Investing in the future: Bringing research and industry into simulation-based manufacturing education

Manufacturing makes tremendous contributions to the economy as it increases gross domestic product and exports, creates high-paying jobs, generates meaningful return on investment, and supports many other sectors. The future of manufacturing depends on preparing younger generations for innovation and skill-intensive jobs through Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs. However, there is a dearth of manufacturing presence in the current curricular content as most STEM high school and community college educators do not have training in manufacturing concepts and likely have not worked in the modern manufacturing industry. An effective way of bringing manufacturing to the curriculum is to include simulation and automation hands-on experimentation. This paper presents the second year of an ongoing Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) Site in Manufacturing Simulation and Automation. The objectives of the program are to 1) improve instructors' research and professional skills, and 2) help them translate the cutting-edge manufacturing research to their classrooms by creating and implementing new curricula. This will stimulate students' interest in the topic and strengthen manufacturing education.