Student earns YSU STEM Intern award

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Ashley Martof of Mineral Ridge, a senior industrial engineering student at Youngstown State University and an intern at America Makes in Youngstown, is the recipient of the YSU Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Intern of the Year Award.

The award from the YSU College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics is presented to a student that has shown a high quality of work and initiative, has completed presentations and has had an impact on the company with which they have worked.

Martof said her introduction to additive manufacturing and 3-D printing came in Spring 2013 when she toured America Makes, the nation’s first National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute. YSU is a partner in the institute. Martof said she fell in love with the technology and then began interning with America Makes last January. She helps with workforce and educational outreach.

”Our focus is on additive manufacturing research”, said Mike Hripko, director of workforce and educational outreach at America Makes. “At the same time, we know by developing and offering educational content, we will enable people to take full advantage of the new technology.”

One of the first projects Martof did was to develop an additive manufacturing curriculum for teachers.

“Last year, if you Googled ‘additive manufacturing,’ no results for curriculum showed up. Teaching tools for 3-D printing had not been developed; the technology was so new,” she said. “So I had to research additive manufacturing and develop curriculum from scratch.”

Other projects Martof completed during her internship include developing a 3-D printing student camp, where she took children from 2-D- and 3-D-basics to designing and printing their own products in five days; designing a 3-D letter to President Barack Obama; designing a side mirror for the 3-D Print Your Car project from Local Motors; and designing a coyote for a collaboration award.

Martof was also a student participant in the STEM Professional Practice Program and was a participant with the PICAM 1, PICAM 2 and the OH-PENN grants. She plans to graduate in May and return to YSU to pursue a master’s degree in industrial engineering.