237: How Higher Education Is Shaping the Future of Manufacturing with MIT's Dr. John Liu

What role does higher ed play in making sure manufacturing thrives? Universities and other higher ed hubs are playing a leading role in shaping the future of this industry. And MIT is a prime example of this, with specialist courses to help graduates and professionals get the skills they need to bring new innovations to life.

We’re joined by the Principal Investigator of MIT’s LEAP Group (Learning Engineering and Practice), Dr. John Liu. As someone deeply involved in building much-needed programs, including the MicroMasters and TechAMP, we asked for his take on manufacturing today, what we can learn from history, and higher ed’s role in revitalizing the industry.

We also talk about the hot topic of globalization and offshoring and what research says about the impact on the U.S. as an innovator economy.

In this episode, find out:

• An introduction to LEAP Group and Dr. John’s role in researching and leading programs to help the future of manufacturing leaders
• How John’s career pivoted to the manufacturing side of tech
• What people should know about MIT’s history in manufacturing, including innovative practices and technologies we still use today
• What can we learn from history that applies to manufacturing in today’s AI-driven world?
• The impact of globalization and the conclusions that an MIT report came to about its impact on an innovator economy
• How manufacturing has changed since the report was published and what John would add that’s relevant today
• What is MIT doing to help educate and drive innovation across manufacturing and tech
• Dr. John explains his involvement in the MicroMasters program as its founder
• The four principles of manufacturing that remain universal and timeless
• How MIT’s programs differ from trade or regular tech schools
• How the TechAMP program differs from MicroMasters as a program for professionals already in the industry
• Dr. John gives an overview of MIT’s collaborations with the DoD and Manufacturing USA
• The important role that higher ed plays in reindustrialization

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Tweetable Quotes:

• "If we just continue to set up walls, we'll never learn and innovate. And so how do we, instead of setting up walls, reach across walls and learn from all the innovation that's happening?"
• "We lose our ability to innovate if we produce elsewhere. Why? Because when you actually are forced to go from prototype to make a lot of these things, the design changes in all these sorts of ways... That's a whole type of innovation that is not as celebrated in our country today."
• "No matter what age, what company, you always have to be able to control four things: manufacturing processes, manufacturing systems, the supply, the people and finances. Always these four."

Links & mentions:

• The Machine That Changed the World, a book written by MIT professors about finding success in automotive manufacturing, which led to the popularity of lean manufacturing
• Making in America: From Innovation to Market, a book written by MIT scientists, engineers and social scientists about rebuilding the industrial landscape in the U.S.
• TechAMP, a 12-month program at MIT LEAP Group to bridge the gap between technicians and engineers