National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing

09/04/2026

The National Science Foundation (NSF) funded National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing's Executive Director, Dr. Karen Wosczyna-Birch, was featured in WTNH News 8 coverage of the 2026 Connecticut Manufacturing Innovation Forum. She emphasizes that an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-ready workforce isn't just about AI replacing workers, but about workers who know AI replacing those who don't. She supports building a strong learning foundation while acknowledging AI's future. Read the article and watch the video at the link below!

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — The state’s Manufacturing Innovation Summit went on all day Tuesday in Hartford, where hundreds of people discussed the future of making things in Connecticut. Organi…

09/03/2026

Under the continued leadership of Dr. Karen Wosczyna Birch as Executive Director and Principal Investigator, the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing (NCNGM) is excited to announce the renewal of the National Science Foundation (NSF) grant! The Center made this official announcement at the 2026 Connecticut Manufacturing Innovation Forum on Tuesday morning, with around 600 industry, education, student, and government stakeholders in attendance. Special thanks to the Connecticut Office of Manufacturing for inviting Dr. Karen Wosczyna-Birch to officially announce the renewal with their platform.

Dr. Wosczyna-Birch also moderated the panel “From CNC to ChatGPT: Integrating AI into Manufacturing Education” alongside educators and industry experts as follows: Jonathan Costa, Director of EdAdvance; David Bergman, Professor and Associate Dean at University of Connecticut School of Business; George Bollas, Professor and Associate Dean at the University of Connecticut School of Engineering; Margherita Mauriello, MSBAPM, PgMP, IT Director, Statutory & Tax at Stanley Black & Decker Inc.;and Ben Cohen Research Assistant, University of Connecticut, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.

The Center extends congratulations to all the Innovation and Student Awardees during The American Manufacturing Hall of Fame: Henkel; Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company (EBAD); Avon High School; Windsor Locks and Suffield High Schools; and Middletown High School. The American Manufacturing Hall of Fame has become New England’s premier voice in manufacturing and educating the next generation of makers.

www.americanmanufacturinghof.com

Beginning in October 2026, the NCNGM grant (DUE ATE # 2556246) will support advanced manufacturing technician education initiatives for approximately five more years. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our leadership team, including Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, Lorain County Community College, College of the Canyons, Columbus State Community College, and Central Community College, as well as our national AI in education partners, Miami Dade College and EdAdvance, for their ongoing support.

08/17/2026

Are you attending the Connecticut Innovation Forum on September 1st, 2026? The National Science Foundation (NSF) funded National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing (NCNGM) will be there. Our Director and Principal Investigator of the NCNGM, Dr. Karen Wosczyna-Birch, will moderate the panel “From CNC to ChatGPT: Integrating AI into Manufacturing Education.” She is joined by panelists Jonathan Costa, Director of EdAdvance; David Bergman, Professor and Associate Dean at UConn School of Business; George Bollas, Professor and Associate Dean at the UConn College of Engineering; and Margherita Mauriello, IT Director, Statutory & Tax at Stanley Black & Decker.

“While predicting the future of manufacturing technology is a perilous exercise, there are a number of workplace trends being driven by AI that provide solid evidence of where things are probably headed. This session will explore these occupational elements and provide a peak around the corner regarding what future manufacturing work might look like in an economic landscape dominated by AI.” Read more at: https://web.cvent.com/event/52ed7182-4bda-4e05-bd70-88f9fb4e08be/summary

We look forward to this event and hope you will join us for a statewide day of manufacturing collaboration and discussion!

08/17/2026

The National Science Foundation (NSF) funded National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing (NCNGM) proudly sponsored, presented, and exhibited at the Rhode Island Association for Career and Technical Education Summer Conference. Highlights included keynote speaker Matt Mervis from Skills21 at EdAdvance and co-host of the ChatEDU Podcast, along with other sponsors and organizations. This event brought together Rhode Island’s ACTE community for professional development, networking, and outreach opportunities. The host, New England Institute of Technology, was an excellent venue to showcase their facilities and invited students from across the state to learn from career technician educators and industry partners.

