LIFT And ASM Partner To Roll Out Materials Camp For STEM Educators

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Detroit, Michigan (June 17, 2015) – Lightweight Innovations for Tomorrow (LIFT), ASM International, and the ASM Educational Foundation today announced the ASMLIFT Materials Camp program, a one-week training program designed to enrich, stimulate and enhance the technical competence and teaching skills of middle and high school STEM teachers. The program includes exposing teachers to valuable lessons in physical science and chemistry, from an engineering perspective, to use for new STEM courses in their schools or to integrate into existing curricula.

“Employers in the 5-state LIFT region including Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee will need to fill nearly 500,000 manufacturing-related job vacancies created by an aging workforce in the coming decade,” said Larry Brown, executive director, LIFT. “Many of these jobs will require more highly skilled workers who understand new technologies like those being developed in our manufacturing innovation institute.”

Curriculum content on the use of lightweight metals and new technologies will be integrated into the programs at 45 camps around the nation, including 12 camps throughout Michigan, Ohio and Indiana scheduled for the summer of 2015. The program teaches high school and middle school teachers to use every-day materials to provide hands-on and meaningful learning experiences that are proven to engage and inspire students in science, engineering, technology and mathematics.

“Teachers are our most valuable resource to build an educated and skilled manufacturing workforce,” said Emily Stover DeRocco, Workforce and Education Director, LIFT. “The cultivation of workers in the coming decade will be instrumental in the success of manufacturing in the region.”

Professor Glenn Daehn of The Ohio State University will serve as the Materials Camp technical advisor. Program education and industry partners include 38 host educational institutions, 200 Master Teachers and faculty, ASM Educational Foundation, ASM International, and local ASM chapter industry volunteers.

“These camps will help provide a skilled workforce to meet current and future workforce demands,” said Daehn. “Our goal is to increase the supply of technically capable young people entering the general arena of engineering and applied science in STEM careers through continued outreach and promotion of lightweighting-related career opportunities.”

For more information on the ASM-LIFT Materials Camp and other LIFT education and workforce development initiatives, please visit www.lift.technology or contact LIFT Workforce & Education Director, Emily DeRocco, at ederocco@lift.technology or ASM Materials Education Foundation Director of Development, Nichol Campana, at Nichol.Campana@asminternational.org

ABOUT LIFT
Lightweight Innovations for Tomorrow (LIFT) is part of the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation and serves as the nation’s essential bridge between basic research and final product commercialization for lightweight metals. The Institute’s worldclass facilities and technology development capabilities provide the “right” solutions for the nation's defense and commercial transportation sectors to promote American competitiveness, energy efficiency, defense readiness, and economic growth. www.lift.technology

ABOUT ASM
ASM International was founded in 1913 as the American Society for Metals. Today, ASM is the world's largest association of metals-centric materials scientists and engineers with over 30,000 members worldwide. ASM is dedicated to informing, educating and connecting the materials community to solve problems and stimulate innovation around the world.

ABOUT ASM Educational Foundation
The ASM Materials Education Foundation provides for the advancement of scientific and engineering knowledge through its support of education and outreach programs. Thanks to the hard work on the part of ASM volunteers and staff, the foundation is able to provide exciting opportunities for young people, encouraging them to pursue careers in materials, science, and engineering. To donate to the foundation, visit www.asminternational.org/ donate.