January 28, 2022
President interacts with faculty, students during visit to CMU at Mill 19
By Heidi Opdyke opdyke(through)andrew.cmu.edu
Media Inquiries Shilpa BakreRyan ScarpinoU.S. President Joseph R. Biden visited Carnegie Mellon University's advanced manufacturing research facilities at Mill 19 in Pittsburgh on Friday, where he engaged with faculty and students to learn about projects that will revolutionize industry, and delivered remarks about his administration's efforts to strengthen the nation's supply chains, revitalize American manufacturing and create good-paying union jobs.
"Right here in Pittsburgh the future is being built on the foundation of this city's storied past. The manufacturing resurgence we're seeing today is no accident. It takes local leaders, federal leaders, foundations, businesses, unions and universities all pulling together," President Biden (right) said. "It requires a mindset like you have here at Mill 19. Here's what I mean by that. Generations ago, Mill 19 used to roll out 10-inch steel bars. Today, it rolls out the latest innovation in advanced manufacturing, robotics, 3D printing and artificial intelligence."
CMU President Farnam Jahanian and student leaders greeted Biden upon his arrival, and Jahanian highlighted the university's boundary-pushing initiatives in science and technology. Later, Jahanian welcomed dignitaries and national media as part of the program ahead of the president's speech.
"Mill 19 is a fitting location for President Biden's address on strengthening the national supply chain and revitalizing U.S. manufacturing," Jahanian (left) said during his remarks. "Today, Mill 19 is where CMU and its partners are catalyzing discoveries in the essential components of 21st century manufacturing."
In addition to President Biden, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, Sen. Bob Casey, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald and Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, as well as United Steelworkers representative JoJo Burgess, gave remarks as part of the event.
"Let's really thank CMU for doing all they're doing to revamp manufacturing in this region [and] thank President Biden for coming here and investing in manufacturing in a way that is going to prepare us for victory in the 21st century," Gainey said. "For that we are honored. We definitely thank CMU and the president for that amazing, amazing feat."
CMU faculty members and students showcased for President Biden the university's rich interdisciplinary research environment, which is accelerating innovations in advanced manufacturing. Changliu Liu, an assistant professor at CMU's Robotics Institute, and her doctoral students Rui Chen and Ruixuan Liu demonstrated a robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) and sensing system that will create safe working environments. The technology could revolutionize human-robot collaboration and has the potential to enable flexible and multipurpose assembly lines.
