3Degrees Discussions #55 - John Sorvillo - Westwood Preparatory Academy

John Sorvillo is a licensed elementary school teacher who has been in educational administration for nearly a decade. At the Westwood Preparatory Academy, the students are in residential care, most under court custody with no familial provisions. As a director at the academy, Sorvillo builds programs, teaches, and counsels with the goal of inspiring hope through education. Initially, the academy had one 3D printer, but it struggled to incorporate it into instructional lessons. With John’s efforts, it now has four printers that function as conduits for experiencing life skills, such as teamwork; acquiring technology skills, such as CAD design; and gaining ‘soft skills’ needed to function in society. He joins the show today to talk about how his 3D printing program has played a huge role in creating inspiration and his novel ways of showing at-risk students a whole new way of learning. Before we get started head over to www.3degreescompany.com and subscribe to the podcast. Remember you can listen to the show anywhere you download your podcasts including Spotify, Apple, Amazon, or Stitcher.

Om Podcasten

Dr. Mike Vasquez is a 3D Printing expert specializing in pushing the boundaries of advanced 3D printing technology. He is the Founder and CEO of 3Degrees, a Chicago-based consulting company focused on helping organizations maximize their investment in the technology. Over the past decade he has worked side-by-side with some of the top machine manufacturers, material producers and end users in the industry, consulting with them to identify novel applications, test new materials and develop frameworks to maximize R&D efficiency and boost ROI. Based on insights gleaned from the consulting, Mike has spun out two additional organizations. First, a software company called TraceAM with the mission to help manufacturers organize and analyze their 3D Printing digital data. In the last year, they have worked with customers such as Air Force Research Lab, Renishaw, Ohio State University and Fabrisonic. The second organization, AMx or Advanced Manufacturing Experience, was created by Mike to offer an on-ramp for new workers from disadvantaged regions looking to enter the field of Advanced Manufacturing. A voluntary effort designed to give back to the industry and community, the pilot course was run in the West Side of Chicago and with support from America Makes and West Side Forward. In 2022, AMx is hoping to secure funding to branch out to multiple cities and regions. He completed his PhD in Additive Manufacturing at Loughborough University and received both his Bachelors and Masters from MIT in Materials Science and Engineering. Mike is regularly asked to speak as an expert on the topic of 3D Printing and has given talks at SxSW, the National Association of Attorneys General annual meeting and numerous industry conferences. Mike is the host of 3Degrees Discussions, a weekly podcast where he speaks with the innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders in the 3D Printing industry. Currently the show has over 89 episodes including interviews from leaders at NASA, Ford and Boeing.