White House Chief Science and Technology Advisor to Visit North Carolina as Part of President Biden’s Investing in America Tour

On Wednesday, February 21, Arati Prabhakar, President Biden’s chief advisor on science and technology and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), and National Science Foundation (NSF) leadership will visit the Manufacturing Solutions Center at Catawba Valley Community College in Conover, North Carolina.  There, they will meet with local students, entrepreneurs, and workers who support the North Carolina Textile Innovation and Sustainability Engine, led by the Industrial Commons-one of 10 recently-announced NSF Regional Innovation Engines across the country that will receive up to $160 million to stimulate regional economic growth and support President Biden’s agenda to grow the economy from the middle-out and the bottom-up. 

Western Piedmont Community College (WPCC) President and member of the Leadership Team for the Industrial Commons Regional Innovation Engine Award, Dr. Joel Welch, will participate in the visit.  “WPCC is proud to partner with the Industrial Commons and other core leaders on the NSF Engine award.  The Industrial Commons’ innovative and sustainable approach to textile production will have a tremendous impact on our regional economy and will serve as a model for other communities across the country.  WPCC is ready to support the workforce development needs of the NSF Engine award and I look forward to the conversation on Wednesday with representatives from the White House and NSF.”