SCC Professor Eric Wooldridge and Educator Sheri McGuffin Recognized by National Science Board

Published on Apr 26, 2024

The National Science Board (NSB) has awarded Somerset Community College (SCC) Professor Eric Wooldridge and Kentucky Science Technology Corporation (KSTC) AdvanceKentucky STEM coordinator Sheri McGuffin the Science and Society Award. The Science and Society Award honors individuals and groups that have made substantial contributions in the arts, media, education, or training programs to increase public understanding and appreciation of science and engineering in the United States.

According to NSB, the Board chose Eric Wooldridge and Sheri McGuffin for their successful effort to support and encourage people in Kentucky to join the STEM workforce and the National Academy of Inventors for its engaging and inclusive initiatives to strengthen and diversify the innovation economy.

Their work in Kentucky has resulted in the creation of the first state-endorsed, high school additive manufacturing Career and Technical Education Pathway.

“Our two awardees are dedicated to expanding STEM opportunities and fostering new innovations with both economical and societal benefits,” said Dario Gil, the Chair of the Board’s External Engagement Committee and Senior Vice President and Director of IBM research. “Their unique approaches not only help stimulate the innovation economy, but also make science and engineering more inclusive and diverse.”

It was Wooldridge and McGuffin’s joint desire to promote STEM opportunities for fellow Kentuckians that spurred a professional partnership in Summer 2020. They melded their unique skillsets to create high-impact, accessible additive manufacturing (also known as 3D printing) educational training programs that have reached over 5,000 students, 185 teachers, and 140 schools across the state.

For McGuffin, it was important to have an equity focus. “There is a lack of representation in certain STEM fields for women and underserved populations,” McGuffin said. “I remember feeling left out during my own upper-level courses in math and computer sciences. It's important to me to be that representation for young girls and inspire others to follow suit,” McGuffin said.

Students and teachers who went through the program have partnered with local small businesses to produce innovative engineering and advanced manufacturing solutions, increasing local revenue streams, generating patents, and landing products with national retailers like Amazon. The effort has galvanized partnerships for educators and students with representatives from City Hall, regional hospitals, local law enforcement, and small businesses.

“Our food, economy, and national defense all rely on STEM innovation,” Wooldridge said. “It’s a hard truth to face, but if we don’t work to out innovate and manufacture using advanced technologies such as 3D printing, our nation will fall behind.”

Wooldridge and McGuffin aim to train teachers in every school district and every high school in the state, identify more employers and industry partners for their program, and expand their model outside of Kentucky.

"It's challenging to really express how grateful I am to receive this award, though it truly has been a team effort that made all this work possible. From family and friends to staff and leadership here at SCC, to all of the amazing partners that have joined us across Kentucky and the nation to make the transformative power of additive manufacturing available to our people and economies. It has been a great honor to be a part of this exciting STEM adventure, and I am looking forward to seeing what this team accomplishes next."

“Eric Wooldridge's dedication to advancing STEM education within our communities is truly commendable. This award recognizes his tireless efforts to drive innovation and inspire the next generation of STEM leaders in Kentucky and beyond. We are grateful for our partnership with KSTC and incredibly proud of Eric and Sherri’s achievements,” praised SCC President Dr. Carey Castle. 

McGuffin and Wooldridge are being recognized alongside the National Academy of Inventors. Dan Reed, Chair of the National Science Board, will present the award to the awardees on May 1, 2024, during the National Science Foundation’s Awards Gala at the Renwick Gallery in Washington, D.C.

Those interested in learning more about additive manufacturing training opportunities through Somerset Community College’s Digital Printing Technology program can visit somerset.kctcs.edu.