The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) has named its 2025 Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award in honor of Shiv Kapoor, Grayce Wicall Gauthier Chair Emeritus and Professor Emeritus at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The award is given annually to engineers under 35 who have made exceptional contributions to the manufacturing industry early in their careers.
Kapoor, a highly respected researcher in manufacturing process modeling and automation, played a key role in advancing micro/meso-scale mechanical manufacturing, a concept that enables miniaturized, autonomous microfactories and mass customization through distributed manufacturing.
Expressing gratitude for the recognition, Kapoor acknowledged the influence of his colleagues, students, and peers in shaping his academic journey. SME highlighted his lifelong impact on manufacturing, his role as a mentor to young engineers, and his long-standing contributions to the organization.
The 10 recipients of the 2025 SME Shiv Kapoor Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award will be honored throughout the year at various SME events.
