Director of the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing (NCNGM) & Executive Director of CT State's College of Technology; Wendy Robicheau, Assistant Director NCNGM; and Marco Taverner, Community Engagement Coordinator NCNGM.

The National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing, funded by the National Science Foundation attended the sold-out Connecticut Manufacturing Summit in Hartford, Connecticut. NCNGM met with partners at Connecticut State Colleges and Universities and Connecticut State Community College, whose programming through the Connecticut College of Technology provides engineering and technology educational pathways. We witnessed state leaders Governor Ned Lamont and Senator Richard Blumenthal speak about the impact of the manufacturing industry on Connecticut's economy and how Connecticut is a model for the rest of the nation.

Pictured above: Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal addresses the audience.

The Connecticut Manufacturing Summit is a culmination of the efforts of the Connecticut Office of Manufacturing, administered through CT State's College of Technology, the Connecticut Building Industry Association, the American Manufacturing Hall of Fame, the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, and various sponsors. However, the true success of the event was due to the 1000 attendees, representing various sectors and backgrounds, who added widespread support for the state of Connecticut's manufacturing industry. Their presence and enthusiasm were integral to the event's success. The afternoon was spent listening to keynote speakers and panelists emphasizing the importance of reaching a larger demographic for the workforce.

Pictured above: The Connecticut District Export Council, U.S. Commercial Service, and Shipman & Goodwin present the Connecticut Export Awards to leading companies' representatives.

The summit also presented the Connecticut Manufacturing Awards to educators, and the Connecticut Export Awards went to various Connecticut industries. Paul Lavoie announced an inspiring poll result for the Coolest Thing Made in Connecticut, the winner being the Virginia Class Submarine manufactured by General Dynamics Electric Boat. During their meal, attendees were presented with a cinematic and informative look back at Connecticut's 50 Firsts Innovations by the American Manufacturing Hall of Fame. There was also an exhibition for attendees to take photos and learn about the history and variety of Connecticut innovations at the summit.

Pictured above: The American Manufacturing Hall of Fame presented their "Innovation Walk" traveling exhibition, which showcased the 50 Innovations of Connecticut's manufacturing industry. The National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing is proud that our Principal Investigator, Dr. Karen Wosczyna-Birch, was a moderator for the final panel, “Driving Innovation in the Manufacturing Sector.” She asked industry leaders questions about their processes and visions for their companies. Their dialogue was engaging and a fine way to wrap up the summit.

Left to right: Monique Iken, President of PMC-STS, Inc.; Jeffery Davis, President & Ceo, Sheffield Pharmaceuticals; Dr. Karen Wosczyna-Birch, PI and Executive Director NCNGM & Executive Director CT State's College of Technology Shelly Fasano, CEO Dymotek; Justin Wolfanger, Presidents, Systems, Electronics & Controls, Triumph Group. This event was a motivating start to Manufacturing Month, and we look forward to more to come, not only in October but all year round! We are excited about the future initiatives that will continue to inspire manufacturing education. Thanks to Paul Lavoie, Connecticut's Chief of Manufacturing, for graciously hosting the event and for the team that made the CT Manufacturing Summit 2024 a resounding success!