{"id":9689,"date":"2012-05-30T12:08:29","date_gmt":"2012-05-30T16:08:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sciencebusiness.technewslit.com\/?p=9689"},"modified":"2012-05-30T12:08:29","modified_gmt":"2012-05-30T16:08:29","slug":"challenge-seeks-regional-advanced-manufacturing-solutions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/technewslit.com\/sciencebusiness\/?p=9689","title":{"rendered":"Challenge Seeks Regional Advanced Manufacturing Solutions"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Industrial<\/a>
(Commerce.gov)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Six U.S. federal agencies, including National Science Foundation, are funding a new challenge that seeks ways of building a region’s manufacturing capabilities. In addition to NSF, the Advanced Manufacturing Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge<\/a> — the third of these competitions — is supported by Economic Development Administration and National Institute of Standards and Technology in Department of Commerce, Department of Energy, Department of Labor, and Small Business Administration.<\/p>\n

The challenge will award some $26 million to 12 projects that help the development and implementation of regionally-driven economic strategies supporting advanced manufacturing and cluster development. The agencies say proposals are encouraged that help grow a region’s industry clusters by strengthening connections to regional economic opportunities and advanced manufacturing assets.<\/p>\n

Funded projects are also expected to enhance a region’s capacity to create high-quality sustainable jobs, and develop a skilled and diverse advanced manufacturing workforce. Other objectives of the challenge, say the funding agencies, include increasing exports, encouraging development of small businesses, and accelerating technological innovation.<\/p>\n

Thomas Peterson, NSF’s assistant director for engineering, says the partnership will enable his agency to “connect innovations from NSF-supported advanced manufacturing research with stakeholders who can accelerate technology commercialization and economic growth.” Peterson adds that NSF is making available up to $1 million for existing NSF Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II grantees that are part of winning projects.<\/p>\n

Economic Development Administration, one of the funding agencies, notes that manufacturing accounts for 70 percent of private-sector R&D and 60 percent of U.S. exports-including a record $1.2 trillion in goods exported in 2011. Over the past 25 months, manufacturers have created nearly half a million jobs, the most since 1995.<\/p>\n

The deadline for applications is 9 July 2012. More details, including application guidelines, are available on the Manufacturing.gov<\/a> Web site.<\/p>\n

Read more:<\/p>\n