Supporting organizations are as follows: LIUNA, EduPolaris AI Corporation, SkillsUSA, Delta Dental Ins., Pearson, Lori A Ferguson Consulting, YouScience, Savvas Learning Company, zSpace, Inc., The College Board, Brisk Teaching, Paxton/Patterson Labs, Lakeshore Learning Materials, Rhode Island Nursing Education Center, Snap-On, General Dynamics Electric Boat, Roger Williams University, Lincoln Tech, WindWinRI , VR Core Education, MyCareerCloset, Rhode Island College, FCCLA, Del's Lemonade, Trader Joe's

08/07/2026

Final HI-TEC Highlights! Last week, the National Science Foundation (NSF) (NSF) funded National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing participated in and was an executive producer of the HI-TEC (High Impact Technology Exchange Conference). We highlighted some events, sessions, and notable initiatives during this week post-conference.

The Center’s Director and Principal Investigator (PI), Dr. Karen Wosczyna Birch, participated in a luncheon panel discussion with other P*s of NSF ATE National Centers. Together, each center explored the effects of artificial intelligence in their sectors, addressing issues such as cybersecurity attacks, environmental concerns, and job security. They also answered questions from the audience about how community colleges can implement and upskill technician training programs and prepare graduates for the AI-ready workplace.

The moderator and panel participants pictured below are as follows: Dr. Kristine Christensen, Director and Principal Investigator of Explore Cyber at Moraine Valley Community College Main Campus; Dr. Karen Wosczyna Birch, Principal Investigator, National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing (NCNGM); Andrew McMahan, Director, the Environmental and Natural Resources Technology Center (EARTh Center); Kevin Cooper, Principal Investigator, National Electric Vehicle Consortium (NEVC); and Michele Robinson, Senior Director, National Cybersecurity Training & Education Center (NCyTE Center).

That wraps up our highlights this week. HITEC 2027 will take place in Denver, CO, and we cannot wait to see you all there in the future!

08/06/2026

Drumroll please! 🥁

Last week, the National Science Foundation (NSF) funded National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing participated in and was an executive producer of the HI-TEC (High Impact Technology Exchange Conference). At our booth, we offered visitors a chance to enter a raffle to win a SparkFun Electronics, Inc. Inventor’s Kit for micro:bit v2!

“This device is a fantastic way to get creative, connected, and coding. It not only provides the micro:bit v2 board itself, but absolutely everything you need to hook up and experiment with multiple electronic circuits. By following along, you will be able to complete projects that teach you how to read sensors, move motors, build Bluetooth devices, and much more.” (sparkfun.com)

The winners of the NCNGM booth raffle are as follows:

Angela Hiley from Carteret Community College

Alok Verma from Marine Engineering Technology at Texas A&M University Galveston Campus

Susette Kilgore from Cleveland State Community College

Anselm Knights from Miami Dade College

Matthew Weaver from Skagit Valley College

Congratulations to the winners, and don't hesitate to tag us when you receive and use your new micro:bit kit!

08/06/2026

HI-TEC Highlights! Last week, the National Science Foundation (NSF) funded National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing participated in and was an executive producer of the HI-TEC (High Impact Technology Exchange Conference). We will be highlighting some events, sessions, and notable initiatives during this week post-conference, pictured below.

We also had many visitors to our booth, including educators who wanted to learn more about what the NCNGM has to offer. We had the Central Community College’s Mechatronics trainers on display, as well as flyers for our initiatives such as the Manufacturing Leadership Academy in partnership with the Center for Occupational Research & Development (CORD). Our Director, Dr. Karen Wosczyna-Birch, also spoke with educators on NCNGM's to foster new collaborations with educators and community colleges nationwide.

To find out more about the Manufacturing Leadership Academy, sign up through this link: https://www.cord.org/2026-manufacturing-leadership-academy/

Don't forget to become a member of our Community of Practice distribution list to get the latest updates and news from the NCNGM directly! https://forms.gle/nH4wYS7BTYRAWoS3A

During the poster session, the Assistant Director of the NCNGM presented the following poster:

"Mentor Up – A Longitudinal Study

The Mentor Up Program (DUE #2032835), funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) program, provided a mentoring program for community college teams submitting NSF Advanced Technological Education proposals. The project aligned with the NSF ATE program objective to provide leadership opportunities for faculty at two-year institutions. It supported educating the skilled technical workforce for the industries that keep the United States globally competitive. The key outcome of Mentor Up is an increase in the number of competitive NSF ATE proposals submitted by community college faculty. This poster demonstrated the results of a longitudinal study of the Mentor Up outcomes.

