Roadmapping To the Future

For the second consecutive year, the LIFT technology team along with industry, academic, research and government partners gathered to update the institute’s technology roadmaps, pointing the way forward for its lightweight metals research.

This year’s meeting was held at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and included nearly 100 participants from around the country.

“This was one of the most successful meetings we’ve held,” said Alan Taub, LIFT chief technology officer. “There was some great enthusiasm and good ideas for future technology programs discussed.”

The meeting included updates on current LIFT projects along with a look at the work being conducted in Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME), the Agile Processing Pillar as well as the Advanced High Strength Steel study.

There were also opportunities to hear from LIFT leadership, including LIFT Executive Director Larry Brown with a status report on the institute, Education and Workforce Development Director Emily DeRocco providing a report on the work of the LIFT Expert Educator Team designed to connect technology breakthroughs and curriculum, and Technology Operations Director Sherkoh Abbas updating the group on the high-bay construction and equipment installations.

The teams then held a series of breakout sessions to discuss new programs being proposed and the technology challenges associated with each idea. The program ideas were integrated together where appropriate and presented for each processing pillar area. In the Fall, the ideas will be prioritized in a session attended by our Gold and Silver and government agency partners.

After the meeting wrapped, participants were invited to tour the LIFT headquarters to see the equipment installations first-hand and give them a chance to see what is coming later this summer.