This episode features Daniel Hyler and Tim Holland—two graduates turned additive manufacturing instructors with the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) program. Hear them discuss lessons they picked up along the way, plus real-world applications of additive manufacturing in today’s job market.

Listen in as they discuss:

• Jumping from Student to Instructor: How they found their calling in the classroom.
• The ‘Light Bulb’ Moment: Why watching a student finally “get it” is so rewarding.
• Industry Readiness: Helping companies embrace the possibilities of 3D printing.
• Career Pathways: Creating your own opportunities in an evolving field.

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research serves as a regional catalyst for economic transformation in Southern Virginia. Our services, programs and offerings are diverse, impactful and far reaching.

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In this episode of Inside IALR, Value Chain Coordinator Mitchell Doss highlights a new initiative aimed at strengthening Southern Virginia’s local food ecosystem. Funded by a Tobacco Commission grant, Mitchell’s work focuses on helping farmers broaden their reach to new markets while ensuring communities gain greater access to fresh, local produce and products. Hear how Mitchell’s journey—from IALR intern to horticulture researcher—shapes his approach to connecting producers, institutions, and consumers for an economically vibrant and sustainable future.

In this episode:

• What a Value Chain Coordinator does 
• The importance of robust local food networks for economic growth
• Current gaps and opportunities in Southern Virginia’s food system 
• Strategies for driving collaboration between farmers, buyers and communities
• Details on upcoming workshops and opportunities to get involved

For more information on Mitchell’s work and how you can connect, visit IALR.org/valuechain.

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research serves as a regional catalyst for economic transformation in Southern Virginia. Our services, programs and offerings are diverse, impactful and far reaching.

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Question: How do you move an active training program with massive, sophisticated equipment into a new facility without halting progress?
Answer: An abundance of planning—and the determination to make it happen.

In this episode, Senior Facilities Manager Stewart East and Assistant Director of Advanced Training and Operations Wesley Cifers explain:

• Preparation: Months of logistical strategizing for a multi-phase relocation
• Execution: Coordinating staff, resources, and external partners over the holidays
• Outcome: A smoother transition to the ATDM Maritime Training Center, where the Accelerated Training and Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) program now has a permanent home

Episode highlights include: 
• Transition to a significant new facility after years in a temporary space 
• Overview of the Accelerated Training and Defense Manufacturing program 
• Importance of modern labs and dedicated training spaces 
• Planning and executing a complex multi-phase move 
• Coordination with internal staff and external partners 
• Growth goals of expanding student enrollment 
• Enhancements in the learning environment and student experience 
• Recognition of community and team support during the move

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research serves as a regional catalyst for economic transformation in Southern Virginia. Our services, programs and offerings are diverse, impactful and far reaching.

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Industrial fermentation—a core biotechnology process that harnesses living organisms—is a growing discipline used across multiple industries. In this episode of Inside IALR, we recap IALR’s first week-long fermentation workshop, offered in partnership with Virginia Tech and industry experts. Joining the conversation are Dr. Scott Lowman, Ph.D., Vice President of Applied Research at IALR; Biswarup Mukhopadhyay, Ph.D., Professor with Virginia Tech's Department of Biochemistry; and Justin Cesmat, Product Line Manager for Bioprocessing at Distek, Inc. They share insights on:

• Fundamentals of fermentation and its real-world applications
• Workshop structure, participants, and hands-on training
• Interdisciplinary skills needed for success in fermentation
• Importance of collaboration between academia and industry
• Plans for expanding future fermentation training programs

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research serves as a regional catalyst for economic transformation in Southern Virginia. Our services, programs and offerings are diverse, impactful and far reaching.

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The Dan River Year AmeriCorps program celebrates its decade of impact in the community. The episode highlights the evolution of the program and its multifaceted approach to address educational gaps in STEM and literacy.

This episode features Dana Silicki (Director of STEM, Service, and Lifelong Learning at IALR), Audia Harris (Program Coordinator at IALR), and Adam Goebel (Executive Director of the Danville Science Center), each of whom share their unique perspective on the impact of the Dan River Year AmeriCorps program. 

