ORNL hosting “MDF Innovation Days” next week
The two-day event is designed for those who could be new collaborators with the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility as well as those who are previous clients.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is hosting “MDF Innovation Days” on May 8 at the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF), 2350 Cherahala Boulevard off Hardin Valley Road in West Knoxville, and May 9 at the nearby Tennessee Manufacturing and Design Enterprise facility (TN MADE), 2030 Valley Vista Road.
According to the event’s website, emerging enterprises that have not previously worked with the MDF can expect to learn about how its innovation ecosystem works, the benefits of engaging, tour the MDF, and engage with other partners in the ecosystem. Current or past collaborators can expect to learn what’s new in the MDF’s roadmap for science and technical research efforts, engage with emerging enterprises, and connect with MDF teams.
The “MDF Innovation Days” event starts with registration and breakfast at 7:15 a.m. EDT followed by a presentation by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office at 8 a.m. Other sessions scheduled for the first day include:
- A panel discussing DOE’s clean energy priorities and challenges;
- A discussion of the MDF model for R&D and workforce development;
- A tour of the facility;
- A noon luncheon presentation on “The MDF Technical Collaboration Program”;
- Afternoon breakouts; and
- A reception and workforce development showcase with a student poster session (hosted at the Spallation Neutron Source at ORNL).
The May 9 agenda includes a variety of what are termed “lightning talks” and afternoon tours of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s TN MADE and Institute for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing, the Spallation Neutron Source, and the Carbon Fiber Technology Facility. Those tours are limited to U.S. citizens.
Registration deadline is May 1. To register, click here. To review the agenda, click here.
