Robert “Drew” Fleming is an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering in the College of Engineering & Computer Science at Arkansas State University (A-State). At A-State, he directs both the Advanced Functional Materials Laboratory and the Experimental Nanomechanics Facility, which jointly conduct research on a broad portfolio of projects in the areas of surface science/engineering, computational materials science, and experimental nanomechanics. Current research thrusts include cementation reactions in particulate soils, friction reduction in material handling systems, mechanical behavior of NiCr alloys strengthened with hexagonal carbides, and computational spectroscopy modeling of functionalized silica surfaces. His research has been funded by the DOE, NSF, NIH, NASA EPSCoR, and the Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award from ORAU. Prior to his appointment at A-State, he spent 5 years as a member of the technical staff at WattGlass, an Arkansas-based high-tech startup specializing in optical coatings. In this role, he led industry/National Lab collaborations with researchers at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, and the Florida Solar Energy Center, and was also responsible for managing WattGlass’ solar test installations through the DOE Regional Test Center Program.