Episode highlights include: 

• Overview of the Dan River Year AmeriCorps program 
• The evolution of focus from STEM to include literacy 
• Recruitment processes and member demographics 
• AmeriCorps members' roles in classrooms and mentoring 
• Success stories demonstrating program impact 
• Future directions for community service and educational efforts 
• Current recruitment opportunities for interested members

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research serves as a regional catalyst for economic transformation in Southern Virginia. Our services, programs and offerings are diverse, impactful and far reaching.

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The U.S. Navy's Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence (AM CoE), a linchpin in maritime technological advancement, is located inside the Center for Manufacturing Advancement on the IALR campus. This episode highlights the AM CoE as a collaborative hub of strategic importance in meeting the U.S. Navy's ambitious submarine production goals. This project is driving manufacturing innovation forward. 

IALR Executive Vice President of Manufacturing Advancement Jason Wells is joined by Advanced Manufacturing Director Jesse Geisbert and Additive Manufacturing Program Manager Aaron Wiest, both from the Maritime Industrial Base (MIB). They discuss the impact of the Navy’s AM CoE and the success stories where the project has prototyped and delivered mission-critical parts for ships and submarines much quicker than traditional methods, such as castings and forgings, and supply chains could have. This informative discussion includes:

• What is the Maritime Industrial Base? (01:03)
• Advanced manufacturing technology development (06:54)
• Partnering with the Maritime Industrial Base (08:54)
• Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence (11:25) 
• Public/private partnerships (18:41)
• Success stories (24:44)
• NASAM & ATDM (31:54)
• Another success story (40:04)
• AM CoE partners (50:27)
• Parting thoughts (53:15)

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research serves as a regional catalyst for economic transformation in Southern Virginia. Our services, programs and offerings are diverse, impactful and far reaching.

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2024 marks the 20th anniversary of the opening of the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) main building. To celebrate, we will feature several guests who have been integral to the operation of this iconic facility over the last twenty years.

For the fourth and final anniversary episode, guest host Daniel Dalton is joined by two important guests who are vital to driving economic transformation: IALR President Telly Tucker and Linda Green, Vice President of Economic Development and Executive Director of the Southern Regional Alliance (SVRA).

There aren't many facilities that serve such a multi-purpose function as the main IALR building, which offers a full-service conference center, on-site café, educational classrooms, research labs for different purposes and a high bay, all in one building. The building has hosted visiting international patrons and guests, governors, various ranking military officials, regional representatives and educators. As economic developers, Telly and Linda have also used the building (and now the IALR campus as a whole) as one of the primary selling points for companies interested in locating in Southern Virginia. 

• Background and early career (00:45)
• Reactions to the construction of IALR (05:13)
• Catalyzing economic transformation (08:39)
• Since day one (15:30)
• Evolution of IALR (16:30)
• The building as a tool for economic development (27:41)
• IALR as a host (35:32)
• Flexing to meet demands (44:51)
• Hopes for the next twenty years (46:33)
• Parting thoughts (51:12)

For more history and information and to view photos of the construction of 150 Slayton, please visit https://www.ialr.org/history/.

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research serves as a regional catalyst for economic transformation in Southern Virginia. Our services, programs and offerings are diverse, impactful and far reaching.

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2024 marks the 20th anniversary of the opening of the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) main building. To celebrate, we will feature several guests who have been integral to the operation of this iconic facility over the last twenty years.

This third-anniversary episode features the two longest-tenured employees of both the Conference Center and all of IALR: Diana Parrish (Event Planner and Services Operations Coordinator) and Ellen Bass (Sales and Marketing Manager). From moving into the building and holding an event before it was fully completed to now hosting multi-day, international conferences, Diana and Ellen share their conference center story experiences and stories from the last twenty years. Throughout all those years, updates and technological improvements, Ellen and Diana highlight how the mission of the Conference Center remains the same: serve excellence and open IALR to the public. 

