PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Chinedum Okwudire

Also known as Chi

Chinedum Okwudire is a mechanical engineering researcher whose work applies intelligent control and optimization to metal additive manufacturing. Born in Jos, Nigeria, in 1980, he earned degrees in Turkey and Canada, worked at DMG Mori Seiki, and joined the University of Michigan faculty in 2011. His group developed SmartScan for metal printing, and SME named him one of its 25 leaders transforming manufacturing in 2022. SME gave him its Education Award in 2024. As of October 2026, he is a professor of mechanical engineering and director of Michigan’s Advanced Manufacturing Institute and serves on the National Security Commission on Robotics for Advanced Manufacturing.

Now at
University of Michigan and National Security Commission on Robotics for Advanced Manufacturing
Works
144
Citations
1,796
h-index
24
Badges

Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 19 October 2026.

Timeline

  1. 1980–2009

    Degrees in Turkey and Canada

    Born in Jos, Nigeria, in 1980, he earns a BSc at Middle East Technical University and master’s and doctoral degrees at the University of British Columbia.

  2. 2009–2011

    From DMG Mori to Michigan

    After completing a mechanical engineering PhD at the University of British Columbia in 2009, he joins DMG Mori Seiki as a senior mechanical engineer and mechatronic systems optimization team leader in 2010. He joins the University of Michigan as an assistant professor in 2011.

  3. 2017–2021

    Associate professor and chair

    He is promoted to associate professor in 2017 and serves as associate chair of Integrative Systems + Design at the University of Michigan from 2019 to 2021.

  4. 2022

    SmartScan for metal printing

    His research applies intelligent control and optimization to metal additive manufacturing. His group develops SmartScan, an intelligent scan-sequence optimization method for laser powder bed fusion. SME selects him as one of its 25 leaders transforming manufacturing in 2022.

  5. 2023

    Full professor at Michigan

    He becomes a full professor at the University of Michigan in 2023.

  6. 2024

    The SME Education Award

    SME gives him its Education Award in 2024.

  7. As of October 2026

    Professor and institute director

    In March 2026, SCSP launches the National Security Commission on Robotics for Advanced Manufacturing and lists him as a member. As of October 2026, he is a professor of mechanical engineering and director of the University of Michigan Advanced Manufacturing Institute.

Career

  1. Since 2026National Security Commission on Robotics for Advanced ManufacturingMember
  2. Since 2011University of MichiganAssistant Professor, Associate Professor
  3. 2010–2011DMG Mori SeikiSenior Mechanical Engineer and Mechatronic Systems Optimization Team Leader

Education

  1. 2009University of British ColumbiaMaster's degree
  2. Middle East Technical UniversityBSc

From the biography and OpenAlex affiliations (the years of papers that list the organization), so some years are approximate.

Most-cited works

  1. Hybrid Modeling of Ball Screw Drives With Coupled Axial, Torsional, and Lateral Dynamics2009 · Journal of Mechanical Design · 139 citations
  2. Pre-compensation of servo contour errors using a model predictive control framework2015 · International Journal of Machine Tools and Manufacture · 71 citations
  3. Minimum Tracking Error Control of Flexible Ball Screw Drives Using a Discrete-Time Sliding Mode Controller2009 · Journal of Dynamic Systems Measurement and Control · 66 citations
  4. The Internet of Federated Things (IoFT)2021 · IEEE Access · 66 citations
  5. A limited-preview filtered B-spline approach to tracking control – With application to vibration-induced error compensation of a 3D printer2017 · Mechatronics · 65 citations

From OpenAlex, as of 19 October 2026.

  1. More people shaping AI studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than at any other institutionIncludes University of Michigan. Our estimates of where the people shaping AI studied and where their careers led, from education records in cited biographies.
  2. The company share of AI researchers’ top papers rose from 2% to 32%Includes University of Michigan. We estimate where leading AI researchers worked when their most-cited papers appeared. The company share rose from 2% in 1975–1979 to 32% in 2020–2024.
  3. Google has the highest combined h-index among AI organizationsIncludes University of Michigan. Our estimates of combined and median h-index at AI organizations, using current affiliations and OpenAlex records.
  4. Stanford University trained or employed 20 of the 89 AI major-prize winners, more than any other universityIncludes University of Michigan. Stanford University trained or employed 20 of the 89 AI major-prize winners, more than any other university. We compare doctorate and employment links for major-prize and best-paper winners.

Colleagues

People with dated positions at the same organization in the same years.

Sources and credits

Photo: We have no published photo of Chinedum Okwudire yet. Send us a free-licensed photo.

  1. Chinedum Okwudire - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org. Checked 19 October 2026.
  2. Additive Manufacturing Technical Community: Meet the Advisors integration.sme.org. Checked 19 October 2026.
  3. 2024 SME International Honor Award Winners sme.org. Checked 19 October 2026.
  4. SCSP Announces Launch of National Security Commission on Robotics for Advanced Manufacturing scsp.ai. Checked 19 October 2026.
  5. Robotics Commission - SCSP scsp.ai. Checked 19 October 2026.