There is so much overlap between art and engineering...so much creativity that goes into the making of things. Bre Pettis knows this firsthand. As a puppeteer-turned teacher-turned entrepreneur, Bre founded MakerBot and helped democratize 3D printing, making it accessible for Fab Labs and MakerSpaces all over the country. Today, Bre is at it again with Bantam Tools, a manufacturer of desktop CNC machines that are inspiring and equipping today's industrial innovators and tomorrow's inventors. In ...
Oct 24, 2023•44 min•Ep. 135
LIVE from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Connected Systems Institute, we're talking with a group of 5G network experts about the potential for this technology to make Industry 4.0 a reality for manufacturers. Every manufacturer wants to automate. They want to pursue Industry 4.0 transformations. But far too often companies are limited by bandwidth issues, cybersecurity fears, and organizing far more data than they can handle. That's where 5G and private cellular networks (PCNs) come in....
Oct 17, 2023•34 min•Ep. 134
Matt Kirchner was invited to keynote the 2023 Governor's Summit on Innovative Education by North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum. Though this audio from that conference was directed toward North Dakota teachers, the message will resonate with educators from anywhere in the world. The world of work is changing quickly, and there are major ramifications coming to education as a result. Hear about the top 6 trends to be aware of, plus suggestions for how to respond. There is no better time than the pre...
Oct 10, 2023•35 min•Ep. 133
Every institution of higher education is facing two major changes right now: Automation and artificial intelligence are universally transforming every sector of our economy (including the training required) - from healthcare to manufacturing, agriculture to education. Meanwhile, changing demographics and attitudes toward education are impacting enrollment rates and colleges' strategic focus. In the midst of these changes, Dr. Kat Linaker has taken the helm of Minnesota's Riverland Community Coll...
Oct 03, 2023•44 min•Ep. 132
Western Technical College, under the leadership of president Roger Stanford, is demonstrating how technical and community colleges should adapt to the evolving needs of learners as perceptions around the value of degrees and certificates continues to change. Western is forward-thinking in two key areas: who they're serving, and how they're delivering the learning. In this episode, we sit down with Roger Stanford to see how the college is meeting the needs of all kinds of students (and regional b...
Sep 26, 2023•45 min•Ep. 131
Ever wonder what it would look like to create a bachelors degree program so innovative, so accessible, so flexible, and so industry-driven that it's the first of its kind in the nation? The University of Wisconsin-Stout has done just that with the new Automation Leadership degree. Built on industry-recognized credentials with a focus on hands-on skills and career readiness, the Automation Leadership program is meeting an acute need in the manufacturing industry in a way no other degree can. Afte...
Sep 19, 2023•42 min•Ep. 130
Let's face it: college isn't for everyone. Especially with the amount of student debt being carried by individuals long into their career; oftentimes, for degrees that don't even get used. We need to inform and inspire students towards careers they're passionate about and wired for, and help them find the right education option that will get them to that goal. Parents, educators, mentors in the workforce - we all have a role in making sure the next generation workforce has the right set of skill...
Sep 12, 2023•41 min•Ep. 129
Artificial intelligence is no longer just a buzzword, it's a reality in every space in our lives. In this fast-paced episode, get a crash course on artificial intelligence from podcast host Matt Kirchner as he breaks down this complex concept into easily-digestible components. What is artificial intelligence in layman's terms? Get a new definition that will help make sense of AI like never before. Plus, hear the breakdown of the 4 elements that every artificially intelligent system does. Once yo...
Sep 05, 2023•36 min•Ep. 128
The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) is on a mission to develop the fastest-growing and most equitable economy in the country. With technology progressing faster than ever alongside a tight labor market, Kerry Ebersole Singh has an important job as MEDC's Chief Talent Solutions & Engagement Officer. We sat down with Kerry to discover how the MEDC is addressing the workforce needs of the state's employers. It's an episode full of insights, takeaways and strategies every state ...
Aug 29, 2023•30 min•Ep. 127
Big opportunities await across small towns in North Dakota. From agriculture to manufacturing, energy, healthcare and defense, the industrial workforce has a strong presence in the state. Now more than ever, career and technical education is vital to the state's economy. We took a two-week tour through North Dakota, interviewing leaders in CTE at every corner of the state, to discover what makes North Dakota so unique. Join us on a journey in this unique episode of The TechEd Podcast. 3 Big Take...
