TEA Center Renewal: Sustaining Technological Excellence Pursuit in Advanced Manufacturing at Navajo Technical University (S.T.E.P)

部落学院和大学计划（TCUP）的一个目标是提高TCUP机构的智力领导地位，从而使他们能够为他们的社区或更广泛地为美国解决科学或工程方面的优先事项。TCUP企业发展中心（TEA中心）支持TCUP机构运用其STEM教学和研究能力来实现这一目标。该项目由纳瓦霍技术大学（NTU）提交，名为“TEA中心更新：纳瓦霍技术大学（S.T.E.P）在先进制造业中持续追求技术卓越”，通过更新纳瓦霍技术大学的TEA先进制造中心，直接与TCUP目标保持一致。先进制造中心（CAM）以先进制造（AM）为主题，通过提供学生实习和教师研究经验、推进AM技术、发表六篇研究论文等活动，在整合AM研究、教育和劳动力发展方面取得了巨大成功。该中心与国家实验室、工业和其他高等教育机构的协同合作伙伴关系促进了跨组织资源的利用，跨学科合作研究，以及尖端的学生实习和劳动力发展经验。该中心的重建将在这些基本成功的基础上进行建设和扩展，以推进其目标。在CAM的下一阶段，该中心将推进网络安全和绿色能源技术等高优先研究领域。将提供额外的教育机会，如AM特定领域的微认证，教师研讨会和赞助的研究生研究经验。与地区和国家组织的伙伴关系将继续并包括新的合作者，促进知识的进步和合作伙伴的AM教育和研发目标。该中心将通过持续发展熟练的技术劳动力和为追求高级学位的学生做准备，进一步为纳瓦霍民族的经济稳定做出贡献。CAM还将继续与纳瓦霍民族代表合作，确定STEM优先事项，并设计满足部落特定需求的活动。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

A goal of the Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (TCUP) is to increase the intellectual leadership of TCUP institutions, thereby positioning them to address scientific or engineering priorities for their communities, or broadly for the United States. The TCUP Enterprise Advancement Centers (TEA Centers) strand supports TCUP institutions in applying their STEM instructional and research capacity to address this goal. This project, submitted by Navajo Technical University (NTU) and titled “TEA Center Renewal: Sustaining Technological Excellence Pursuit in Advanced Manufacturing at Navajo Technical University (S.T.E.P)", aligns directly with TCUP goals through the renewal of the TEA Center for Advanced Manufacturing housed at Navajo Technical University. Focusing on the theme of advanced manufacturing (AM), the Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CAM) has experienced great success in integrating AM research, education, and workforce development through activities such as the provision of student internships and faculty research experiences, the advancement of AM techniques, and the publication of six research articles. The center’s synergistic partnerships with national laboratories, industry, and other institutions of higher education have fostered leveraging of resources across organizations, collaborative interdisciplinary research, and cutting-edge student internship and workforce development experiences. The renewal of the center will build and expand on these foundational successes to advance its goals.During the next phase of the CAM, the center will move forward into high priority research areas such as cybersecurity and green energy technologies. Additional educational opportunities will be offered such as micro-certifications in specific areas of AM, workshops for faculty, and sponsored graduate student research experiences. Partnering with regional and national organizations will continue and include new collaborators, promoting the advancement of knowledge and partners’ AM education and R&D goals. The center will further its contribution to the economic stability of the Navajo Nation through the continued development of a skilled technical workforce and preparation of students for the pursuit of advanced degrees. The CAM will also continue collaborations with Navajo Nation representatives in the identification of STEM priorities and design of activities that address the specific needs of the Tribe.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.