During his time studying aerospace engineering and human systems engineering in the Fulton Schools, Christian LaRosa (pictured) was part of a student-led effort to develop a plasma jet engine with support from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Raytheon. He also participated in a NASA mission to develop a new method of lunar seismic data collection. In those projects, he learned how 3D-printing could help solve technological problems. Now working in industry, through a company he founded, LaRosa is leading efforts at the forefront of advancing the use of large-scale 3D-printing to make massive metal parts and structures. He is using that capability to help improve the design and manufacturing of technologies critical to the progress of the aerospace industry. (Access to the editorial content of the Arizona Republic is available only to subscribers.)