Robert Officer
Robert Officer
Energy Science and Engineering (ESE)
Robert “Jake” Officer is a PhD student and researcher specializing in advanced manufacturing and metal casting. During his undergraduate studies at Tennessee Tech, he served as the Undergraduate Research Lead for the Additive Manufacturing Research and Innovation Laboratory and the Student Coordinator for the College of Engineering Grand Challenges Scholars’ Program. His professional experience includes a SULI Internship at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF), a Prototype Engineering Internship with Morrison Industries, and roles as a Teaching and Research Assistant in the Tennessee Tech Foundry. An NAE Grand Challenge Scholar and 2022 Eagleworks Entrepreneurship Competition winner, Officer has received numerous accolades, including the Tennessee Tech College of Engineering Innovation and Spectrum Awards. His research on sustainable FDM filament systems, wire arc additive manufacturing, and sand-casting gating tools has been featured in several peer-reviewed publications and presented at conferences such as the Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium and the NAE Grand Challenge Scholars Program National Conference. He is also a semi-finalist of the ORNL Ignite Off! competition and a recipient of both CISE and Sustainability Department grants.
Education
Officer earned his undergraduate degree in Engineering Technology with a concentration in Mechatronics from Tennessee Tech University.
Research
Officer’s research addresses the intersection of advanced manufacturing and metal casting, specifically using additive manufacturing (AM) to modernize the metal casting system. He specializes in the integration of FDM, Binder Jetting, and MSLA technologies to optimize evaporative, sand, and investment casting processes. By focusing on the development of high-fidelity tooling, low-waste gating systems, and controlled property castings, his work aims to enhance the precision, sustainability, and scalability of traditional foundry operations, combining advanced technology with traditional manufacturing methods.