The Italian Machine Tool Technology Award (IMTTA) is one of the three Italian Technology Award (ITA) programs, sponsored by the Italian Trade Agency and UCIMU SISTEMI PER PRODURRE (the Association of Italian Manufacturers of Machine Tools, Robots, Automation Systems, and Ancillary Products) with their US partner, Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME). The aim of this program is to advance the engineering education of students and promote knowledge of important issues within three industries vital to Italy’s economic success: metalworking, glassworking, and packaging. The program is open to juniors, seniors, and graduate students, and applicants’ research essays are evaluated by panels of Italian experts for quality and innovativeness in their respective industrial research categories.
Ms. Shaffer was honored as one of four US recipients of the Italian Machine Tool Technology Award for her paper regarding the investigation of Sierpinski Carpet fractal fins as alternative heat sink designs. Jennifer is a PhD student working with Dr. Hongseok Choi, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering. She was awarded a one-week educational and cultural trip to northern Italy to tour top Italian machine manufacturing factories and discuss innovation and best-practices in the machine tool manufacturing industry.
