Benefits of joining the NCNGM Community of Practice include:

• Certificate of membership ~ Networking and partnership opportunities 
• Priority acceptance to the NCNGM’s activities and workshops
• Mentorship for grant proposals 
• Dissemination of educational resources you’ve developed via the NCNGM website and additional platforms
• Membership can serve as leverage for grant applications, promotion applications, and validation with industry

Who should attend and join? Advanced manufacturing workforce stakeholders including, but not limited to, community college and high school educators, representatives from business, industry, economic development agencies, government agencies, and non-profits.

Join ATE Central and the EARTh Center for an engaging ATE Office Hours session where we explore tools created by EARTh that make use of AI in conducting Job Task Analysis (JTA). This session will include a live demonstration allowing you to see first-hand how AI tools streamline and enhance the JTA process, enabling educators and industry professionals to identify key job roles, skills, and competencies with greater efficiency and precision. With companies operating leaner than ever, it's increasingly difficult to secure industry professionals for multi-day DACUM/JTA sessions. By leveraging AI, we can address this challenge by gathering and analyzing data to build a strong framework, significantly reducing the time and commitment required from industry partners. This approach not only aligns curriculum with workforce needs but also ensures meaningful engagement with industry stakeholders while respecting their time constraints. Don’t miss this opportunity to see AI in action and learn how it can help modernize and streamline your program’s approach to JTA.

This is the second course in a two-part CMMC readiness series. Building on foundational knowledge, this course prepares learners to implement the required security controls from the NIST SP 800-171 framework and configure audit-readiness activities for CMMC certification. It also explores the use of modern tools and AI capabilities to streamline compliance and training processes.

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Explain the relationship between CMMC, NIST SP 800-171, FCI, and CUI.
2. Assess CMMC applicability and readiness within an organization.
3. Implement and manage NIST SP 800-171 controls using real-world tools.
4. Track compliance tasks and progress using CMMC dashboards.
5. Prepare for a third-party audit, including artifact collection and POA&M documentation.
6. Use AI tools to build chatbots, training agents, and audit assistants to accelerate compliance readiness.

The University of Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research (CDR) is uniquely equipped to help scale up technologies that transform what was formerly seen as a dairy waste stream into new valuable products through bio-fermentation. Located within a licensed dairy processing facility on campus, the CDR offers a full-service pilot plant with highly adaptable, modular state-of-the-art process equipment. This allows researchers and industry partners to move innovative concepts "off the bench" and test them at a pre-commercial scale without the financial burden of a full-scale manufacturing trial. With dedicated pilot plant equipment with bioconversion technology (e.g. filtration, membranes, evaporators, centrifuges, dryers, and bioreactors), the CDR provides the ideal environment for proving the feasibility of converting dairy co-products like permeate and acid whey into new, marketable materials, such as bioplastics, green chemicals, or natural food ingredients.

This positioning is enhanced by the CDR's robust industry/innovation network and deep expertise. As a USDA (Dairy Business Innovation Alliance, DBIA) and EDA (B2S) federally funded dairy innovation and business center, the CDR has the equipment, staff expertise, and federally underwritten programming for accelerating the scaling of technologies and finding commercialization pathways. The center's staff includes over 30 experienced researchers and scientists, offering extensive knowledge in fermentation, dairy manufacturing, process optimization, and troubleshooting. This combination of cutting-edge facilities, hands-on expertise, and financial supports enables the CDR to bridge the gap between academic research and industrial application, providing entrepreneurs with the operational insights and market validation required to bring sustainable dairy waste streams a new valorization (upcycling) and into the marketplace.

Join the upcoming NSF-ATE CCPI WEBCAST titled Developing the Blue-Collar AI Workforce

This will be the 5th Annual AFCC Global Biobased Economy Conference. The conference will focus on promoting Industrial Biotechnology throughout this multi-day conference and exhibition. To kick off the event there will be a reception on Sunday evening, November 16, 2025 from 5:00 -7:00 p.m., included in the registration ticket of the conference. 
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​The conference will include featured speakers during Breakout sessions, Plenary Programs, Workshops and Poster Presentations on the following subjects:

• Global biobased economy
• Recycling, Composting, Biodegradation
• Biobased product manufacturing and certification
• Biofuels, Synthetic Aviation Fuels (SAF), production, manufacturing, and downstream applications for SAF
• Leadership from key federal agencies and programs pertinent to industrial biotechnology
• Other key federal agency programs
• Industrial biotechnology projects influencing international innovation
• Hear about financing strategies, creative ways to finance your projects and companies with equity, debt and insurance
• Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) in connection with industrial biotechnology projects 

Your chance to create what's next is here. Join in Chicago and be a part of building tomorrow, today, at this year’s can’t-miss Automation Fair® event. Forge connections with thousands of problem solvers, builders, makers and innovators over four immersive days. You’ll find learning and inspiration to meet your goals now and in the future, no matter where you’re at in your journey.
 

Calling CTE Instructors who teach manufacturing, engineering, and related courses - join for a dynamic two-day training designed to elevate your Industry 4.0 skills! Experience hands-on learning with cutting-edge equipment and expert guidance from nationally recognized trainers. Session topics include: Industry 4.0 skills, Competency-Based Education, virtual/augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and funding resources. Travel assistance and stipends may be available for instructors who complete the program and meet requirements. You will also gain access to a resource portal, and monthly virtual Community of Practice sessions featuring industry partners and educational peers sharing best practices.