Meet the Mentor:

Sam Reiss

3M Senior Application Engineer

Advanced Materials Division

As a senior application engineer for 3M’s Advanced Materials Division, Sam works with customers from all industries to provide 3D printed solutions for their toughest challenges. From chemical mixing and handling, to bioprocessing, to automotive and aerospace, to 5G and high frequency communication, Sam and his team help ensure customers understand the possibilities enabled by 3D printing PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) – one of toughest polymers available.

Sam graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, earning a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degree in nuclear engineering and engineering physics. While in college, he worked in plasma fusion research as part of the university’s Pegasus Toroidal Experiment.

3D printing is an exciting technological development that is helping change the way we live our lives. It’s even more exciting when you’re printing one of the most robust polymers humans have ever discovered.

Mentees

2020 Finalist

Xavier Baquero-Iglesias

SoleX Turf: Good for Your Sole, Good for Your Planet

Meet Xavier. Xavier invented SoleX Turf, a highly renewable, nontoxic alternative energy source to replace current energy solutions that use non-renewable, toxic components.

2019 Finalist

Reshma Kosaraju

Forest Fire Prevention

Meet Reshma. Reshma created a predictive model using machine learning and neural networks to predict and prevent the instances of forest fires.

2018 Finalist

Leo Wylonis

Technology that is Optimizing and Controlling Aircraft Wing Shape and Efficiency In-Flight Through Novel Polymer Artificial Muscle Actuators

Leo hopes to reduce high altitude aircraft carbon emissions through his innovative design and use of polymer artificial muscles better known as PAM actuators.

2017 Finalist

Rithvik Ganesh

Remembering Alzheimer’s: In silico study on plant alkaloid derivatives as inhibitors of 3 well known drug targets responsible for the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease

Rithvik’s project deals with how specific plant components can be used to treat Alzheimer’s disease.