MechSE well represented at major manufacturing conference

The 2014 International Manufacturing Research Conference in June featured MechSE professors, graduate students, and alumni as leaders in manufacturing research. MechSE was represented in conference awards, conference panels, and presentation and paper awards.

The conference combined three conference organizations: the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) International Manufacturing Science and Engineering Conference (MSEC 2014); the 42nd North American Manufacturing Research Conference (NAMRC 42) sponsored by the North American Manufacturing Research Institution of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (NAMRI/SME); and the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers (JSME) International Conference on Materials and Processing (ICM&P 2014), sponsored by JSME and ASME.

Professor and Grayce Wicall Gauthier Chair Shiv Kapoor received the NAMRI/SME Outstanding Lifetime Service Award, which honors distinguished members for their long-term dedication and contributions to NAMRI/SME.

Department Head and Tungchao Julia Lu Professor Placid Ferreira received a certificate for the ASME William T. Ennor Manufacturing Technology Award. The Ennor Award is for developing or contributing significantly to an innovative manufacturing technology that provides substantial economic and/or societal benefits.

Professor William King was an invited plenary panelist for the Emerging Advanced Manufacturing in the U.S. segment. He was also a panelist for the panel on Leaders of Manufacturing Innovation Institutes.

Postdoc and lecturer Chandra Nath, who works in Kapoor’s lab, received the SME Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award. The award recognizes engineers age 35 or younger who have made exceptional contributions and accomplishments in the manufacturing industry.

The paper presented by graduate student Ala'a Al-Okaily and Ferreira was one of three finalists in the NAMRC Best Paper Award. Al-Okaily was also a runner-up for the best student presentation award. Last year, MechSE graduate student Miki Takagi won the best student presentation award at the conference.

Illinois alumna Kira Barton, now an assistant professor at the University of Michigan, was a co-chair of the conference. MechSE alumnus Jingyan Dong, now an assistant professor at North Carolina State University, was the senior author on one of three finalists for the NAMRC Best Paper Award.

“It was nice to see a strong showing at one of the top manufacturing conferences in the U.S.,” Ferreira said.

The 2015 conference will take place at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Photos courtesy of Barry Belmont via MSEC/NAMRC/ICM&P.