Dr. Chris Atkinson is currently the Director of the Smart Mobility Initiative and professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Ohio State University. From 2014 to 2020 he served as Program Director at the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) of the US Department of Energy. At ARPA-E he initiated and managed external research and development projects in the advanced clean energy area totaling over $120 million, including NEXTCAR, a program using connectivity and automation to improve vehicle energy efficiency.

He is the founder of Atkinson LLC, a consultancy in advanced engine and vehicle technology. From 2009 to 2011 he was the Director of the West Virginia University Center for Alternative Fuels, Engines and Emissions, in addition to holding the rank of tenured professor in mechanical and aerospace engineering. He has authored over 70 peer-reviewed publications (with over 2200 citations) and holds two US and international patents. He received the Lewis F. Moody Award from the ASME in 1992, in addition to being a Fellow of ASME, and a Fellow of SAE.