Today we are speaking with Sridhar Kota, PhD, director of MForesight, a national consortium that is helping to set the trajectory of U.S. advanced manufacturing. He is the Herrick Professor of Engineering, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan and the Director of the Institute for Manufacturing Leadership – a think-and-do tank focusing on policy, education and outreach.

Between 2009-2012 Sridhar served as the Assistant Director for Advanced Manufacturing at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. In this role, he developed policy recommendations and implementation strategies to enhance U.S. manufacturing competitiveness, and to foster innovation-based manufacturing of emerging technologies. He played an instrumental role in launching several initiatives including National Manufacturing Innovation Institutes, National Robotics Initiative and National Digital Engineering and Manufacturing.

Sridhar has authored over 200 technical papers and submitted over 25 patents. He’s also the founder & President of FlexSys Inc. specializing in shape morphing aircraft wings and bio-inspired products.