• Background and early career (00:44)
• Nearing completion and moving in (02:51)
• The first event/getting the word out & educating the public (07:09)
• Catering challenges (10:24)
• Megabytes Café (14:15)
• Initial responsibilities and early events (18:20)
• Trading spaces – how the building has changed (24:27)
• Home to the Piedmont Governor’s School (29:18)
• Conferences, baby showers, birthday parties, radio dance parties, weddings, Old McDonald’s Farm, oh my! (30:02)
• Keeping up with the times (41:36)
• Service Excellence (44:02)
• Connecting the IALR Conference Center (48:01)
• Renovating in 2020 (49:51)
• Looking ahead twenty years (53:15)
• Closing thoughts (56:22)

For more history and information and to view photos of the construction of 150 Slayton, please visit https://www.ialr.org/history/.

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research serves as a regional catalyst for economic transformation in Southern Virginia. Our services, programs and offerings are diverse, impactful and far reaching.

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2024 marks the 20th anniversary of the opening of the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research main building. To celebrate, we will feature several guests who have been integral to the operation of this iconic facility over the last twenty years.
 
This second special anniversary episode features two maintenance professionals who have kept the building operational all these years: Jeff Forlines (retired Facilities Maintenance) and Stewart East (Senior Facilities Manager).

From opening locked office doors to changing 4,000 light bulbs in 2,800 light fixtures, Jeff shares how he did some of everything as a one-man maintenance team for almost nine years before Stewart was hired. They share stories about moving large research equipment through a standard-size door, explain the process of painting the Atrium’s tall ceiling and highlight their special trick to get helium balloons down from a 30-foot ceiling. Jeff fondly remembers getting to watch fireworks from the roof on the Fourth of July because he was fixing the AC unit. 

• Jeff’s background and early career (00:37)
• Stewart’s background and early career (07:01)
• Advantages of seeing what’s behind the walls (08:47)
• Growing campus brings Stewart on board (20:08)
• Fitting equipment through a door (24:30)
• Challenges of a growing campus (25:28)
• Installing a walk-in freezer (28:21)
• Cleaning all this glass (34:12)
• Jeff’s reaction to seeing IALR for the first time (37:19)
• Converting to LED (39:00)
• Tight spaces and a hot roof (41:45)
•  Lessons learned during employment (43:25)
• Getting familiar with the building and campus (46:38)
• Looking ahead twenty years (48:03)
• Closing thoughts (50:46)
• Help desk ticketing system (51:26)

For more history and information and to view photos of the construction of 150 Slayton, please visit https://www.ialr.org/history/.

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research serves as a regional catalyst for economic transformation in Southern Virginia. Our services, programs and offerings are diverse, impactful and far reaching.

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2024 marks the 20th anniversary of the opening of the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research main building. To celebrate, we will feature several guests who have been integral to the operation of this iconic facility over the last twenty years.

 This special premiere anniversary episode features Dewberry's Larry Hasson (Associate Principal | Architecture Department Manager), who led the design team that created the IALR facility. Larry shares the story of how the design and architecture of the 90,000-square-foot building came to be. 

• Larry's background and early career (00:42)
• Initial pitch for what the building needed to be (02:27)
• The thought process behind the design and layout of the building (06:47)
• How the iconic Atrium facade came to be (17:32)
• The choice of building and architectural materials used, such as glass, steel and brick (19:55)
• Reactions to the opening of the building (30:42)
• Lessons learned and continuing a theme (37:07)
• If this building was built in 2024 (42:29)
• Looking ahead twenty years (47:38)
• Outside inspiration and ahead of its time (57:20)
• Closing thoughts (01:02:54)

For more history and information and to view photos of the construction of 150 Slayton, please visit https://www.ialr.org/history/.

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research serves as a regional catalyst for economic transformation in Southern Virginia. Our services, programs and offerings are diverse, impactful and far reaching.

Get updates from IALR on other channels:

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