UTA engineer earns NSF CAREER Award for manufacturing research
Chen Kan, an assistant professor in the Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering Department at The University of Texas at Arlington, has received a Faculty Early Career Development Program award from the National Science Foundation to advance his research and education initiatives.
The award, known as CAREER, is the NSF’s highest honor for junior faculty. It recognizes outstanding researchers who are poised to become leaders in both educational excellence and in the integration of education and research at their home institutions.
The $500,000 grant will enable Dr. Kan to integrate advanced sensing and artificial intelligence to monitor and optimize the additive manufacturing process for metamaterials—engineered materials with mechanical and other properties that are not found in nature.
Often used in aerospace and health care applications, metamaterials derive their unique properties from precisely fabricated geometries. However, imperfections can occur during the additive manufacturing process. Some of these flaws may render the final product unusable, while others may have little effect. Kan aims to uncover the complex relationship between imperfections and material properties, enabling companies to identify which defects significantly impact performance—ultimately improving manufacturing decisions and outcomes.
To support his research, Kan will deploy multiple sensing devices to collect data on metamaterials throughout the manufacturing process. As fabrication progresses, he will use machine learning to analyze the data and detect imperfections. His goal is to scale the algorithm for use across a range of processes and materials.
“The algorithm is not for one specific application,” Kan said. “It can be applied to different types of metamaterials. It could really help small- to medium-sized companies involved in metamaterial production, as they won’t have to train an AI model from scratch. They can easily deploy the model and use it to improve their products and make their processes more efficient.”
Kan joined UTA in 2018. His research interests include advanced manufacturing, quality control, anomaly detection and machine learning.
“We are very proud of Dr. Kan for receiving the NSF CAREER Award,” said Sampson Gholston, chair of the Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering Department.
“This recognition demonstrates his innovative work in advancing additive manufacturing of property-certified metamaterials. His accomplishments bring distinction to our department and exemplify the strength and impact of our faculty at UTA.”
- Jeremy Agor, College of Engineering
About The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)
Celebrating its 130th anniversary in 2025, The University of Texas at Arlington is a growing public research university in the heart of the thriving Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. With a student body of over 41,000, UTA is the second-largest institution in the University of Texas System, offering more than 180 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Recognized as a Carnegie R-1 university, UTA stands among the nation’s top 5% of institutions for research activity. UTA and its 280,000 alumni generate an annual economic impact of $28.8 billion for the state. The University has received the Innovation and Economic Prosperity designation from the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities and has earned recognition for its focus on student access and success, considered key drivers to economic growth and social progress for North Texas and beyond.