2026 40 Under Forty Honoree Changhong Cao: From International Student to Academic and Research Leader
When Changhong Cao arrived at JFK Airport from China in 2008 to begin his master’s
degree in Mechanical Engineering at Stony Brook University, he had never lived abroad
and wasn’t even sure how he would get to campus. But that uncertain first step would
launch a journey that took him from Stony Brook to the University of Toronto, MIT
and McGill University, where he is now a Canada Research Chair and Associate Professor
in Mechanical Engineering, leading research in small-scale materials and manufacturing.
Today, Cao is being recognized by the University where that journey began as one of
its 2026 40 Under Forty honorees.
The 40 Under Forty Awards recognize recent Stony Brook graduates who are making an impact in their professions and communities. For Cao, the significance of the honor goes beyond his professional accomplishments. Stony Brook was where his life in North America began and where he learned to navigate a new culture, academic environment and community while building the foundation for the career that followed.
“The first year was not easy. Like many international students and first-generation immigrants, I had to learn many things at once: how to adjust to a new culture, communicate professionally, manage academic expectations, and build a life in a country that was entirely new to me.”
Those experiences became an important part of Cao’s education, teaching him lessons that extended well beyond the classroom.
“At Stony Brook, I learned a ton, from how to write a professional email to a way of thinking that has stayed with me ever since: take a big engineering problem, break it into smaller and achievable tasks, and work through it step by step.”
That mindset would serve him well as he continued his education and career. After earning his master’s degree at Stony Brook, Cao moved to the University of Toronto for his PhD, where he worked on nanomechanics and microsystems. He then spent two years as a postdoctoral researcher in MIT’s Mechanical Engineering department, focusing on advanced manufacturing. In 2020, he joined McGill’s Mechanical Engineering department.
“I have been a ‘MEC person’ throughout my entire career. Every stage of my path—from Stony Brook to Toronto, MIT, and McGill—has been shaped by mechanical engineering and by the people I met along the way.”
Today, Cao’s research focuses on small-scale materials and manufacturing. He established the McGill Nanofactory, a multidisciplinary lab for advanced manufacturing and nanotechnology research, and has published as a lead author in high-impact journals including Science Advances and Advanced Materials.
Finding a Community at Stony Brook
For Cao, some of his most meaningful Stony Brook memories came not from the classroom, but from the people who helped him feel at home as an international student. When asked about his favorite MEC memory, he recalls the small conversations he had with Diane, the department secretary at the time. Diane helped him navigate the challenges of being a new student, but Cao especially remembers her positive outlook and willingness to help when things were not going well.
“Whether the issue was personal or professional, she always had a positive outlook and a way of helping you see things from another perspective.”
Those interactions helped transform a rigorous academic program into a community.
“Looking back, those conversations meant much more to me than I realized at the time. They made MEC feel less intimidating and more like a community. Even in a rigorous engineering program, there were people who genuinely cared about students as people.”
That balance of rigor and support remains central to how Cao remembers his time at Stony Brook.
“Stony Brook was rigorous, and at times it felt like a demanding parent. But it was also patient, supportive, and full of people who wanted students to succeed. It helped me grow into the person I am today.”
Lessons That Last
Cao also carries lessons from his Stony Brook classroom into his work today. His favorite MEC course was Manufacturing with Professor Imin Kao, who also served on his master’s thesis committee.
“It has been a long time, but I still remember how clear and well organized his course was. He used many manufacturing videos to show us what the processes actually looked like, which made the concepts much easier to understand and remember. For me, that was a great example of how strong teaching can make a technical subject feel both rigorous and approachable.”
Now teaching manufacturing himself at McGill, Cao has found that the approaches he experienced as a student continue to influence his teaching.
“I still find myself drawing on some of the approaches I learned from Professor Kao’s class—especially using visual examples to help students connect theory with real manufacturing processes. It is nice to realize that a class I took at Stony Brook continues to influence how I teach my own students today.”
For Cao, the lasting influence of his Stony Brook experience is both professional and personal. The University gave him the foundation to pursue an international research career while providing a community during what could otherwise have been an overwhelming transition.
“I have been fortunate to receive several awards throughout my career, but this recognition from Stony Brook means something especially personal to me.”
He sees receiving the 40 Under Forty honor as a reflection of the place where his
journey began.
“To be recognized now by the place that gave me that start feels deeply meaningful, almost like receiving encouragement from someone who knew you before you knew what you were capable of.”
Advice for the Next Generation
Cao’s experience as an international student also shapes the advice he offers today’s Mechanical Engineering students.
“If you are like me 18 years ago—a somewhat helpless international student—trust me, you are in great hands at Stony Brook. The challenges you are facing right now may feel overwhelming, but several years from now, you will likely look back and realize they were only the warm-up for what you are capable of achieving.”
From a first arrival at JFK with no experience living abroad to a career spanning leading research institutions in North America, Cao’s story is one of growth, perseverance and the lasting influence of a strong engineering community.
For Cao, Stony Brook was the place where that journey began—and nearly two decades later, it is also the place recognizing where that first step has taken him.
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