Warren Seering

Warren Seering is the Weber-Shaughness Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. He plays a pivotal role in the System Design and Management (SDM) program and has been a key figure in design theory and product development research.

• Education: B.Sc. and M.Sc. from University of Missouri-Columbia (1971, 1972), Ph.D. from Stanford University (1978)
• Research Areas: Design theory, product development processes, dynamic system modeling, and robotics

His work focuses on design innovation, particularly in product development and machine dynamics. He has pioneered set-based thinking and input shaping techniques to reduce mechanical vibrations. Recent research includes balancing risk and innovation in crowdfunding ventures.

Seering has served as a visiting professor at Cambridge, Caltech, UC Irvine, UC Berkeley, and Harvard. He founded Convolve, Inc. (1992) and contributed to patents in dynamics control and design optimization.

Scientific Awards:
• Ralph R. Teetor Educational Award (1982)
• MIT Harold E. Edgerton Faculty Achievement Award (1983)
• ASME Fellow (1993)
• MIT Frank E. Perkins Award for Graduate Advising (2007)
• ASME Design Theory and Methodology Award (2021)
• Design Society Fellow (2021)

Seering has advised numerous graduate programs and served on editorial boards of journals including Research in Engineering Design and IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering. His lab engagements include collaborations with the Nissan Cambridge Basic Research Center and the Skolkovo-MIT Partnership.