Interactions of an Additive Manufacturing Program with Society

Additive Manufacturing (AM) has shown considerable promise for the future but also proposes some challenges. Many AM barriers tend to be non-technical and instead are humancentric issues such as lack of education of practitioners in AM capabilities, cultural differences, vested interests, and potentially lack of imagination. It is highly desirable for all research and educational institutions to help address these issues. This paper summarizes the additive manufacturing research and education program at the Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) and its interactions with various constituents, including K-12 students, undergraduate and graduate students, distance students, and industry.