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Faculty Member

Dr. Nikhil Churi

Biography

Nikhil Churi received his doctoral degree in Industrial Engineering from Kansas State University (2010) & his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of Mumbai (2002).

In 2023, he joined the Department of Strategic Management & Operations (SMO), Utah Valley University (UVU) as a full time Assistant Professor.

From 2021 to 2022, he was an Adjunct Professor, taught classes & served as an Advisory Board Member in the Department of Strategic Management & Operations (SMO) & Department of Executive Education at the Utah Valley University (UVU). Previously, in 2005 he had taught engineering classes in the Industrial & Manufacturing Systems Engineering (IMSE) Department at Kansas State University (KSU) for 2 years.

During his graduate studies at Kansas State University (KSU), his Doctoral dissertation topic was Rotary Ultrasonic Machining (RUM) of Hard-to-Machine materials (aerospace grade titanium alloy, aluminum, carbon-fiber-reinforced-composite, silicon carbide, & dental ceramics) which was a project sponsored by the Boeing Company, Everett, WA & supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF). He has authored/coauthored 14-research papers (journal & conference).

Previously in 2022, he has worked for Stryker Corporation in their Neurovascular (NV) Division in Salt Lake City, Utah as a Senior Project Manager - Manufacturing Operations & Digitalization Projects to implement Stryker’s Global Digitalization Strategic Systems that involves digital manufacturing execution system (MES), enterprise resource planning (ERP), plant maintenance (PM), real-time overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), & data applications.

From 2011 to 2021, he worked for Schlumberger Corporation (world’s largest oil & gas service provider) in their MegaDiamond Facility in Provo, Utah (a leading manufacturer of polycrystalline diamond cutters for oil/gas drilling, mining & construction applications worldwide). Here he led numerous engineering projects including successful implementation of a centralized floorwide statistical process control (SPC) system, laser systems, technology management, product improvement strategies, leading of various scrap reduction teams & kaizen training sessions, & the most recent project_ digitization of manufacturing floor. He has made several technical presentations related to polycrystalline diamond (PCD) manufacturing processes & systems within the Schlumberger Technical Communities.

From 2008 to 2011, he worked with Crystal Technology (a leading semiconductor manufacturer of lithium niobate wafers & electronic components used in optical equipment such as cameras, screens, & radars), Palo Alto, California as a Research Assistant & Process Engineer where his key responsibilities included improving the products & processes in their electronics device manufacturing & wafer manufacturing fab.

From the year 2011 to present, he has been offering his technical expertise as a reviewer & a Subject Matter Expert to the United States Department of Energy (USDOE), National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) &, Institute of Industrial & Systems Engineers (IISE).