Aug 22, 2023•32 min•Ep. 126
Sue Smith is the Vice President for Advanced Manufacturing and Applied Sciences at Ivy Tech Community College - Indiana's largest post-secondary institution and the largest singly-accredited community college in the U.S. With 19 campuses and 41 sites, her job is to ensure there's a pipeline of skilled workers for industrial employers all over the state. In her efforts to keep Ivy Tech's manufacturing programs current with industry trends, she's helped launch new degrees and certificate programs ...
Aug 15, 2023•39 min•Ep. 125
In today's manufacturing landscape, culture can make or break your business. But culture is about far more than a catchy mission statement or list of company values displayed on the wall. John Mellowes is the CEO of Charter Manufacturing and an expert on company culture and joins us for an important discussion that every business leader needs to hear. In this episode... Building a long-term business strategy vs. short-term revenue goals How to include every team member in continuous improvements...
Aug 08, 2023•44 min•Ep. 124
The U.S. Department of Defense has over 100,000 engineers working on some of the most innovative and critical technology projects in the world. In fact Dr. David Honey, Deputy Undersecretary for Research and Engineering (USD(R&E)), calls it a "STEM-powered enterprise." Within the Department, the USD(R&E) serves as Chief Technology Officer (CTO), leads research across 14 critical technology areas, develops partnerships with select universities on advanced projects, oversees research initi...
Aug 01, 2023•41 min•Ep. 123
Data management isn't just a skill for data scientists. Today's shop floor is being managed by connected software systems that put manufacturing-specific data right into the hands of operators. In addition to setting up and running equipment, operators are expected to interact with high-tech data software right at their work station that makes their job easier. Data management is a skill every employer wants in a new hire - especially those in technical fields. So how should schools incorporate ...
Jul 24, 2023•32 min•Ep. 122
What if we threw out grades and focused on proficiency instead? What if students could choose their own curriculum and projects? What would an education model look like if it was truly designed to prepare students for today's world? Northern Cass School District may be just 700 learners in all of K-12, but this rural North Dakota district is redefining what education should look like. A few years ago, Superintendent Dr. Cory Steiner and his faculty set out to do the seemingly impossible: throw o...
Jul 17, 2023•46 min•Ep. 121
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Jul 11, 2023•33 min•Ep. 120
As Chairman of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, Congressman Frank Lucas is passionate about strengthening STEM in America. We sat down with the Chairman to talk about the vast technological advances taking place in the U.S. thanks to bipartisan efforts in the Committee, legislation like the CHIPS and Science Act, and the growth of STEM programs in schools today. Through all that progress, there is still work to be done inspiring and equipping the next generation of technolog...
Jul 04, 2023•40 min•Ep. 119
Women have made tremendous strides in engineering over the last few decades. Rising both in numbers and in leadership roles, girls now have more women to look up to in STEM fields than ever before. Representation is crucial. When young girls dream about their future, remember this phrase: If they can see it, they can be it. No one knows this better than Heidi Balestrieri. In college, she was the lone girl in a class of 50 mechanical engineering graduates. When she entered the workforce, the gend...
Jun 27, 2023•36 min•Ep. 118
As Vice President for Economic Development at Ogeechee Technical College, Jan Moore's job is to make sure the region has the skilled talent it needs to meet employer demand - and that includes the incumbent workforce. And recently, that need has grown exponentially: Hyundai is investing in a $5.5 billion campus locally. That has far-reaching implications, bringing in other business to the area to the tune of $20 billion, resulting in 14,000 - 16,000 additional people that will be needed for the ...
Jun 20, 2023•45 min•Ep. 117
From the designers of the world's first full-sized autonomous helicopter, Gather AI is totally disrupting inventory management. Gather AI has fully autonomous drones flying around warehouses, using smart sensors & camera systems to gather data on racks and pallets of inventory, communicating that data in real-time with the warehouse management system and keeping a live, accurate log of the entire warehouse's inventory. No longer do companies need the laborious task of manually driving forkli...
