Chinedum “Chi” Okwudire is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan, where he also directs the Smart and Sustainable Automation Lab. His research focuses on the intersection of machine design, control, and computing to boost the performance of automation systems at low cost. Prior to joining Michigan, he led the Systems Optimization team at DMG Mori USA. Dr. Okwudire holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of British Columbia. He has received several notable awards including the CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation, the Young Investigator Award from the International Symposium on Flexible Automation, the Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award from SME, the Ralph Teetor Educational Award from SAE International, the Education Award from SME, and the Russell Severance Springer Visiting Professorship from UC Berkeley. In 2022, he was selected by SME as one of the 25 leaders transforming manufacturing. He has co-authored several award-winning papers in the areas of manufacturing automation, control, and mechatronics. He is the founder and CTO of Ulendo Technologies Inc., a company focused on advanced automation solutions for the manufacturing industry.