Dr. Susan Smyth

Susan M. Smyth, PhD, FSME, NAE, recently retired as the chief scientist for global manufacturing at General Motors and the director of GM R&D Manufacturing Systems Research Labs. In this capacity, she directed the creation of GM’s global manufacturing R&D strategies and oversaw innovation and implementation of its advanced manufacturing technology portfolio. In this role at General Motors, Smyth was responsible for manufacturing technology research and development enabling the production of world-class vehicle and propulsion systems and driving innovations to enhance quality, efficiency and flexibility of GM’s manufacturing systems.

During her career at General Motors, Smyth held a variety of leadership positions in manufacturing, engineering, “big data” analytics and research and development. She is recognized as one of the strategic technology leaders inside and outside GM. Smyth served as chair of the U.S. Manufacturing Council, which advises the Secretary of Commerce on government policies and programs that affect U.S. manufacturing. She was the GM executive representative and chair of the Manufacturing Technology Leadership Council at the U.S. Council for Automotive Research. Smyth has also served as executive technology advisor to several prestigious research institutes, such as the University of Michigan, MIT, Georgia Tech, Northwestern and Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Susan currently serves on the advisory board for the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Army. Smyth was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2018. She was made a Fellow of SME in 2015, and has been recognized for her technical and business achievements with multiple international awards. Smyth has a bachelor’s degree in physics, a master’s degree in optoelectronics and information technology, and a doctorate in physics from the Queen’s University of Belfast, Northern Ireland. She has been a member of SME since 2010.