Developing a Highly Skilled Workforce for Domestic Natural Rubber Production
Outcome/Accomplishment
New cutting-edge research opportunities are available to students and teachers at the National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded Engineering Research Center (ERC) for Transformation of American Rubber through Domestic Innovation for Supply Security (NSF TARDISS), headquartered at North Carolina State University. The Center recently launched NSF-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) and Research Experience for Teachers (RET) programs.
Impact/Benefits
: The implementation of REU and RET is part of NSF TARDISS’ Engineering Workforce Development (EWD) program designed to equip a diverse workforce comprised of highly qualified workers for the growing natural rubber (NR) economy, fostered through the creation of the American Natural Rubber Academy (ANRA). The ANRA will educate as well as train the current and future US workforce at all levels including K-12 students, teachers, farmers/manufacturers, undergraduate and graduate students, and post-doctoral researchers.
Explanation/Background
TARDISS plays a leadership role in research and accelerates current federal (e.g., Department of Defense and Department of Agriculture) and industrial (e.g., Goodyear, Bridgestone) efforts towards a domestic natural rubber (NR) supply. The Center focuses its efforts toward fundamental research into plant biology and rubber technology obstacles that have impeded cultivation and processing of potential domestic crops.
The TARDISS team also addresses education and workforce development, merging education in rubber engineering with smart agricultural practices, aimed at the current aging workforce in industry and the workforce for the new millennium. Through ANRA, an emerging workforce will acquire skills needed, embedded in fundamental knowledge. New minors, graduate courses, certificates, and possibly degrees will be developed for the growing NR industry to produce scientists, engineers, biological and agricultural specialists, and other experts.
The students and teachers in the REU and RET programs gained experience in cutting-edge interdisciplinary research, received mentoring, and participated in seminars. REU students also participated in a professional development series for careers in NR. In their first year, TARDISS exceeded its recruitment goals for these programs by 33%, with 38% of undergraduate participants coming from schools outside of TARDISS.
Location
Raleigh, NCwebsite
Start Year
Advanced Manufacturing
Advanced Manufacturing
Lead Institution
Core Partners
Fact Sheet
Outcome/Accomplishment
New cutting-edge research opportunities are available to students and teachers at the National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded Engineering Research Center (ERC) for Transformation of American Rubber through Domestic Innovation for Supply Security (NSF TARDISS), headquartered at North Carolina State University. The Center recently launched NSF-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) and Research Experience for Teachers (RET) programs.
Location
Raleigh, NCwebsite
Start Year
Advanced Manufacturing
Advanced Manufacturing
Lead Institution
Core Partners
Fact Sheet
Impact/benefits
: The implementation of REU and RET is part of NSF TARDISS’ Engineering Workforce Development (EWD) program designed to equip a diverse workforce comprised of highly qualified workers for the growing natural rubber (NR) economy, fostered through the creation of the American Natural Rubber Academy (ANRA). The ANRA will educate as well as train the current and future US workforce at all levels including K-12 students, teachers, farmers/manufacturers, undergraduate and graduate students, and post-doctoral researchers.
Explanation/Background
TARDISS plays a leadership role in research and accelerates current federal (e.g., Department of Defense and Department of Agriculture) and industrial (e.g., Goodyear, Bridgestone) efforts towards a domestic natural rubber (NR) supply. The Center focuses its efforts toward fundamental research into plant biology and rubber technology obstacles that have impeded cultivation and processing of potential domestic crops.
The TARDISS team also addresses education and workforce development, merging education in rubber engineering with smart agricultural practices, aimed at the current aging workforce in industry and the workforce for the new millennium. Through ANRA, an emerging workforce will acquire skills needed, embedded in fundamental knowledge. New minors, graduate courses, certificates, and possibly degrees will be developed for the growing NR industry to produce scientists, engineers, biological and agricultural specialists, and other experts.
The students and teachers in the REU and RET programs gained experience in cutting-edge interdisciplinary research, received mentoring, and participated in seminars. REU students also participated in a professional development series for careers in NR. In their first year, TARDISS exceeded its recruitment goals for these programs by 33%, with 38% of undergraduate participants coming from schools outside of TARDISS.