Last week, AAM Indiana field coordinators Mike Mitchell and Rachel Bennett Steury attended the 9th Annual Purdue University Advancing Manufacturing Summit-- http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/newsitem.asp?ID=40910 " target="_blank">'Creating Connections: the Importance of Building Business Networks.'  It was held at the West Lafayette campus with over 100 business, government, and university representatives in attendance.  It centered around the importance of manufacturing in Indiana with several recent initiatives highlighted throughout the day.  France Cordova, President of Purdue University, explained how the school is at the forefront of grooming talented students to move into engineering and manufacturing careers, and are the first of the Big 10 schools to require new students to have at least 4 years of high school math under their belt.  She said there is no reason why talented Hoosiers can’t work together to be a globally competitive nation from “idea to device to market.”     Lt. Governor Becky Skillman explained that there are over 11,000 manufacturing facilities in Indiana with 700,000 employees-- what she said is “our natural strength.”  She called on the attendees in the room to continue to move the state forward in energy efficiency.  Skillman touted the fact that in 2005, Indiana had one ethanol plant. Now it has 12 and the state ranks sixth in the nation for job creation in wind manufacturing, with companies like Brevini and VAT calling Indiana home.  She then received an award from the Director of the Center for Advanced Manufacturing, John Sullivan, made out of limestone, produced in her Hoosier hometown.   and Keith Takasawa from THINK, North America discussed the Norwegian company’s plans to build a manufacturing plant in Elkhart, Indiana in 2011.  THINK will build a 100% electric car that will run 100 miles on one charge with a maximum speed of 70mph.  It will be 95% recyclable and will even have its own iPhone app.  U.S. manufacturers and their workers are counting on the domestic content of the THINK vehicle to be high, and many component manufacturers in the audience that day had the same idea in mind.  There was an  afternoon workshop that highlighted Educational Opportunities in Emerging Vehicle Technologies. Panelists discussed a Department of Energy/Department of Labor grant that will enable Purdue University, Ivy Tech, and Indiana University to partner on a curriculum and degree programs for students to master electric vehicle and transportation technology.  Steve Tolen, President of Indy Power Systems, discussed the potential jobs within the state if business is willing to take the risk on new technologies.  As he explained it, “if we mine our natural resources-- our people,” new brave ideas will be integrated into businesses and they will have the potential to succeed.  Tolen also reinforced the idea of buying and investing at home when he explained that the “velocity of the dollar will increase by spending locally on wind, solar, coal, and nuclear instead of spending globally on oil.”       Another afternoon session detailed a new Indiana web-based procurement portal called Indiana Supplier Insight, with 5,000 Indiana companies enrolled. The Indiana Department of Administration (IDOA) worked with Conexus to connect Indiana companies to each other. IDOA is funded by Indiana Economic Development Corporation and Conexus for three years with the Chamber of Commerce and Conexus selling ads/shares for fundraising in the years after. IDOA’s Procurement Division facilitates the purchasing and contracting activities of all State Agencies, excluding the Indiana Department of Transportation. It is in conjunction with Buy Indiana requirements, thereby only allowing information access to companies who employ at least 51% of Indiana residents. Indiana Supplier Insight is a tool that allows supplies, purchasers, and business to connect with Indiana companies to strengthen Hoosier manufacturing by promoting them virtually.    The Purdue Petticrew Debate Team entertained the attendees with a lively debate addressing the need for subsidies in the electric vehicle industry.  Students from the EV Grand Prix Team displayed their energy efficient electric race-car in the networking area and were a true indicator of the caliber of talent emerging within the state.