and Digital Manufacturing and Biology . The Applied Technology Center also houses the college ’ s welding program and dedicated CAD classrooms .
“ The Biofabrication Technology program has been offered since 2019 , and is a partnership within the college itself to bring together biology and additive manufacturing in a shared space . It ’ s a certificate so it really is meant to provide the foundation of knowledge that someone would need to go into bioprinting in just 16 credits . It ’ s really quick and is meant to get folks right into the workforce ,” said Dean Kristine Baker , the Academic Dean of STEM at Century College .
Three current Century College instructors collaborated to bring the program to the college . Randy Jasken , Director of the Additive and Manufacturing program and Biology instructors Lori Thrun and Michelle Lebeau credit Angela Panoskaltsis- Morati , PhD , Vice Chair for Research and Professor in the University of Minnesota ’ s Department of Pediatrics with inspiring the program and dedicated CAD classrooms .
“ We first met Dr . Mortari in Spring 2018 . She was involved in a grant that was tasked with creating a workforce in the promising industry of bioprinting . She reached out to us and invited us to tour her facility ,” said Jansken .
“ She had this vision of reaching out to the community and perhaps developing a core curriculum . It ’ s a rapidly developing industry and she wanted to capitalize on that , and create a more formalized infrastructure to train people for this sort of cutting-edge work ” added LeBeau .
As the program began to come together , Dr . Mortari partnered with Century College on a joint symposium held in 2018 to inform the community about it . “ We had really great attendance at the event ,” recalled Thrun . Students from Century , as well as local middle schools and high schools ( Grades 6 – 12 ) were in attendance .
Century College began offering its Biofabrication Certificate program in 2019 . Thrun commented that the people pursuing their certificates have included recent high school graduates , as well as those who have already
been in the workforce and are either looking for something new , or a way to supplement their education . “ The Certificate is a good supplement for people pursuing their biomedical and engineering or biology related degrees ,” said Thrun .
Retail support Light assembly Kitting Packaging Food service Paper shredding Plastic recycling Clerical services Copy paper sales
Partnering with the Vadnais Heights business community to empower adults with disabilities .
For a personal introduction to your local nonprofit , Merrick , Inc ., and the workforce services we can offer at your location or ours , please contact Pat Hanson at path @ merrickinc . org or by phone at 651-789-6222 .
Merrick , Inc ., is a proud investor in the Vadnais Heights Economic Development Corporation , and a member of the Rotary Club of White Bear Lake and the White Bear Area Chamber of Commerce .
A number of Century College students have already completed the program , including Nadina Beethe , who is working on her Master ’ s in Bioengineering , and then plans to start work on her PhD . Thanks to an innovative partnership between the College and the University of Wisconsin ( UW ) - River Falls , Beethe recently completed an internship working on a cancer research project with Dr .
54 Northeast Metro Business