Soundar Kumara, the Allen E. and Allen M. Pearce Professor of Industrial Engineering at Penn State, has been inducted into the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) College of Fellows, recognizing his decades of contributions to manufacturing technology, education, and research.
Kumara is among eight manufacturing specialists selected for the SME College of Fellows 2026 class. Established in 1986, the program honors professionals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and created a lasting impact on the manufacturing industry through innovation, education, and technological advancements.
The recognition is awarded to experts with at least 20 years of experience who have made significant contributions to the field. Kumara’s work has focused on areas including industrial engineering, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), advanced manufacturing systems, and digital technologies that support the future of smart manufacturing.
Expressing his appreciation for the honor, Kumara said he was grateful to be recognized by SME. He highlighted how his research group’s early work during the 1980s in sensing technologies, AI, machine learning applications for manufacturing, and networked edge computing has contributed to the development of modern smart manufacturing practices.
Kumara noted that seeing these research areas influence today’s manufacturing education, innovation, and industrial applications has been deeply rewarding. He added that contributing as an academic, engineer, and researcher has been a meaningful professional journey.
Along with his role as a professor at Penn State, Kumara serves as director of the Center for the Applications of Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning to Industry (AIMI). The center operates under Penn State’s Institute for Computational and Data Sciences and focuses on applying advanced computing technologies to solve industrial challenges.
Through his research and leadership, Kumara has played a significant role in connecting emerging technologies with real-world manufacturing needs. His induction into the SME College of Fellows highlights the growing importance of AI-driven innovation and digital transformation in shaping the future of the manufacturing sector.
