AN ASSISTANT professor of the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology will visit the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, United States as a researcher.

Arnel Zamayla of the College of Engineering, also the director of the MSU-IIT Fab Lab Mindanao, will be in UT from August 2023 to January 2024.

“Out of the sixty 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,” MSU-IIT Office of Public Information said.

“Among the applicants were researchers, project leaders, and faculty from the Department of Science and Technology 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,” it added.

While in the US, Zamayla 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.”

Zamayla will also undergo specialized training in additive manufacturing, harnessing the power of machine learning and artificial intelligence.

The 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, according to MSU-IIT OIC.

By merging advanced technologies, these applications will unlock the full potential of additive manufacturing, propelling it to new heights, it added.

While undergoing training at UT, Zamayla will have access to ORNL which is a National Laboratory in the United States.

He will be supervised by his program lead UT-Oakridge National Laboratory Governor’s Chair of Advanced and Nanostructured Materials Dr. Rigoberto Advincula, who is a leading figure in the field of advanced materials, polymers, and nanomaterials.

Zamayla will receive support from the DOST in this endeavor, while the Advanced Manufacturing Center of the Philippines will provide him access to its state-of-the-art equipment during the research implementation.