Surya Kalidindi is a Regents Professor and Rae S. and Frank H. Neely Chair Professor in the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia, USA, with joint appointments in the School of Materials Science and Engineering as well as the School of Computational Science and Engineering. 

Surya earned a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1992 and joined the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Drexel University as an Assistant Professor. After twenty years at Drexel University, Surya moved into his current position at Georgia Tech. 

Surya's research interests are broadly centered on designing the internal material structure (including composition) for optimal performance in selected applications and on identifying hybrid processing routes for its manufacture. To this end, he has employed a harmonious blend of experimental, theoretical, and numerical approaches in his research. Surya’s research efforts have made seminal contributions to the fields of crystal plasticity, microstructure design, and materials informatics. 

Surya has been elected a Fellow of ASM International, TMS, and ASME. In 2016, he and his group members were awarded the top prize as well as one of the runner-up prizes in the national Materials Science and Engineering Data Challenge sponsored by the Air Force Research Lab in partnership with the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the U.S. National Science Foundation. He has also been awarded the Alexander von Humboldt Research Award, the Vannever Bush Faculty Fellow, the Government of India’s Vajra Faculty Award, and the Khan International Award.

"I am deeply honored by this recognition from TMS, which has provided so many invaluable opportunities for me throughout my career for establishing highly productive research collaborations, attending the best conferences in my field, and effectively disseminating research results to the broader community. I want to thank all my collaborators (PhD students, post-docs, and faculty colleagues, including my nominator for this award, Prof. McDowell), who have patiently taught me everything I know. I will treasure this pinnacle award from TMS."