Material Characterization Workshop
Speakers
Keynote Speaker 1:30 - 2:30
Dr. Cedric Xia
Distinguished Engineer & Director, Hardware Engineering
Apple Inc.
Simulation for Consumer Electronics Design: From Materials Characterization to AI
The design of consumer electronics is complex and fast paced. Numerical simulations, particularly finite element analysis (FEA), has become an integral part of this process. This talk will discuss the role of FEA in product design and the technical challenges we must overcome to realize its full potential. These include linking the mechanistic behavior of electrical, optical, and electrochemical materials to their functional performance; bridging scales, from the macroscopic structural response of a device to the micro- and nanoscale behavior of its electrical and optical components; reconciling the probabilistic nature of product performance across tens of millions of units with the deterministic nature of FEA predictions; and balancing fast turnaround time with high-fidelity results. The talk will also explore how rapid advances in AI and machine learning could transform the way numerical simulation is used in the future.
Bio
Dr. Xia is a Distinguished Engineer and Director of Hardware Engineering at Apple Inc. In this role, he leads the Product Design FEA organization, leveraging FEA and AI/ML-driven simulations to enable and accelerate product design of iconic products such as iPhone, iPad, Mac, Watch, AirPods, HomePods, Vision Pro and future product categories. Dr. Xia specializes in mechanics, materials, manufacturing, and computational methods. Over a 30+ year career spanning the consumer electronics and automotive industries, he has contributed broadly across finite element analysis (FEA); constitutive modeling and failure prediction for a wide range of materials; advanced manufacturing technologies in sheet metal forming, plastic molding, joining, and assembly; Design for Manufacturing (DFM); and integrated manufacturing and product design CAE methodologies. As an industry-first, he developed springback compensation and control methods for automotive line dies in early 2000s to address the challenge of stamping advanced high strength steels and aluminum sheets. He is one of the pioneers in developing the freeform incremental forming technology from conceptualization to industrial commercialization. Dr. Xia received his Ph.D. in Engineering Sciences from Harvard University and dual B.S. degrees in Naval Architecture and in Computer Science from Shanghai Jiao Tong University. He has published over 120 technical papers and edited or co-edited 7 technical books, journals, and conference proceedings. He holds 25 patents and two trade secrets. Dr. Xia is a member of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and a Fellow of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME).
Welcome & Introduction 9:00 - 9:30
Prof. Jian Cao
Associate Vice President for Research
Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Founding Director Northwestern Initiative for Manufacturing Science and Innovation (NIMSI)
Northwestern University
Prof. Cao is specialized in innovative manufacturing processes and systems, particularly in the areas of deformation-based processes and laser additive manufacturing processes. Her work in advanced manufacturing integrates analytical methods, data-driven sensing, and machine learning to optimize flexible manufacturing processes. She is an elected member of NAE and AAA&S, and a Fellow of AAAS, ASME, CIRP and SME. Full Bio
Dr. Denise Beitelschmidt
Division Manager, High-Temperature, Construction Materials & Energy Solutions
NETZSCH Analyzing & Testing
Dr. Denise Beitelschmidt is a materials scientist with extensive experience in advanced materials characterization and industrial materials research. Her expertise spans metallic materials, high-temperature applications, additive manufacturing, corrosion phenomena, and process optimization. As Division Manager at NETZSCH Analyzing & Testing, she is responsible for business development and strategic growth in the fields of high-temperature materials, construction materials, and energy solutions. Her current focus includes the application of advanced analytical technologies, automation, and data-driven methodologies to accelerate innovation and improve decision-making across research and industrial environments.
Material Development & Characterization Speakers 9:30 - 11:00
Jason Sebastian
Executive VP
QuesTek Innovations
As EVP of QuesTek Innovations LLC, Jason T. Sebastian, Ph.D., is focused on overall company growth and management, on the development and marketing of QuesTek’s ICMD® materials modeling and design software platform, and on the entire spectrum of commercial- and government-sponsored alloy modeling, development and deployment activities. Since Jason joined QuesTek in 2006, his technical activities have focused on the development of high strength steels for structural and power transmission applications. Full Bio
Novin Rasouli
PhD Student, Materials Engineering
University of Illinois at Chicago
“Deformation Mechanisms in Complex Alloys: How Much Do Chemistry and Short-Range Order Matter?”