Wendy Robicheau, Project Manager, Mentor Up"

For more details visit: https://atementorup.org

08/05/2026

Meet one of our keynote speakers for the State of Connecticut Manufacturing Innovation Forum!

Toni Neary, Director of Community Engagement & Workforce Innovation at SME, has spent over 20 years championing career and technical education and the role manufacturing plays in creating pathways to prosperity. From growing the talent pipeline to sparking excitement about manufacturing careers as early as kindergarten, Toni brings a powerful perspective on building the next generation of our workforce.

Join us September 1 at the Connecticut Convention Center. Register today:
https://ow.ly/UFQB50ZwlB7

08/05/2026

HI-TEC Highlights! Last week, the National Science Foundation (NSF) funded National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing participated in and was an executive producer of the HI-TEC (High Impact Technology Exchange Conference). We will be highlighting some events, sessions, and notable initiatives during this week post-conference, pictured below.

"Telling the ATE Story on the Hill: Federal Legislative Engagement for College Faculty," featured Lois Josefson, CEO, Greater MN Development Corporation; Olga Pierrakos, Program Officer, National Science Foundation; and David Anderson, Principal Investigator of Resource Collaborative for Immersive Technologies (RECITE). This panel offered insights to the HITEC attendees on the appropriate ways to interact with state legislators regarding their affiliation with the National Science Foundation funding.

Another panel, "Growing from ChatGPT to Autonomous Agents: Reimagining Teaching and Learning" was delivered by John Jagtiani, a Professor at Connecticut State Community College and was joined by his student, Thomas Donofri. Together, they explored how AI applications impact coursework, examining both the instructor's perspective and how students are expected to integrate AI into their studies.

Mullett Gary, a professor at Springfield Technical Community College in Massachusetts, presented at the session "AI and Industrial IoT’s Evolving Role in Industry 4.0". This presentation explored the role that AI and Industrial Internet of Things (IoT) are playing in the increasing implementation of Industry 4.0 and Smart Manufacturing.

Lastly, a session hosted by Manufacturing USA offered an opportunity for HITEC attendees to learn firsthand from two representatives of the 17 Manufacturing USA institutes, introduced by Lisa Fronczek of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The first presenter was Shelby Bledsoe, a project support specialist from the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation - IACMI. The second speaker was Edward D Herderick, who serves as the Director of Education and Workforce Development at America Makes, an organization dedicated to advancing additive manufacturing and 3D printing technologies.

08/04/2026

HI-TEC Highlights! Last week, the National Science Foundation (NSF) funded National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing participated in and was an executive producer of the HI-TEC (High Impact Technology Exchange Conference). We will be highlighting some events, sessions, and notable initiatives during this week post-conference.

The NCNGM has supported Central Community College through their Summer Mechatronics Professional Development program offered to high school, community college, and university instructors. You can now download the Summer 2027 application from our website below!

https://www.nextgenmfg.org/professional-development

Central Community College also engages in other NSF ATE initiatives, such as the grants “Expanding Participation in Advanced Manufacturing DUE ATE # 2400465” and “Building Robust Mechatronics Pathways DUE ATE # 2500493,” also known as Project BUMP. At the HITEC Conference, they presented in the sessions “An Overnight Success Journey: Building a Manufacturing Workforce at a Distance With Mechatronics” and “Advanced Manufacturing and ESL: Analysis of Our Successes and Challenges During Rollout,” shown below.

Each session discussed the successes and challenges of the programs that Central Community College is implementing. One initiative is in partnership with South Central College (MN), where both institutions shared their experiences in developing and delivering a distance mechatronics course sequence to enhance the workforce pipeline. They also covered recruitment strategies, attrition, and challenges with English as a second language (ESL) students in both classroom and lab settings. NSF Project BUMP will apply lessons learned from this project and other initiatives to reach more students for training in mechatronics.