Dr. Scott Smith Honored
The Outstanding Alumnus Award was given to Dr. Scott Smith “for excellence and innovation in manufacturing research, resulting in substantial societal benefit, and for outstanding educational and professional leadership.”
Smith received his B.S. degree in mechanical engineering from Tennessee Technological University, and his Master’s degree and Ph.D. from the University of Florida. He joined the faculty of the University of Florida in 1988. In 1992 Smith was named the Associate Director of the Machine Tool Research Institute at the University of Florida, where he stayed until 1997. He joined the faculty of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 1997, and became the Deputy Director of the Center for Precision Metrology. He assumed the role of department chair in July 2010. His research areas include high-speed machining, process optimization, and machine dynamics.
Smith is a Fellow of CIRP (The International Academy for Production Engineering), of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, and of ASME International. He is presently the chair of the CIRP Scientific and Technical Committee on Machines (STC-M), and he serves on the CIRP Editorial Committee. He is a member of the AMT (Association for Manufacturing Technology) Global Technology Advisory Board. He has served as the President of NAMRI (the North American Manufacturing Research Institute of SME), and as the Chairman of the Manufacturing Engineering Division of ASME. He is an associate editor for the CIRP Journal of Manufacturing Technology, and has served as an associate editor for the ASME Journal of Engineering for Industry. He is President of OpSource, Inc., and Vice-President of Manufacturing Laboratories, Inc. He is co-author of the book Machining Dynamics: Frequency Response to Improved Productivity.
Smith is the recipient of the ASME Blackall Award, the Charles F. Carter Advancing Manufacturing Award, the Pinckney Award from the American Helicopter Society (“in recognition of notable achievement in manufacturing research and development for rotorcraft or rotorcraft components brought to fruition in recent years”), the SME outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award, and the SAE Ralph R. Teetor Award. He holds three patents.
He is president and founder of OpSource, Inc., and vice president of Manufacturing Laboratories, Inc. He has served as a consultant to a variety of companies including Aerostructures, Alcoa, Apple, Bell Helicopter, Boeing, Caterpillar, CSX, Eaton, Georgia Pacific, and Sikorsky.