Education

PhD, Kansas State University, 2010

Major: Industrial Engineering

BS, University of Mumbai, 2002

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Teaching

MGMT 4350

Business Intelligence and Data Visualization, Spring 2026

MGMT 4350

Business Intelligence and Data Visualization, Spring 2026

MGMT 4350

Business Intelligence and Data Visualization, Spring 2026

MGMT 4940R

Special Topics, Spring 2026

Presentations

Churi, Nikhil (Author Only), Winer, David (Co-Author), Wang, Garrett (Co-Author), Adams, Lynn (Co-Author), Kalia, Prince (Co-Author), El Saidi, Moh (Co-Author), Witt, Phillip (Co-Author), Hutchings, Rachael (Co-Author), Bell, Craig (Co-Author), Kumar, Sanjoy (Co-Author), INSCITECH Conference on Applied Science and Engineering (IMAPPLIED 2026), "Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) as the Analytical Core of Industry 4.0: An ISA-95 - Aligned Architecture for Artificial Intelligence (AI) Enabled Smart Manufacturing", Copenhagen, Denmark. (June 20, 2026)
Churi, Nikhil (Author Only), Winer, David (Co-Author), Wang, Garrett (Co-Author), Adams, Lynn (Co-Author), Kalia, Prince (Co-Author), El Saidi, Moh (Co-Author), Witt, Phillip (Co-Author), Hutchings, Rachael (Co-Author), Bell, Craig (Co-Author), Kumar, Sanjoy (Co-Author), International Conference on AI Management and Trends (ICAIMT 2026), "AI-Enabled Energy Management Using Intelligent Operations Analytics, Agentic AI, and Industry 4.0 Frameworks for Industrial and Data Center Facilities", Abu Dhabi. (April 22, 2026)
Churi, Nikhil (Author Only), Hutchings, Rachael (Presenter & Author), Adams, Lynn (Co-Author), Witt, Phillip (Co-Author), 2nd International Conference on Artificial Intelligence & Data Science, "Artificial Intelligence (AI) Based Industrial Energy Management_ Strategic Decision Support Energy Efficiency and Reliability", Dubai, UAE. (February 12, 2026)
Churi, Nikhil , Kalia, Prince (Co-Author), Adams, Lynn (Co-Author), Hutchings, Rachael (Co-Author), Annual Reliability and Maintainability Symposium (RAMS 2026), "Data-Driven Commercial AI - Reliability & Safety Solutions for Space Missions", PHM Technology, Destin, FL. (January 25, 2026)
Churi, Nikhil (Presenter & Author), Adams, Lynn (Co-Author), Witt, Phillip (Co-Author), Applied Business an Entrepreneurship Association International Conference, "Integrated Lean Six Sigma (LSS), Statistical Process Control (SPC) and Data Analytics (DA) approach to Improve Process Efficiency in Micro-Finishing Process", Applied Business an Entrepreneurship Association International, Maui, Hawaii. (November 17, 2024)
Churi, Nikhil (Presenter & Author), Adams, Lynn (Co-Author), Witt, Phillip (Co-Author), Applied Business and Entrepreneurship Association International Conference, "Phase II Lean Six Sigma Methodology in Traditional High-Value-High-Volume Manufacturing of Hard-to-Machine Polycrystalline Diamond for Premium Materials", Applied Business an Entrepreneurship Association International, Maui, Hawaii. (November 17, 2024)

Scholarly/Creative Works

El Saidi, Moh , Adams, Lynn , Churi, Nikhil , Gough, Vance , Hutchings, Rachael , (2026) "Strategic Business Leadership Perspectives_ Exploring Disciplinary and Institutional Drivers of Faculty Wage Disparities in Higher Education" . Journal of Business Leadership.
Malmir, Narges , Poirier, Thomas , Matteson, Elias , Trinh, Lanh , Churi, Nikhil , James, Edgar , Cui, Bai , Lei, Shuting , "Binder-governed densification in DIW 316L_ comparison of nanocellulose and carboxymethyl cellulose binders and the role of sintering atmosphere" . Journal of Advanced Engineering Materials (JAEM).
Churi, Nikhil , Martinson, Vjollca , Wang, Garrett , Adams, Lynn , El Saidi, Moh , Witt, Phillip , Hutchings, Rachael , Kalia, Prince , Kumar, Sanjoy , "Transforming Hospital Operations Management in the Era of Industry 4.0 Using FMEA, Analytics and Artificial Intelligence_ A Behavioral Health Case Study in Healthcare" . United States: International Journal of Artificial Intelligence (IJAIH).
Churi, Nikhil , Adams, Lynn , Hutchings, Rachael , (2026) "Data-Driven Commercial AI - Reliability & Safety Solutions for Space Missions" (vol. 979-8-3315-7362-1/26 ©2026 IEEE). Destin, Florida: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Proceedings. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11424482
Malmir, Narges , Yang, Guang , Poirier, Thomas , Cavanaugh, Nathaniel , Zhao, Dong , Taylor, Brian , Churi, Nikhil , Yao, Tiankai , Lian, Jie , Edgar, James H., Lin, Dong , Lei, Shuting , (2025) "Direct Ink Writing and Characterization of ZrC-Based Ceramic Pellets for Potential Nuclear Applications" (Issue: 8, vol. 9). Journal of Manufacturing and Materials Processing. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmmp9080270
Churi, Nikhil , Adams, Lynn , Witt, Phillip , (2025) "Phase II Lean Six Sigma Methodology in Traditional High-Value-High-Volume Manufacturing of Hard-to-Machine Polycrystalline Diamond for Premium Materials" (Issue: 1, vol. 32). United States: The Journal of Business Leadership. https://aspire.apsu.edu/items/6e77d1ec-b9ce-4e8d-ab02-b9446c8a8bc8

Awards

SPOT Award - QMS

Office of Institutional Engagement and Effectiveness - June 10, 2025

Quality Management System (QMS) Project for ISO9001 certification of "Compensation, Benefits and Talent Department" at Utah Valley University (UVU).

2025 Distinguished University Employee Faculty Senate Teaching Award

Utah Valley University - Faculty Senate - April 18, 2025