About Us
I-DREAM4D, a DoD Consortium for Innovation Driven Research/Education Ecosystem for Advanced Manufacturing for the Defense, is created by DoD to support the talent needs for US military and US defense manufacturing operations. The focus of the consortium is through a collaborative effort, to conduct impactful research for defense innovations and to prepare engineers and scientists who lead the US defense manufacturing innovation.
The consortium is composed of five higher education institutions (UTRGV, UT Austin, UTSA, Virginia Tech, VSU), national research centers, national labs, defense manufacturers, local high school districts, and community colleges. The goal is to promote advanced additive manufacturing (AM) and smart manufacturing (SM) and to support innovations for the defense industries.
Register now for 2023 Manufacturing Expo
Save the date for the 2023 Manufacturing Expo and Exhibition at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. We are inviting DoD and DOE labs, defense manufactures, South Texas regional manufacturers, and special guests from DoD STEM, and all I-DREAM4D Consortium Members to attend this event. Together we inspire our students for careers in manufacturing and STEM.
What We Offer
We offer summer internship and research opportunities for all STEM students, which provide intensive full-time summer research experiences for students affiliated with consortium institutions.
Become of industry member of I-DREAM4D! Your support will inspire the future STEM talent for US Defense!
We offer education, training and summer camp programs for students at all levels to prepare future leader of defense manufacturing and defense innovation.
Statistics
5
Institutions
2
National Labs
1
National Center
10+
Defense Contractors
Events / Conferences
Coming Soon IDREAM4D 2023 Summer Camps
Are you ready for a taste of college life and a snapshot of fascinating innovation projects guided by experts, scientist, engineers and graduate students? I-DREAM4D is call your attention to this two week innovation camp, full of fun and events, plus opportunities to interact with scientist from national laboratories. Come join us and you have the chance to work on 3D printing, robots, drone, unmanned vehicles and more! Contact us for more information
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I-DREAM4D National Manufacturing Day
Each year we celebrate National Manufacturing Day with student led presentations to inspire high schools' students from school districts across the nation. Come and join us and the next event as a sponsor or invited speaker!
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I-DREAM4D Defense Expo and Exhibition 2023
The consortium organizes regional career expo conferences each year. The location of the conferences will be rotated in the five regions the consortium serves (South Texas, Texas capital, Texas Alamo, Gulf Coast, Commonwealth of Virginia, and DC). The activities of each of the expos will include:
Innovation demos, videos, and special talks about defense manufacturing provided by students and faculty teams, engineers, and scientists from industry partners and defense labs.
Exhibits and Booths
Networking with R&D experts from industry and universities
Featured News
UTRGV signs agreement with U.S. Army Research Lab
UTRGV has a new partnership with the U.S. Army Research Laboratory to share research resources to benefit both groups. Two engineering students were able to participate this summer, as interns at the ARL Aberdeen Proving Ground from the beginning of June to mid-August.
Lindsey Salazar, a Manufacturing Engineering graduate student from Reynosa, and Madelyne Martinez, a senior Mechanical Engineering major from McAllen, participated in the 10-week internship program, supported by the new agreement.
The Dream Continues: UTRGV expands I-DREAM4D summer consortium
Area high school students this summer had a chance to participate in hands-on learning at UTRGV’s newly expanded I-DREAM4D virtual summer camp.
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DoD I-DREAM4D Information Session
I-DREAM4D is inviting all STEM students to this special information session Thursday, 11/17 from 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm, for the upcoming 2023 Opportunity Information Session. In the meeting, we will share the different opportunities that will be available to students, such as, Student Internships, Graduate Research Assistantships and the DMEI Minor Program.
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