Media advisory: MSU to host first Apple Manufacturing Academy Spring Forum, tours 

Michigan State University, in partnership with Apple, will host the Apple Manufacturing Academy Spring Forum April 30 and May 1.

The Apple Manufacturing Academy is a free program that pairs Apple engineers and MSU experts with small- and medium-sized businesses to help them implement AI and smart manufacturing techniques and has already supported nearly 150 American businesses since launching last fall. The spring forum will bring together industry leaders, innovators, researchers and small- to medium-sized businesses for an immersive exploration of how artificial intelligence is transforming the manufacturing industry.

The forum will feature keynote presentations and practical insights from experts in business operations, quality control, supply chain management and engineering. Speakers will include:

• MSU President Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Ph.D.
• Joshua Siegel, MSU assistant professor, computer science and engineering
• Sanjay Gupta, dean emeritus, Eli Broad College of Business and Green and White Council co-chair
• Matt Elliott, Green and White Council co-chair
• Shawn Henze, senior director of technical operations at Apple
• Rahul Kapoor, director of machine learning and infrastructure at Apple
• Jason Scott, vice president of global seating quality at Lear Corporation
• Jim Quesenberry, director of research and development at Magna
• Maxwell Garrow, manager of enterprise solutions engineering at Guidewheel
• Rahul Shahani, partner, McKinsey & Company
• Paul Ryznar, CEO of LightGuide
• Kelly DiPucchio, vice president of Medtronic
• Robert Scipione, manufacturing services manager for Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center

MSU Provost Laura Lee McIntyre will speak after lunch, and Apple Vice President of Product Operations Priya Balasubramaniam will participate in a fireside chat.

On May 1, off-site tours and experiences will be available to registered participants, including media, highlighting how AI is being applied in real-world manufacturing and operational processes. Tours will take place from 9 a.m. to noon at Block Imaging, the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, Peckham and the MSU Dairy Cattle Teaching and Research Center. Participants will be able to register for tours on April 30 during the forum.

How to participate

The forum and tours are free for business leaders, community members and the media to attend; however, registration is required.

Only tours of the MSU Dairy Cattle Teaching and Research Center and Block Imaging are open to media. Media can register for either or both tours on the day of the forum inside the Wharton Center or via RSVP.

The two-day event is an excellent opportunity for the community to engage with cross-disciplinary perspectives on AI, strengthen connections across campus and industry, and explore how emerging technologies are reshaping the future of manufacturing.

Date/time:

• Spring forum: April 30, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• MSU Dairy Cattle Teaching and Research Facility tour: May 1, hour-long tours starting at 9, 10 and 11 a.m.
• Block Imaging tour: May 1, hour-long tours starting at 9, 10 and 11 a.m.

Location: The forum will be held at the Wharton Center for Performing Arts at 750 East Shaw Lane, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824.

RSVP: Members of the media must RSVP to Mark Bullion at bullionm@msu.edu by April 27 and register online. Please indicate whether you’ll be attending the forum and/or the tours in your email.

Representatives from MSU, Apple and the two tour sites will be available for media interviews.