Y. Lawrence Yao

Who is Y. Lawrence Yao?

Y. Lawrence Yao is the department chair of Mechanical Engineering at Columbia University. He received a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and has done groundbreaking work in laser assisted manufacturing including micro-scale laser shock peening, laser shaping, and meso/micro/nano-scale laser machining. He has worked with numerous major companies, including General Electric, Caterpillar, and Boeing. He has authored over 100 papers including more than 60 journal publications. Dr. Yao has also received three Best Paper Awards from NAMRC, ICALEO, and another international conference. He serves on the Board of Directors of NAMRI and the Laser Institute of America.