Virginia's additive manufacturing and advanced materials Tech Hub gathered in Virginia Tech's Kelly Hall for their All-Hands meeting on November 15, 2024.

Meeting participants learned about the innovative work Virginia Tech is doing in the additive manufacturing and advanced materials space through visits to the following labs:

Consortium members, Megan Atkinson, director of Career and Technical Education for Pulaski County Public Schools; Vince Baranauskas, chief technology officer for MacroVation; Anthony Cerilli, senior vice president for GENEDGE; Nickie Hawkins, director of the Virginia Innovation Accelerator and Services with the Advancement Foundation; and Scott Wallace, plant manager for Corning Incorporated, also shared updates about their company activities and needs with the group.

"A lot of my work over the past 6 or 7 years is making sure our middle school students know about the careers that are right across the street," said Atkinson. "So many amazing things are manufactured in Pulaski County and the New River Valley. Great Opportunities in Technology and Engineering Careers (GO TEC) is an organization that provides middle school students an early introduction to occupations and foundational training. GO TEC is coming to middle school labs across the New River Valley. Approximately $125,000 worth of equipment, including 3D printers and metrology equipment, will come into our school labs so students will get to see what an additive manufacturing process looks like."

Christopher Williams, L.S. Randolph professor in Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech, speaks at the Tech Hub meeting.

Christopher Williams, L.S. Randolph professor in Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech, speaks at the Tech Hub meeting.

Christopher Williams, L.S. Randolph professor in Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech, speaks at the Tech Hub meeting. Christopher Williams leads a tour of the Future of Manufacturing Lab. Gallery Image Gallery Image Virginia Tech Professor in the Department of Chemistry Robert Moore leads a tour of the Materials Characterization Lab. Gallery Image The Tech Hub consortium got the opportunity to visit the Learning Factory, which is directed by Matt Earnest, Virginia Tech associate professor of practice in Industrial and Systems Engineering. Emma Carroll, regional innovation officer for the New River Valley Regional Commission, speaks at the meeting. Scott Wallace, plant manager at Corning Incorporated, shares an update with the consortium. Nickie Hawkins, director of The Virginia Innovation Accelerator and Services with the Advancement Foundation, shares an update with the consortium. Anthony Cerilli, senior vice president at GENEDGE, shares an update with the consortium. Vince Baranauskas, chief technology officer for MacroVation, shares an update with the consortium. Megan Atkinson, director of Career and Technical Education for Pulaski County Public Schools, shares an update with the consortium.