In August, Dr. Alaa Elwany, associate professor in the Wm Michael Barnes '64 Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, will finish a yearlong fellowship at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the U.S. Department of Commerce. The fellowship has provided him with a unique opportunity to learn and engage in policymaking by sharing his advanced manufacturing expertise with the U.S. government's executive branch.
Elwany connected with NIST after being chosen as the Foundation Swanson Fellow through the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). This 50-year-old program selects engineers from academia and industry and provides them with opportunities to interface with the federal government in yearlong commitments.
Throughout his fellowship, Elwany has worked at NIST's Office of Advanced Manufacturing (OAM) as assistant director for technology. Being a team member within OAM has allowed him to interact with representatives from other federal agencies, including NASA, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy.
Elwany said his experience in performing public service has been overwhelmingly positive and incredibly valuable. He has had a unique opportunity to collaborate with members of the National Science and Technology Council on developing the quadrennial strategic plan on advanced manufacturing for the Executive Office of the President of the U.S. He has also served on the leadership team responsible for developing the strategic plan for Manufacturing USA (the national network of advanced manufacturing innovation institutes) presented to U.S. Congress every three years.
"Policymakers often need engineering and technical advice to guide them in setting policies that benefit the nation on multiple fronts," Elwany said. "The U.S. has a long-standing culture of engaging academic and industrial scholars to inform the policymaking process and achieve positive societal, economic and national security impact."
Upon finishing his fellowship, Elwany said he looks forward to serving as an effective liaison between Texas A&M University and federal government agencies. This will involve activity such as facilitating two-way visits to connect faculty and students with program officers and directors at these agencies.
Elwany enjoyed the experience so much that he pursued other federal fellowships and was recently selected for the science and technology policy fellowship program at the American Association of the Advancement of Science. He will be working for the next year with the U.S. Department of Energy.
"America is still the global leader in innovation, but we did give up some of our manufacturing capabilities on U.S. soil over the past few decades," Elwany said. "From what I see in different federal government initiatives, there are serious efforts to restore our leadership in critical areas such as semiconductor manufacturing. I am very pleased with what I have seen at NIST and other federal agencies."