MI Fellows Program
Leveraging University of Michigan talent to address real-world manufacturing challenges
The Manufacturing Innovation (MI) Fellows Program connects University of Michigan students with manufacturers (particularly small and medium-sized manufacturers) to work on real-world technical challenges.
Through paid, project-based experiences, students apply their engineering knowledge in practice, gain hands-on industry experience, and help companies explore innovative manufacturing solutions.
Click here to view the MI fellows program flyer.
How to Engage
For Students
Apply your skills to real industry challenges, gain hands-on experience, and build your professional network.
Join the Talent Network to be considered for MI Fellows projects.
For Manufacturers
Access University of Michigan student talent, fresh perspectives, and technical support to address real manufacturing challenges.
Click here to see a step-by-step process for engaging with the MI Fellows program.
Submit a Project to let us understand your needs.
MI Fellows in Action
MI Fellows are working with industry partners across a range of technical areas, from additive manufacturing and AI-enabled design to localization and autonomous systems.
Below are examples of projects currently underway or recently supported through the MI Fellows Program.
Project DIAMOnD
Firefly Drone Shows
Design for Additive Manufacturing Leo supported Project DIAMOnD grantee companies in identifying practical additive manufacturing applications, improving 3D printer utilization, and designing and optimizing parts for additive manufacturing. He also contributed to the development of a virtual course on additive manufacturing fundamentals.
GPS-Denied Localization for Drone Swarms Vaishnavi is developing a GPS-denied localization pipeline for drone swarms using UWB ranging measurements. Her work combines sparse measurement propagation and optimization methods, with large-scale testing and further development toward absolute positioning and real-time motion tracking.
Trenton Forging Company
Arcessio
Manufacturing Tooling Inspection and Control Daniela is working with Trenton Forging Company to improve tooling inspection and documentation for impression-die forging. Her work focuses on developing standardized inspection criteria, Tooling Control Plans, and Inspection Sheets to support consistent tooling quality and more efficient manufacturing processes.
AI-Enabled Design for Additive Manufacturing Khushal is working with Arcessio to evaluate design and process constraints across FDM, SLA, SLS, and metal additive manufacturing. His work supports the development of practical DfAM guidelines and structured datasets for training Arcessio’s AI manufacturability agents.