This award provides student support for the Twentieth International Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium to be held August 3-5, 2009 in Austin, Texas. The meeting is comprised of plenary and parallel session technical presentations and a poster session. There is ample time allotted for informal interactions of world-class researchers and students in formal meeting settings and also at informal social events during the meeting. Approximately 120 persons will attend, with 50 of these participants being students. A new event this year is an annual award for both an outstanding senior and junior (35 years old or younger) researchers. The junior award will serve both as recognition for a deserving candidate and also to provide young researchers including students a role model for excellence. All meeting papers will be published in a conference proceedings to be distributed to all participants including students. Approximately 50 students will be supported.
This conference is a mechanism for transfer and dissemination of knowledge and understanding in the field of additive, freeform manufacturing. It is a model for advancing discovery and understanding while promoting teaching, training and learning. The networking of world-class researchers with students is strong. The meeting is a pinion for research infrastructure. Through the heavily cited proceedings, information is widely disseminated to an extensive network of researchers and students around the world. The societal impact includes identification of pre-commercial technologies and sharing of information pertaining to freeform fabrication that will eventually be developed and implemented into machines and processes that will enhance domestic productivity.
