Malshe Addresses 23rd National NSF EPSCoR Conference in Nashville

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Gail McClure (left) and Ajay P. Malshe.

Ajay Malshe, Distinguished Professor of mechanical engineering and the founder and CTO of NanoMech, discussed the fast-emerging national role of science, technology, engineering and mathematics scholarship integrating research, teaching and entrepreneurship for job creation and workforce development for regional and American competitiveness in global economy.

Malshe delivered an invited talk on Nov. 6, representing the state of Arkansas to the higher education leaders, faculty and students from 31 states and U.S. territories at the 23^rd National NSF EPSCoR Conference in Nashville. EPSCoR stands for Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research. Other key experts spoke at this event, including speakers from the Georgia Tech, University of Oklahoma and other lead organizations.

The four-day national conference in Nashville's new Music City Center brought experts to discuss key subjects of national importance such as how education and industry can collaborate to improve STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) research and workforce development, increase participation in STEM studies and careers, university technology transfer and commercialization, and regional and national economic development.

"We were so pleased that Dr. Malshe was able to speak on the importance of becoming an integrated-scholar who ties his or her research to where the state has placed its investments which in Arkansas's case is nano materials and manufacturing," said Gail McClure, vice president of sponsored projects for the Arkansas Science & Technology Authority.

"The processes of learning how to learn, team science and entrepreneurship are all tools we use in Arkansas to promote positive STEM and economic impacts for our state," said McClure.

Malshe has more than decade of experience in creation of world class workforce, undertaking discovery-based high-risk, high-reward breakthrough research in collaborative teams and investing in partnerships with leaders for successful tech transfer, scale up and commercialization. Malshe directed the first interstate NSF-EPSCoR center during the early 2000s among the states of Arkansas, Oklahoma and Nebraska for reliable miniaturized (nano and micro) systems such as micromechanical systems (MEMS), and nano-engineered optical and mechanical structures.