Members of the DREAM Research Center conducted outreach at the eSTEMos Unidos STEM Festival 2024 held on December 14 in Gadsden, New Mexico. At their booth, research students led by STEM education faculty representing the DREAM Research Center showcased the potential of 3D printing by sharing 3D designs, products, and principles to K-12 students, teachers, parents, and professionals in the Gadsden Independent School District community. This engagement with the community inspired enthusiasm for future opportunities, specifically the DREAM Center’s teacher professional development workshop for 3D printing held the following summer of 2025.

During summer 2025, Dr. Mahajan of the Industrial Engineering Department at NMSU alongside student researchers presented to a cohort of teachers from Gadsden ISD at the inaugural teacher professional development workshop on 3D Printing held by the DREAM Research Center. The week-long hybrid learning event brought 10 K-12 teachers onto NMSU campus to learn the principles behind 3D Printing: modeling, slicing, and printing. The event also marks a kick-off for co-design of student curricula between teachers and leaders of the DREAM Research Center, where students will be introduced to 3D printing within the Fall academic year.

Student leaders of the Aggie Innovation Space (AIS) at NMSU presented on practical considerations for interacting with a range of 3D printing instruments. Teachers learned to handle 3D models, process design data layer-by-layer in preparation of printing, and basic material handling for product quality adjustments. AIS is a student-led maker space primarily dedicated to additive manufacturing instruments, also known as 3D printers, and has developed practical training specifically for this week-long program in collaboration with the DREAM Research Center.