Cardiss Collins Professor Jian Cao (MIT’Ph.D) specialized in innovative manufacturing processes and systems, particularly in the areas of deformation-based processes and laser additive manufacturing processes. She is the Founding Director of Northwestern Initiative for Manufacturing Science and Innovation (NIMSI). Prof. Cao is a member of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAA&S). Cao was the Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Materials Processing Technology. Prof. Cao now serves as an Associate Vice President for Research at Northwestern, Board of Directors of SME, and Board of mHUB – accelerator for hardtech innovation and manufacturing in Chicago. Google scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=JRk61c0AAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao