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CORVALLIS, Ore. - Many of the leading manufacturing researchers in the world and executives from private industry will be in Oregon from June 13-17 for a week-long conference at Oregon State University that will explore the role of manufacturing in innovation and economic development.

The professional conference will be the first of its type, combining in one venue members of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, and the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers.

More information on registration, fees, the program and speakers is available online at http://msec-namrc-icmp.org/.

"This event has been designed with help from industry, for industry," said Brian Paul, an OSU professor of industrial and manufacturing engineering, and chair of the conference.

"It's not often that Pacific Northwest manufacturers have an opportunity to network with international experts and learn more about new material processing techniques and manufacturing practices," he said. "The conference also includes outreach to high schools and various student competitions that will provide opportunities to meet young talent from across the globe."

Among the speakers are:

• Jake Nichol, president and chief executive officer for Leatherman Tool Group

• Chandra Brown, vice president of Oregon Iron Works

• Skip Rung, president and executive director of the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute

• Charalabos Doumanidis, director of the nanomanufacturing program for the National Science Foundation

• Bryan Dods, a manufacturing executive with General Electric Energy

Panel discussions will explore topics such as sustainable manufacturing, "clean" transportation manufacturing and "lean" engineering, as well as new concepts in manufacturing and global distribution. Speakers will discuss new alloys, composites and foams; emerging micro- and nanomanufacturing technologies; manufacturing innovations in clean energy; and "first-world" manufacturing strategies, among many other subjects.

Tours will also be offered of the Microproducts Breakthrough Institute, Hewlett Packard, the OSU Formula Racing program, and the OSU Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory. In addition to student outreach and competitions, the conference will offer an early career forum for manufacturing engineering graduate students.