Asst. Prof. Arnel Zamayla, faculty member of the College of Engineering and Director of the MSU-IIT Fab Lab Mindanao has been selected as Visiting Researcher at the University of Tennessee (UT) in Knoxville, USA.
According to Zamayla, whose contract runs from August 2023 until January 2024, will conduct research on AI Application in 3D printing of polymers and advanced biomaterials, and on the development of armor for personnel and homeland security. He said that this research holds immense promise for transforming multiple industries and pushing the boundaries of technological innovation.
Out of the sixty (60) pre-screened applicants who applied all over the country, Zamayla was chosen as the lone grantee in Mindanao to represent MSU-IIT and Fab Lab Mindanao abroad. The screening process included an oral exam, submission of a research proposal, and an evaluation from a highly-trained technical Committee. Among the applicants were researchers, project leaders, and faculty from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) regional offices, S&T government offices, and private and public HEIs like De La Salle University, Ateneo de Manila University, University of the Philippines-Diliman, and Philippine Space Agency.
While at UT, Zamayla will also undergo specialized training in additive manufacturing, harnessing the power of machine learning and artificial intelligence. This training will equip him with the computational techniques necessary to optimize the additive manufacturing process, improve material selection, enhance quality control, optimize designs, and enable predictive maintenance. By merging advanced technologies, these applications will unlock the full potential of additive manufacturing, propelling it to new heights. While undergoing training at UT he will also have access to Oakridge National Laboratory (ORNL) which is a National Laboratory in the US.
Zamayla will be supervised by his program lead, Rigoberto Advincula, Ph.D., UT-ORNL Governor’s Chair of Advanced and Nanostructured Materials, who is a leading figure in the field of advanced materials, polymers, and nanomaterials.
Zamayla is receiving funding support from the DOST in this endeavor. The Advanced Manufacturing Center of the Philippines (AMCen) will be providing Zamayla access to its state-of-the-art equipment during the research implementation.