A native of Nigeria, Bartholomew O. Nnaji joined University of Pittsburgh's Department of Industrial Engineering in 1996 as the ALCOA Foundation professor in manufacturing engineering. Prior to this, he was the professor and director of automation and robotics laboratory in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Currently he is the founder and director of the National Science Foundation Center for e-Design and realization of mechanical products and systems, as well as the chairman of Geometric Power Inc. He was also the editor-in chief of the International Journal of Design and Manufacturing as well as the department editor for the IIE Transactions on Design and Manufacturing.

A 1980 graduate of St. John's University, Nnaji received a M.S. and a Ph.D. in industrial engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute, and a certificate of post-doctoral studies in intelligence and robotics from MIT. He is an internationally-regarded consultant and speaker on robotics, computer aided design (CAD) and automation.

Some of Nnaji's professional awards include: Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award by the Society of Manufacturing Engineering (1988); Outstanding Young Industrial Engineer Award by the Institute of Industrial Engineers (1992); the United Technologies Outstanding Teacher Award (1992); the U.S. Secretary of State's Distinguished Public Service Award (1995); Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Sciences (1997); Fellow of the Institute of Industrial Engineers (1997); Fellow of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (1998); Distinguished Scientist Award by World Bank IMF Africa Group (1998); ARCO Excellence in Science and Technology (2001); Baker Distinguished Research Award -- the highest research award given by the Institute of Industrial Engineers (2001); and Commander of the Order of Niger -- a national honor awarded by the Nigerian President (2002).

Nnaji has served as principal investigator on research sponsored by the National Science Foundation, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Digital Equipment Corporation, IBM, General Electric, Ford Motor Company, Department of Defense and others. He has published five books and over 100 technical articles. He served as Nigeria's Federal Minister of Science and Technology in 1993. Nnaji and his wife, Patricia, have two children.

Back to 1996