News

America Makes Founding Director Ralph Resnick Attends First-Ever White House Maker Faire

June 18, 2014 | Categories: America Makes News

President also Designates June 18th National Day of Making

Youngstown, Ohio — June 18, 2014. America Makes, the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute, driven by the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM), is proud to announce today that Founding Director Ralph Resnick was invited by the President to attend the first-ever White House Maker Faire today. The Maker Faire celebrates every Maker, from America’s students learning STEM skills to entrepreneurs launching new businesses and innovators powering the renaissance in American manufacturing, who are all inventing the future with new technologies and techniques.

In addition to the Makers who will be at the White House, President Obama also wants today to be a nationwide Day of Making for communities across America to share and celebrate their involvement in this movement. To coincide with the Maker Faire event today President Obama through Presidential Proclamation officially designated June 18, 2014 as the National Day of Making. Follow #NationOfMakers on Twitter to connect with other Makers and discover all the amazing work going on across the U.S.

“I am thrilled and honored to be here today at the White House, representing America Makes at the first-ever Maker Faire and National Day of Making,” said Ralph Resnick, America Makes Founding Director and NCDMM President and Executive Director. “Right now is a pivotal and exciting time for our nation as we are on the cusp of transforming the U.S. manufacturing sector into a dominant economic force due in large part to the incredible innovations and advanced manufacturing technologies available today, including 3D printing.

“As part of the Maker movement, America Makes embraces innovation from whatever its source as we collectively strive to accelerate the true realization of additive manufacturing through 3D printing,” added Resnick. “On behalf of the America Makes community, we are proud to support the Maker Faire and the National Day of Making. One of the key tenets of America Makes is to not only advance additive manufacturing and 3D printing technologies, but also to educate students and train workers in these technologies to create an adaptive, leading U.S. workforce. This is how we grow our nation’s economy and get ahead. This is how we lead as history has proven that ‘When America Makes, America Works!’”

As part of the White House Maker Faire event, President Obama was also presented with a 3D printed commitment letter signed by more than 150 Maker universities, pledging to provide young people with more hands-on opportunities to make things. The metal 3D printed letter was manufactured at the America Makes Innovation Factory in Youngstown and designed by Ashley Martof, a Youngstown State University intern working at America Makes. President Obama joked about the commitment letter during his remarks at the event, saying “…and of course, it was on some metal that was 3D printed … couldn’t just give me a piece of paper. [Laughter.] It’s harder to file, by the way, but it looks cooler.”

Based in Youngstown, Ohio, America Makes was awarded in October 2012 and is the first institute for up to 45 manufacturing innovation institutes to follow as part of the President’s proposed National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI) infrastructure. As the national accelerator for additive manufacturing and 3D printing, America Makes is the nation’s leading and collaborative partner in additive manufacturing and 3D printing technology research, discovery, creation, and innovation.

The recent rise of the Maker Movement represents a huge opportunity for the United States. Nationwide, new tools for democratized production are boosting innovation and entrepreneurship in manufacturing, in the same way that the Internet and cloud computing have lowered the barriers to entry for digital startups, creating the foundation for new products and processes that can help to revitalize American manufacturing.

In his remarks, President Obama stated that “Today, let us continue on the path of discovery, experimentation, and innovation that has been the hallmark not only of human progress, but also of our Nation’s progress. Our Nation is home to a long line of innovators who have fueled our economy and transformed our world. Through the generations, American inventors have lit our homes, propelled humanity into the skies, and helped people across the planet connect at the click of a button. American manufacturers have never stopped chasing the next big breakthrough. As a country, we respond to challenge with discovery, determined to meet our great tests while seeking out new frontiers. During the National Day of Making, we celebrate and carry forward this proud tradition. Together, let us unleash the imagination of our people, affirm that we are a Nation of makers, and ensure that the next great technological revolution happens right here in America.”

MORE NEWS