AMUG Announces Scholarship Recipients

• Lydia Nelson and Yaser Shanjani to join members at annual conference.
  

CHATSWORTH, CALIF., Mar. 19, 2015 – The Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) today announced the recipients of its scholarships. Lydia Nelson, a teacher at Whitman-Hanson Regional High School (Whitman, Mass.), has been awarded the Randy Stevens scholarship. Dr. Yaser Shanjani, a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University School of Medicine (Redwood City, Calif.), has been awarded the Guy E. Bourdeau scholarship. With these scholarships, Ms. Nelson and Dr. Shanjani will attend and participate in the AMUG Conference to be held in Jacksonville, Fla., April 19 – 23, 2015.

Mark Barfoot, AMUG president, stated, “The submissions for this year’s scholarships were truly impressive. We were amazed at the accomplishments and excited by the work being done by and done for students.” He continued, “Having Lydia and Yaser join us at this year’s conference will accelerate their professional development in additive manufacturing.”

The review committee selected Lydia Nelson for her determination, creative problem solving and approach to learning. When teaching technology, Lydia inspires students to discover what is possible with the tools. She was instrumental in creating a CAD curriculum and creative in showing what this tool can do. Without access to a 3D printer, her students turn the digital concepts into physical models with LEGO® and household materials.

To impart the concept of additive manufacturing, she conducts field trips to local companies so that students can see 3D printing at work. Most recently, Lydia’s efforts led to a grant that will allow her school to have its own 3D printers.

Jeffrey Szymaniak, principal of Whitman-Hanson Regional High School, said, “Lydia is a passionate person who is a successful classroom teacher and who keeps raising the bar for students interested in business. She is an inspirational and educational leader at Whitman-Hanson.”

The review committee selected Yaser Shanjani for his numerous contributions, technical skills and pursuits, which are best summed up in his own words. Yaser, said, “The various technical aspects and unlimited applications of AM technology attracted my attention and motivated me to pursue research in the field with the overarching goal of providing a better quality of life for people.”

Highlights of Yaser’s achievements include work with variety of additive systems; the development of a specialized additive system to build anatomically shaped bone-cartilage constructs for treatment of osteoarthritis; and a current project with orthopedic surgeons for the development of a 3D printer for tissue engineering. Yaser has trained undergraduate and graduate students on additive manufacturing and is also heavily involved in a variety of outreach programs that teach high school students and younger kids how best to use the technology.

Yunzhi Peter Yang, Ph.D., associate professor of orthopaedic surgery at the Stanford School of Medicine, stated, “Yaser has a great potential to be a passionate and enthusiastic educator. I am convinced that he has the great potential to be the future industry leader in the fields of biofabrication and additive manufactured medical devices.”

Barfoot concluded, “These scholarships embody Guy Bourdeau’s and Randy Stevens’ spirits and passions for additive manufacturing, and they continue the legacy of two giving gentlemen.”

The Guy E. Bourdeau Scholarship, founded by Guy’s wife, Renee Bourdeau, is awarded annually to one college student. The Randy Stevens Scholarship, founded by Randy’s employer, In’Tech Industries, is awarded annually to one professor/teacher that emphasizes or focuses on additive manufacturing.

ABOUT ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING USERS GROUP (AMUG)
AMUG is an organization that educates and advances the uses and applications of additive manufacturing technologies. AMUG members include all commercial additive manufacturing/3D printing technologies for companies such as Stratasys, Concept Laser, ExOne, Renishaw, HP, SLM Solutions, and 3D Systems. AMUG meets annually to provide education and training through technical presentations on processes and new technologies. This information addresses operation of additive manufacturing equipment and the applications that use the parts they make. Online at www.am-ug.com.

Media contact:
Todd Grimm
news@am-ug.com
+1 859-331-5340