Jim co-founded the Smart Manufacturing Leadership Coalition (SMLC) that was selected to lead DOE’s Clean Energy Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute (CESMII), the 9th Manufacturing USA Institute and the 3rd DOE institute to be awarded. Jim has led the Institute’s business and technology approach, roadmap, Smart Manufacturing platform architecture, and cyber security strategy.
Jim has past work experience with Amoco Chemicals and is currently on the Board of Governors of the Manufacturing Leadership Council and the Leadership Council for Mforesight: Alliance for Manufacturing Foresight. Jim has led the Mforesight report on Cybersecurity for Manufacturers.
At UCLA, Jim is Vice Provost IT and CATO with accountability for university-wide planning and strategic investment in research and educational technologies, mobility applications, privacy/security and internal and external community partnerships. Jim oversees UCLA’s Institute for Digital Research and Education (IDRE). Jim is also on UCLA’s Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering where he has done research and consulted extensively on AI, machine learning, intelligent systems, monitoring/control, and data/modeling systems across diverse industries including chemicals, refining, paper, packaging, metals and glass.