IACs offer no-cost energy and water use efficiency and waste reduction recommendations to small- and medium-sized regional manufacturers and train the next generation of energy engineering professionals. The members of this largest-ever cohort of IACs will focus on improving productivity, decarbonization, enhancing cybersecurity, promoting resiliency planning and providing training to entities located in disadvantaged communities.

The funding allows for the creation of the UofL Industrial Assessment Center for Manufacturing Technical Assistance and Energy Engineering Workforce Development at UofL’s . A focus of the UofL IAC will be to train graduate and undergraduate students in providing energy and water use reduction assessments. The IAC training will leverage the newly created master’s degree in materials and energy science and engineering at the Speed School to provide these students with advanced training in state-of-the-art energy systems and applications. The center also will address industry engagement and energy efficiency research within the , according to Mark McGinley, civil and environmental engineering professor at UofL and principal investigator on the project.

“We want to educate students in this process, to teach them to conduct these assessments using best practices and offer more students with these skillsets to support industry over a long period of time,” McGinley said. “We have structured the IAC center to identify recurring industry needs and facilitate development of technologies to address these needs.”

The UofL project team also includes Mahendra Sunkara, co-principal investigator and director of the Conn Center, who will coordinate research and development of educational programming; Ed Tackett, director of engineering solutions and industry relations, who will manage community college interactions and industrial relations; Lissa McCracken, executive director of the , who will manage assessment staff and industrial outreach; and Emmanuel Collins, dean of the Speed School, who will manage recruitment of industrial entities and students from underrepresented groups and communities.

“I’m thrilled that the Department of Energy has chosen to invest in the University of Louisville and its students, selecting it as one of the newest sites for an Industrial Assessment Center,” said U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth. “The IAC program provides an immense value to students and businesses alike, harnessing the talent of our brightest minds to tackle the energy, environmental and economic challenges of tomorrow. I’m so proud to support this effort and to know that Louisville will play such an important role in continuing to build the clean energy economy of the future.”  

Since its inception, the IAC program has provided nearly 20,000 no-cost assessments for small and medium sized manufacturers and more than 147,000 recommendations for improvement measures. IACs typically identify more than $130,000 in potential annual savings for each manufacturer, nearly $50,000 of which is implemented during the first year following the assessment.

One week before the JCPS schools shut down due to coronavirus concerns, the teacher had been at AM Watch, a National Science Foundation–supported workshop at UofL’s Additive Manufacturing Institute of Science and Technology (AMIST). There, Travis was learning the latest trends in using 3-D printing for classroom use. As part of the program, 25 teachers were given a 3-D printer for their classrooms.

Now, Travis is filling a small but vital role, along with other teachers, by putting her printer to work, making components for face shields, part of PPE (personal protective equipment) for front line nurses and health professionals.

The coronavirus pandemic has caused the demand for PPE for healthcare workers to skyrocket – a demand supply chains cannot keep up with. UofL engineer and Navy vet Ed Tackett coordinated a response at the AMIST facility at UofL Speed School of Engineering to fill this gap. Speed School student volunteers trained on 3-D printing equipment are volunteering their time, with the AMIST facility production team printing face shields as quickly as possible. 

By April 3, Tackett had orders for 27,000 face shields.

Emily Villescas, who has been spearheading the community engagement effort at AMIST, said when they contacted the teachers who attended the recent workshop to help with printing the PPE for local hospitals, the response was immediate.

“Within hours, I was getting emails from teachers all over wanting to help,” said Villescas. “It was pretty amazing. We sent them files on how to print the face shield frames approved by the state and the CDC, and are coordinating with them to deliver the parts to local drop-off sites. It really shows you their dedication to helping people, both in and out of the classroom. We would not have this kind of movement with this project without the teachers, so we are all so grateful for their support.”

With 25-to-30 teachers already on board, and the word spreading every day, Tackett said the efforts are making a significant impact.

“Every shield they make, that means another healthcare worker is protected in state of Kentucky,” said Tackett. “If you do the math, each printer can print two shields every two hours, and with 25 printers, if they run for six hours, that is 300 face shields a day just from JCPS.”

Travis, who teaches computer technology to all 600 K-5^th grade students at Lowe Elementary, said her principal, Mr. Allain, was immediately on board with Travis taking her printer home to help with the effort. So far, Travis has printed 17 headbands (or face shield frames) and delivered them to a community drop-off site.

The teacher said she feels an obligation to continue printing the shields until there is no more need, even if she has to buy supplies herself.

“It feels good knowing those pieces I dropped off last week went directly to help fill an order for UofL Hospital. I feel like I’m doing my part to be part of the solution not the problem,” she said.

For the students Travis teaches, she said there will be a real lesson when they return to the classroom, and beyond.

“It’s because of my school administrator letting me go to the AMIST workshop that we are helping with a local solution to this massive worldwide problem,” she said. “The kids might not realize the impact today, but when they’re old enough they’ll be like, ‘Wow we were a part of that.’”

Fourth–grade teacher Heather Kemp said that after she attended the workshop, she was printing 3-D crayfish with her students at Middletown Elementary. Kemp, who teaches all subjects but focuses on math and science, wanted to incorporate STEM learning. But that can wait, because now it is all about printing face shields.

Kemp said she is heartened to observe that “as the virus is growing exponentially, so is the growth of helping hands to combat it. If you look at two teachers, then 35 teachers into one small community, then the designs for the shields being shared and spread to other states, it’s growing every day.”

When the day comes that students return to the classroom, Kemp said there will many lessons to learn.

“When you think about Muhammad Ali’s maxims about giving back, or the Mayor’s Give Back Day, next year, my kiddos will have a great example of how the community gives back. This coronavirus is affecting some of them personally, who have moms and dads who are doctors and nurses. They will have lived through this and it will make that day even more meaningful,” she said.

Local drop-off sites include:

• Norton Commons at 9418 Norton Commons Blvd. Prospect, KY 40059
• CORE Combat Sports at 13124 Eastpoint Park Blvd, Louisville, KY 40223.

Both of these have labelled boxes in the front dedicated to drop offs, which will be picked up on Friday nights. No face-to-face contact.

• The AMIST Facility on Belknap campus is taking local drop offs at one of the loading docks that will be labelled
• ALL deliveries can be sent to this address as well: 1940 Arthur Street Louisville, KY 40208.

Holly Hinson of the Speed School marketing team contributed to this report.