The workshop will result in identification of research efforts that will be needed to close the gaps between the future potential and the current state-of- the-art in NIBF technology. Specifically, major outcomes of the workshop will include the increased awareness of research, education, and technology transfer related to additive manufacturing; ideas enabling the transformation of research and STEM education in light of NIBF technology; partnership opportunities among government, academia, industry, and the general public; and synergism for transformational activities in the application of NIBF technology.
The workshop will help realize the full potential of NIBF technology. Increased awareness of NIBF research, education, and technology transfer will have a transformative impact on the national BRAIN initiative, and will catalyze invention and innovation in topics related to understanding brain function and curing brain disorders. Each of these has enormous societal importance. The ideas coming from the workshop attendees will be helpful to decision makers in setting the priorities and strategies of research and education at government agencies, academic institutions, and industrial companies. A better understanding of this technology is expected to increase NIBF impacts. Also, the workshop will foster the development of novel transformational technologies, STEM education approaches, and technology transfer models not hitherto considered. Finally, the networking function of the workshop will allow establishing new collaborative relationships among the workshop participants and other individuals spanning widely across research, education, and technology transfer. It will lead to new collaborations that will advance the state- of-the-art and workforce preparation in NIBF technology, leading to the increase of US competitiveness in this field.
