UAH to partner with the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation and Integration Center (AMIIC

Agreement will bolster North Alabama talent pipeline for defense, aerospace and industrial trades

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (SEPT. 24, 2024) – The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), part of The University of Alabama System, announced today that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation and Integration Center (AMIIC), a Huntsville nonprofit and subsidiary of the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM). AMIIC is committed to driving regional technology advancement through specialized manufacturing solutions, collaborative innovation, seamless technology integration and workforce development. The agreement, signed Sept. 16 at the Shelby Center for Science and Technology on the UAH campus, will enable UAH students to use AMIIC laboratory space and advanced manufacturing equipment.

"This partnership makes valuable new training opportunities available to our students, and will benefit the community at large," said Dr. David A. Puleo, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at UAH. "UAH is focused on innovating its curriculum to prepare students for the realities and challenges of the future. This partnership will ensure that our students are trained in the latest technologies even before they graduate, giving them an advantage as they pursue careers in highly sought-after fields, such as applied engineering and advanced manufacturing."

"We are very excited to open our facilities to UAH students and collaborate with the university, which attracts some of the brightest minds in the Southeast," said John Schmitt, AMIIC Executive Director. "AMIIC is dedicated to boosting our nation's industry through the acceleration and adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies, and this starts with the development of a highly skilled workforce."

The partnership with AMIIC will provide a key advantage to UAH's Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology (BSET) program. Launched in fall 2022, the BSET program was designed to help meet the growing demand for qualified workers in North Alabama and surrounding regions as industries such as aerospace and aviation, automotive, and metal and advanced materials manufacturing expand.

"It will be game-changing to be able to incorporate AMIIC's facilities into our curriculum," says Dr. Alisa Henrie, Assistant Professor and Director of the Engineering Technology program at UAH. "We already provide our students with skilled faculty and strong hands-on experience in the application of modern technologies. By expanding the facilities already available to our students, this partnership will further our abilities to support the advancement of manufacturing and technology-driven industries in North Alabama and beyond."