Gloria Wiens, PhD, is a faculty member of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Florida. Professor Wiens conducts research in the areas of intelligent and autonomous robotic systems, innovative mechanisms and controls for automation, space robotics/small satellites, manufacturing and micro-electro-mechanical systems. Her research projects have involved collaborations with National and International Laboratories (AFRL, SNL, NIST, NASA and CNR-ITIA/STIIMA) and industry (Comau, Fanuc Robotics North America, Ford). Currently funded by NSF/NRI 2.0, she is co-leading a multi-university/industry/multi-country collaboration on intelligent human-robot collaboration for smart factory.
In support of the Nation and the U.S. manufacturing community, Professor Wiens served as an ASME Foundation Swanson Fellow (2013-2015) and Assistant Director for Research Partnerships in the Advanced Manufacturing National Program Office providing coordination for the federal and public-private partnership teams supporting the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership (AMP 2.0), a steering committee under the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST); and as a member of the Interagency Working Team which provides planning and coordination of federal advanced manufacturing activities, and develops policy documents for the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation Program (NNMI, now publically known as Manufacturing USA Program). In 2016-2017, Professor Wiens served as the FloridaMakes Director of Advanced Manufacturing at BRIDG, an industry-driven consortium in partnership with Florida's NIST/Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). In 2016, she was awarded a United States Department of Commerce, Certificate of Appreciation – from Secretary Penny Pritzker.
She is a fellow of ASME, serving on ASME’s Manufacturing Public Policy Task Force; Robotics Public Policy Task Force; Technical and Engineering Communities Sector– Robotics Technology Group; and M. Eugene Merchant Medal of ASME/SME Board of Awards Committee.
She has Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Mechanical Engineering (Kansas State University), and a Doctorate in Mechanical Engineering (University of Michigan).