Adnan received his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of Kentucky in 2021, where he joined the Institute of Research for Technology Development (IR4TD) as a research associate. At IR4TD, Adnan has worked on projects including lean research and optimizations through artificial intelligence (AI), atomization and coatings for automotive and other industries, renewable energy and power cycle modeling, and wildland fire research. He became True-Lean certified in 2019 and has assisted in running the lean systems laboratory since.
In addition to his training at UK, Adnan received rigorous lean trainings at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky (TMMK), where he had the chance to implement the lean principles he learned, including 5S, standardization, 8-step problem-solving and Kaizen at IR4TD. Currently, he serves the role of technology transfer manager at the True lean program, collaborating with a team of lean researchers to develop an AI-based code that will function as the future predictive tool to forecast the lean implementation impact on the sustainability of US manufacturing businesses.