3D Printing of Real Products
Jan 14, 2020
Dr. Joseph DeSimone, Executive Chair of Carbon
3D Printing of Real Products

Abstract:

Dr. Joseph M. DeSimone co-founded Carbon in 2013 and served as the company’s CEO until being named Executive Chairman in 2019. As CEO, Joe grew Carbon from a small team of scientists and engineers into 500-person global company valued at almost $2.5 billion that is defining the digital revolution in 3D printing. Previously unmakeable products are already being manufactured at scale. Examples include the large-scale production of midsoles for the adidas Futurecraft 4D shoes, mass-customized dental products, next-generation football helmets by Riddell, and parts on Ford production vehicles.

Bio:

Joe grew up in the Philadelphia area and studied chemistry at Ursinus College, a small liberal arts school in his hometown. A first-generation college student, he was inspired by chemistry and went on to earn his Ph.D. at Virginia Tech in 1990, joining the faculty at UNC that same year. He quickly achieved international recognition as a scientist, inventor, and entrepreneur, earning major accolades including the U.S. Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award and the Lemelson-MIT Prize. In 2016 President Obama awarded him the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, the highest honor in the U.S. for achievement and leadership in advancing technological progress.An author of over 350 scientific publications and a named inventor on nearly 200 issued patents, Joe maintains academic appointments at both UNC and North Carolina State University. He is one of only roughly 20 individuals elected to all three U.S. National Academies—the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine, and the National Academy of Engineering. Joe currently resides in Monte Sereno, California with his wife of 30 years, Suzanne. They have two children and two grandchildren.