| NSF Org: |
OISE Office of International Science and Engineering |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | June 17, 2021 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | April 8, 2025 |
| Award Number: | 2107572 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Naoru Koizumi
nkoizumi@nsf.gov (703)292-7079 OISE Office of International Science and Engineering O/D Office Of The Director |
| Start Date: | July 1, 2021 |
| End Date: | June 30, 2026 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $298,255.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $298,255.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
3124 TAMU COLLEGE STATION TX US 77843-3124 (979)862-6777 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
3131 TAMU College Station TX US 77843-3131 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | IRES Track I: IRES Sites (IS) |
| Primary Program Source: |
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| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.079 |
ABSTRACT
This project aims to establish an International Research Experience for Students Site focused on Smart Manufacturing and AI for Industry 4.0 at Aix en Provence, France. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Standards observes that Smart Manufacturing and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are among the chief knowledge gaps of the entering industrial workforce, and this skill gap can lead to $2.5 trillion economic output loss in the next decade. This gap may also impede key scientific discoveries and technological innovations necessary for realizing high-performance and sustainable industrial practice. This project contributes to addressing this critical gap to the nation?s economic sustainability by imparting diverse groups of US engineering students world-class research skills in smart manufacturing and AI through international cohort experiences. It would provide the entering knowledge workforce with hands-on skills in the state-of-the-art industry-scale machines and platforms. It would also instill the abilities to transcend cultural barriers and harness transatlantic resources to effectively deal with the emerging quality, sustainability, security, and productivity challenges of the industry. The project will also broaden professional networks, deepen relationships of a diverse student cohort with the industry, and introduce students to international practices in innovation and technology development. Taken together, the proposed research experiences will contribute to the development of a diverse, globally-engaged US workforce with world-class skills in the area of immense value to the nation?s economy.
The project will be hosted at Arts et Métiers, the Grande Ecole of Technology at Aix en Provence, France. The project offers a seven weeks long research experience and internship program for a diverse cohort of students for three years, focusing on Smart Manufacturing and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the emerging industrial era. The PI and the international host currently co-lead a transatlantic partnership between Texas A&M Engineering and Arts et Métiers, and have initiated research collaborations and a consortium with the industry in Europe focused on smart manufacturing and AI. As part of this partnership, a total of 75 study abroad students and one summer intern spent 8 weeks at Arts et Métiers as well as Henri Fabre Technocenter, a unique public-private partnership consortium established in the South France region. Leveraging these efforts, four broad project themes have been identified to provide world-class research internship experiences to students. Every project will require the student group to engage the industry partner (e.g., Airbus, Essilor, Sateco, Total) to advance the theory and methods of AI/data science to address a specific challenge in an emerging manufacturing platform (e.g., 3-D printing, rapid casting, sustainable machining). Besides providing hands-on experiences with unique industry-scale testbeds at the host location, the proposed project will feature a variety of innovative enrichment activities (e.g., Invent for the Planet) and interactions with the European industry.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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