Henry C. Renski - US grants

This Partnerships for Innovation (PFI) project is a Type II (A:B) partnership, occurring within the University of Massachusetts Amherst with participation from the NSF PFI graduated grantee (0090521) in collaboration with participants from two other NSF partnership supported programs (both
I/UCRCs): Center for University of Massachusetts and Industry Research on Polymers (CUMIRP), which was founded in 1980 and has since graduated but is still active, and e-Design Center (0332508/0838747). The precision manufacturing sector, primarily Small and Mid-sized Enterprises (SMEs), is an important part of the economic base of Western Massachusetts with significant employment. The industry is currently challenged by cyclical markets, increased global competition, aging facilities/technologies and insufficient labor supply. The PFI program which was put in place in 2000 successfully established a regional industry network, Regional Technology Corporation (RTC), and this proposed program will enable significant enhancement and sustainability of technology transfer. This project will stimulate transformation of relevant new discoveries at UMass to SMEs that have little or no experience working with a research institution. Drawing upon the scientific and engineering research conducted at UMass, the university and the SMEs will collaborate on targeted and tailored research projects focused on translation and application. UMass facilities, state-of-the-art testing and characterization equipment, as well as its engineering design and management tools, will complement the project's translation and application process

The expected outcome of this program is a sustainable regional innovation infrastructure that supports effective transformation of the precision manufacturing SMEs to new markets through infusion of new technologies with a flexible and capable workforce. SMEs are a significant part of the U.S. economic engine and have contributed greatly to employment growth and economic development. The evaluation and assessment of this program should lead to important and transferable learning. The focus on enhancing technology transfer and translational work with SMEs, on partnering with regional assets, and on seeking additional financial support should ensure that the impacts of the program are meaningful, documented, disseminated and sustained.

Partners at the inception of the project are Academic Institutions: University of Massachusetts Amherst (lead institution), including participation of the Office of the Vice Chancellor of Research and Engagement, Office of Research Liaison and Development, Office of Commercial Ventures and Intellectual Property, Polymer Science and Engineering Department, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Center for UMass-Industry Research on Polymers, Center for e-Design, and Department of Landscape Architecture and Region Planning; and Holyoke Community College; Private Sector Organizations: Ben Franklin Design and Manufacturing Company, Inc.; State and Regional Organizations: Regional Employment Board of Hampden County, Inc., MA; and Regional Technology Corporation,(RTC), MA. Other participating organizations and personnel include Academic: Springfield Technical Community College; and State and Regional Organizations: Economic Development Council for Western Massachusetts, and Western Mass Chapter-National Tooling and Machining Association (WMNTMA).

Intelligent, interactive, and highly networked machines are a growing part of work and the workplace. Automation is moving from the factory floor to knowledge and service occupations. The potential benefits of technology include increased productivity and more job opportunities. But technology connected to work can also carry substantial social costs. The workshop supported by this award will promote the convergence of education, social and behavioral sciences, computational sciences, and engineering with stakeholders. This diverse group will define key research challenges that focus on the intersection of humans, technology, and work. Convergence is the deep integration of knowledge, theories, methods, and data from multiple fields to form new and expanded frameworks for addressing scientific and societal challenges and opportunities. Two workshops will address the future of work at the human-technology frontier. The workshops will focus on the challenges of shaping emergent technologies that are equitable. They will also consider how the technologies will engage a wider range of people in the workforce of the future. The results of the workshops will include reports, communication materials, and the organization of interdisciplinary panels at professional scientific meetings.

The specific focus of this workshop effort is on understanding the social and technical dimensions of new technologies. The goal is to develop a research agenda that will help us understand the challenges of shaping emergent technologies in ways that result in good jobs for a wide range of U.S. workers. This includes a workshop that will bring together expert scientists to consider (1) how the changing organization of work and technology affects income inequality; (2) how decisions are made in developing artificial intelligence and processes for human-technology partnerships; (3) how to develop methods for assessing emerging technologies in terms of likely work satisfaction and inequality in employment outcomes; and (4) how workforce development and economic systems can help make high-paying stable jobs widely available. The second workshop will include stakeholders and will focus on how to use these ideas at the local level.