Michael Khonsari earned his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. Khonsari holds the Dow Chemical Endowed Chair in Rotating Machinery and is professor of mechanical engineering at Louisiana State University. Prior to joining LSU, he spent a number of years as a faculty member at The Ohio State University, University of Pittsburgh, and served as the chairman of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Energy Processes at Southern Illinois University. Khonsari has also served as a research faculty fellow at NASA Glenn Research Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force laboratories, and the U.S. Department of Energy. In February 2003, Khonsari was appointed as the Louisiana Established Program for Stimulating Competitive Research Project director and associate commissioner for sponsored research and development programs at the Louisiana Board of Regents.

Khonsari’s research is in the area of tribology—the science and application of lubrication, friction, and wear—and fatigue and damage analysis. He is the holder of nine U.S. patents, has authored more than 350 archival papers, 50 book chapters and special publications, three technical books, and has delivered 200 invited lectures, seminars, and plenary presentations. Khonsari is the recipient of several research awards, including the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Mayo Hersey Award for life achievement in tribology, ASME Burt Newkirk Award, the Society of Tribologist and Lubrication Engineers Presidential Award. Khonsari is a fellow of ASME, STLE, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a senior member of the US National Academy of Inventors.