Keynote Speakers
Prof. William P. King, Ph.D
William P. King, Ph.D. is the Chief Technology Officer at the Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute at UI LABS in Chicago, IL, where he directs a $200M portfolio of technology investments focused on the future of manufacturing. He is Professor in the Departments of Mechanical Science and Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, and Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he holds the Ralph A. Andersen Endowed Chair.
Dr. King received a Ph.D. from Stanford University and completed the Program for Leadership Development at Harvard Business School.
Dr. King has been founder, adviser, or director at a dozen early stage technology companies with a focus on nanotechnology, materials, and manufacturing. He is an accomplished leader of projects that cross the boundaries between science, technology, and business.
Dr. King has consulted for numerous companies on technology strategy, advanced manufacturing, and materials. Dr. King holds many patents and often consults on projects related to technology strategy and intellectual property.
Dr. King is the winner of numerous awards for science and technology accomplishments, including the PECASE award from the White House and the ASME Gustus-Larson Award for accomplishment in Mechanical Engineering. He was named by Technology Review Magazine as a person whose innovations will change the world.
Dr. King has published 200 journal articles and is a Fellow of ASME, AAAS, and APS.
J. Robert Sims, ASME President
“Future of Mechanical Engineering”
J. Robert Sims is the 133rd president of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers serving the 2014-2015 term of Office.
Sims has been an active member of the Society for more than 33 years and is a recognized authority on risk-based technologies. He is a senior engineering fellow with Becht Engineering Co., Inc. where he provides consulting services in failure analysis of pressure equipment, pressure vessel and piping system design and analysis, mechanical integrity evaluation and Fitness-For-Service analysis, and the design of high pressure oil and gas well equipment.
Prior to joining Becht Engineering in 1998, Sims worked for more than thirty years with Exon (now ExxonMobil), the last ten years as a pressure equipment specialist with worldwide responsibility for standards and improving equipment integrity. He has led multidisciplinary teams in performing risk analyses and has managed technology development in the area of flaw evaluation.
Sims is a fellow of ASME and has served in a number of leadership roles, particularly in areas involving the Society’s codes, standards and certification processes. He served as senior vice president for ASME Standards and Certification (2005-2008), vice president for Pressure Technology Codes and Standards (1999-2002), chair of the Pressure Technology Post Construction Commitee (1995-2001), and was a member of the ASME Board of Governors from 2010-2013. He is past vice chair and current member of the ASME/API Joint Fitness for Service Commitee and is a member of Standards and Certification committees and subcommittees.
Sims is the recipient of the Society’s Dedicated Service Award (1995), the J. Hall Taylor Codes and Standards Medal (2004) and the Melvin R. Green Codes and Standards Medal (2006). He has more than 30 publications and two patents to his credit and is a frequent speaker and chair at technical forums.
Sims earned his degree in mechanical engineering from Vanderbilt University and served two years as a commissioned officer in the United States Navy.
Michael Molnar, Director of NIST Advanced Manufacturing
“Mechanical Engineering Π Τ Σ Centennial: ‘Making’ for a Bright Tomorrow”
Mike Molnar likes to be introduced simply as “a manufacturing guy from industry” with nearly 30 years of experience in advanced manufacturing. To help provide an industry focus in 2011 he was named the first Chief Manufacturing Officer of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Today Mike leads the NIST Advanced Manufacturing Program Office for extramural manufacturing programs and also serves as the director of the interagency Advanced Manufacturing National Program Office. As called for by the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership initiative, the AMNPO’s mission is to foster industry-led partnerships and to form a “whole of government” approach to strengthen competitiveness and innovation in U.S. manufacturing.
Mike’s experience includes leadership roles in advanced manufacturing, metrology, manufacturing systems, quality, technology development, sustainability and industrial energy efficiency. His credentials include service as a Federal Fellow in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and election as Fellow of both the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. He is a licensed Professional Engineer, a Certified Manufacturing Engineer and a Certified Energy Manager. He received a Master of Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame, and both a Master of Science in Manufacturing Systems Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin. He is an active member of professional societies, consortia and volunteer organizations.