Novin Rasouli is a Materials Engineering Ph.D. candidate at the University of Illinois Chicago, where he joined the Advanced Materials and Mechanics Laboratory (AMML) in August 2022 under the supervision of Prof. Matthew Daly. His research explores how short-range order influences deformation in multicomponent alloys, with expertise in metallurgy, materials characterization, and micromechanical testing. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Metallurgy and Materials Engineering from the University of Tehran.”
Prof. Amir Mostafei
Associate Professor of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering
Illinois Institute of Technology
“Anisotropic Shrinkage of Binder Jetted Components”
Prof. Mostafaei joined the faculty as an assistant professor in January 2020 and leads the AMIR Lab, focusing on structural alloys, laser powder bed fusion, and binder jet 3D printing. In 2024, he received a five-year, $600,000 National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER award to advance cost-effective and sustainable feedstock powders for metal additive manufacturing. Full Bio
Material Development & Characterization Speakers 11:30 - 12:30
Prof. Vinayak Dravid
Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
Founding Director Northwestern University Atomic and Nanoscale Characterization (NUANCE) Center
Founding Director, Soft and Hybrid Nanotechnology Experimental (SHyNE) Resource, an NSF-NNCI Node
Northwestern University
"From Atoms to Intelligence: The Future of Materials Characterization in the AI Era"
Vinayak P. Dravid is the Abraham Harris Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and Founding Director of Northwestern University's NUANCE Center. He established NUANCE nearly 25 years ago with a handful of instruments and users, nurturing its growth into one of Northwestern's largest shared scientific resources. Beyond enabling cutting-edge research, NUANCE has become a living laboratory for immersive learning, experiential training, and community engagement—reaching audiences from K–12 students and curious citizens to undergraduates, graduate students, researchers, and industry partners. His broader aspiration is to connect institutional and regional scientific resources into coordinated national networks, where trustworthy experimental data, AI-enabled discovery, and shared expertise advance science and societal well-being. He is an elected Fellow of the Royal Microscopical Society, AAAS, MRS, APS, ACerS and an honorary elected member of the Indian Institute of Metals. Full Bio
Prof. Ping Guo
Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Associate Director NIMSI
Northwestern University
"Co-Designing Materials and Parts: High-Throughput Alloy Testing Meets AI-Driven Design"
Prof. Guo advances additive manufacturing by developing sustainable, all-solid-state methods to produce high-quality, uniform metal powders using ultrasonic vibration machining. At his Advanced Intelligent Manufacturing Laboratory (AIML), he also integrates deep learning-enabled computer vision and intelligent metrology to perform high-precision, non-contact inspections of print quality during the manufacturing process. He is the recipient of the SME OYME, ASME Ehman Medal, CIRP Taylor Medal, and the SME Chao and Trigger Young Manufacturing Eng Award, and an elected Fellow of ASME. Full Bio
Material Development & Characterization Speaker 2:30 - 3:00
Dr. Charlie Wood
Director of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Product Management
Digital Product Management
Caterpillar, Inc
"AI in Industry: Connecting Data, Machines and Decisions to Solve Customers' Toughest Challenges"
Caterpillar's mission is to solve our customers' toughest challenges, and digital solutions are a growing part of how we do it. Built on the Helios data platform, Cat Digital connects equipment, dealers and customers. It gives them the tools to manage fleets, maintain machines, shop for parts and get support. The Cat® AI Assistant™ is the newest of these solutions. It creates one connected experience across our digital ecosystem. Customers and dealers can ask a question in natural language and get answers and recommendations drawn from trusted Caterpillar knowledge. They can then act on them with confidence, whether at their desk or in the cab. This talk shows how the Assistant works, where it's already helping, and how it brings the right information to the people doing the work when they need it.
Charlie Wood is Director of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Product Management at Caterpillar, where he leads product management, go-to-market, and communications for customer- and dealer-facing AI solutions, including the Cat® AI Assistant™. He also leads Cat Digital's AI Accelerator efforts, advancing the development of innovative internal AI solutions that enable Caterpillar employees to be more efficient, self-sufficient and decisive in their daily work.
