Director biography

Tony Schmitz received his BS in Mechanical Engineering from Temple University in 1993, his MS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Florida in 1996, and his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Florida in 1999. Schmitz completed a post-doctoral appointment at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and was then employed as a Mechanical Engineer from 1999-2002. During this time, he was also a lecturer at Johns Hopkins University. Schmitz accepted an appointment in the University of Florida’s Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (UF MAE) in 2002 and joined the Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science Department at UNC Charlotte in 2011.

Dr. Schmitz moved to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) in 2019 with a Joint Faculty position at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The appointment includes activities in the Mechanical, Aerospace, and Biomedical Engineering department at UTK and at ORNL’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility. His most recent appointment is Director of the Southeastern Advanced Machine Tools Network (SEAMTN), a consortium of companies, colleges and universities, national laboratories, non-profit organizations, and the Tennessee state government that seeks to strengthen the US industrial base by investing in machine tool research and development, education, workforce development, and supply chain support. He continues his manufacturing research in support of the US machine tool industry with an emphasis on machining dynamics.

Temple University at UTK in 1990. Dr. Schmitz was #26.

His professional recognitions include: 2024 Richard Rosenberg Distinguished Professor, 2023 Center for National Security and Foreign Affairs Fellow, 2023 CIRP Associate Member, 2023 University of Tennessee, Knoxville SEC Faculty Achievement Award, 2022 ASME Fellow, 2021 SME Education Award, 2020 ASPE Inaugural College of Fellows, 2019 SME Frederick W. Taylor Research Medal, 2019 UNC Board of Governors Award for Teaching, 2019 Best Presentation ASPE Annual Meeting, 2019 NAMRI/SME Outstanding Paper (47th North American Manufacturing Research Conference), 2018 51st Annual Bank of America Award for Teaching Excellence, 2017 SME David Dornfeld Manufacturing Vision Award, 2016 SME College of Fellows, UNC Charlotte Lee College of Engineering 2013 Undergraduate Award in Teaching Excellence, 2012 Temple University Alumni Fellow, 2011 Sports Emmy Award (NBC Learn) for the Science of NFL Football video series, 2010 NAMRI/SME Outstanding Paper (38th North American Manufacturing Research Conference), 2009 UF MAE Teacher of the Year, 2005 SME Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer award, 2004 Journal of Tribology Best Paper Award, 2003 Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award, 2003 National Science Foundation CAREER Award, 1999 Measurement Science and Technology Highly Commended Article, 1999 National Research Council Postdoctoral Research Associateship (NIST), 1999 Temple University Gallery of Success Inductee, 1998 Department of Energy/National Academy of Engineering Integrated Manufacturing Predoctoral Fellowship, and 1994 National Science Foundation Graduate Traineeship. Schmitz also serves as an associate editor for the SME Journal of Manufacturing Processes.

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9955-5775