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Stephan Schlamminger is a physicist in the Quantum Measurement Division at NIST. He has worked on obtaining precise determinations of the Planck constant and the gravitational constant. Currently, his research interest is in the measurement of small masses based on a fixed value of the Planck constant. He is still trying to figure out what the precise value of the gravitational constant is. He likes all coffee-related things, without being a snob about it.

The mission of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership of Louisiana (MEPOL) is to provide Louisiana manufacturers with value-driven, best-practice solutions. The experts at MEPOL provide targeted needs assessment, consulting and technical assistance to strengthen and enhance your manufacturing business.  We collaborate with public and private resources to provide smart, innovative and sustainable solutions that allow our clients to work and compete smarter. Most importantly, MEPOL is rated, graded and funded on impact; we are committed to a high return on investment.

Mary Kombolias is senior chemist in Testing and Technical Services, Plant Operations at the United States Government Publishing Office and a NIST guest researcher in the Nanoscale Device Characterization Division of the Physical Measurement Laboratory. A former middle-school science teacher, she is the first United States federal government employee to be named an Invention Ambassador by AAAS and The Lemelson Foundation.

Savelas Rabb is a research chemist in the NIST Inorganic Measurement Science group. He works to certify values of chemical constituents in a variety of reference materials using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Currently, his spare time is spent entertaining his young son with the most popular nursery rhymes. Before his son came along, he enjoyed volunteering at science fairs and various food pantries. He has also participated in student enrichment activities sponsored by the Duke Alumni Association, as well as the Smithsonian.

Christopher M. Sims, a Maryland native from Reisterstown, is currently a chemist in NIST’s Material Measurement Laboratory, where he contributes his skills to several projects across the biological, chemical and material sciences. He spends much of his free time with his wife (another NIST scientist!), where they enjoy traveling, tennis and exploring new cuisines together. Christopher also enjoys reading, discovering new music, and riding the world’s best roller coasters.

William M. Healy is the leader of and a supervisory mechanical engineer in the NIST Heat Transfer and Alternative Energy Systems Group. In addition to leading the group, he also manages the Net-Zero Energy, High-Performance Buildings Program. His current research interests involve evaluation of the performance of net-zero energy homes, the development of improved test methods and metrics for assessing the performance of water heating systems, and the use of advanced sensing and data analytics for determining energy performance.

Jack Pfunder is president and CEO of the Manufacturers Resource Center, a nonprofit organization partially funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s NIST-MEP program, as well as the state of Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development. MRC is dedicated to creating jobs and economic opportunity for manufacturers in eastern Pennsylvania’s Lehigh, Northampton, Schuylkill, Carbon and Berks counties.

Jack has an extensive background in senior level management that spans a broad spectrum of core competencies that apply to start-ups, turnarounds, and dynamic enterprises in domestic and international markets. He co-founded Ani-Motion Inc. in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, based on patented technologies that use fiber optics to produce lighted, animated displays on flexible and hardened surfaces. He built the organization from concept through start-up and management, successfully selling the business in late 2003.

Prior to the Lehigh Valley venture, Jack was president/CEO of Microcom, a 300-employee supplier to the defense and aerospace industries. Jack’s defense/electronics career spanned a variety of leadership capacities wherein he functioned as president, vice president and general manager with a variety of notable manufacturing firms, including REMEC, Loral Corporation & Lockheed Martin. Jack co-founded REMEC, a developer of electronic-microwave RF components and sub systems for the defense and aerospace industries, and grew the business from start-up to 400 employees in four years. The foundation of Jack’s career includes a BS in mechanical engineering from Purdue University and an MBA degree from the University of Dallas.