Paul K. Wright
Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Acting Director, CITRIS, University of California
Paul K. Wright was appointed Acting Director of CITRIS and the Banatao Institute@CITRIS in July 2007. He is a professor in the UC Berkeley mechanical engineering department, where he holds the A. Martin Berlin Chair. Wright also serves as co-chair of the Management of Technology Program (a joint program with the Haas School of Business), co-director of the Berkeley Manufacturing Institute and co-director of the Berkeley Wireless Research Center.
His research and teaching are in high-tech product design and rapid manufacturing. He and his colleagues are designing and prototyping "battery-less" wireless systems for "demand response power management" throughout California, funded by PIER (Public Interest Energy Research). These wireless prototypes are being created in the Ford Lab ' a 2,000 square foot design studio in the mechanical engineering department. Born in London England, he attended Birmingham and Cambridge Universities prior to previous U.S. faculty positions at New York University and Carnegie Mellon University. He was elected in 2007 a Fellow of the National Academy of Engineers.
Wright's recent research accomplishments are in Internet-based CAD/CAM Systems based on the "CyberCut-CyberBuild" project. The studio has prototyped energy-scavenging, pico-radio systems for the Berkeley Wireless Research Center, small "mote" platforms for the Intel Berkeley Research Lab., fire-rescue products for the Chicago Fire Department, and in-tire sensors for Pirelli. All these projects are under the CITRIS umbrella.