Jun 13, 2023•31 min•Ep. 116
Every day you interact with hundreds of products made by companies you've never heard of, making things you didn't realize you needed or existed until you learned they exist. But these companies are everywhere, employing such a huge percentage of our workforce and driving so much economic growth and innovation that, without them, our way of life in America would cease to exist. Asutosh Padhi is North American Managing Partner for McKinsey & Company. He just published The Titanium Economy, an...
Jun 06, 2023•46 min•Ep. 115
Jarrod Barnes, Professor at NYU, is an early adopter of AI in the classroom. As a lifelong coach, he's developing an AI playbook for educators to help others engage with these tools and drive positive outcomes in the classroom. Jarrod has been experimenting with AI in his own classes, and now he's sitting down with us to share all the key takeaways. This is a great episode for those wanting to embrace AI but first want to hear from someone who has already paved the path. Inside this episode: Pri...
May 30, 2023•48 min•Ep. 114
Ed Magee has a fascinating career history - from the Marine Corps to decades of operations leadership at Harley-Davidson and Fender - and now he's instilling his lessons learned in a new role as Vice President for Strategic Operations at Belmont University. The truth is, university education in America is facing a crossroads: either innovate and adapt, or fade away. The workplace is changing rapidly, the market for education is changing, and what students want out of their college experience has...
May 16, 2023•40 min•Ep. 113
Dr. Rich Barnhouse is an education innovator. With experience leading higher education all over the U.S., he understands how to disrupt traditional models, create sustainable change, and embrace cutting-edge technologies that will empower students to be productive in the workforce. We sat down with Rich to talk about some of his strategic initiatives as President of Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC) - including how to harness the power artificial intelligence in education. This episode is...
May 09, 2023•55 min•Ep. 112
Sports medicine meets data science in this fascinating episode of The TechEd Podcast! Dr. Matt Provencher is a sports medicine analyst and the founder of Proven Performance Technology. You've probably seen his Injury Analysis on FOX Sports, where he uses cutting-edge data science to analyze NFL injuries and predict how those will impact the rest of the game. With a storied background with the U.S. Navy SEALs, New England Patriots and other professional sports organizations, and now with his team...
May 02, 2023•50 min•Ep. 111
Clemson University recently launched the School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, a program with undergraduates and graduate students and faculty dedicated to innovating the latest in automotive technology and design. We sat down with the school's Founding Director, Dr. Zoran Filipi, to understand the structure of this school, what students are learning, and the fascinating ways Clemson is partnering with automotive OEMs on cutting-edge research and development. Dr. Filipi is truly an ex...
Apr 25, 2023•33 min•Ep. 110
Networking: you either love it or you hate it. But is it really a necessary skill? Joe Sweeney thinks so. In fact, he's built a career around coaching others on the power of networking. Through his insights, entrepreneurs have built successful businesses, individuals have achieved their career goals, and professional athletes have multiplied their reach. We sat down with the New York Times best-selling author, executive coach and speaker to understand networking - what it is , what it isn't , an...
Apr 18, 2023•36 min•Ep. 109
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Global Energy Institute exists to unify policymakers, regulators, business leaders, and the American public behind a common sense energy strategy to help keep America secure, prosperous, and clean. We sat down with Christopher Guith to get a sense for the global energy landscape - what do business owners need to know about energy policy, and how can education respond to emerging trends and technologies in the energy sector? In this episode: How aspirational policy ...
Apr 07, 2023•47 min•Ep. 108
How can you achieve peak performance in the classroom, workplace, and in life? Jason Goldsmith is a performance coach who has helped professional athletes and business leaders become masters in their field. In this episode, he shares some of the top mental performance truths, tools and techniques anyone can use to achieve their goals. Whatever your "sport" is - golf, law, engineering - Jason's advice will help you move beyond mental barriers and get to a place where you can "just play". In this ...
Apr 04, 2023•44 min•Ep. 107
Engineering programs today are growing and adapting to the digital transformation that's taking place in the workforce. Michigan State University is a prime example of a school that has listened to its regional employers, tracked technological advances, and is adapting its engineering programs to prepare students for the digital workforce. In this episode, we talk with Dr. Leo Kempel, Dean of MSU's College of Engineering. Big projects are underway at MSU, including the development of the Enginee...
Mar 28, 2023•40 min•Ep. 106
