Shuichi Fukuda received his doctoral degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tokyo. After working in the Department of Precision Machinery, University of Tokyo, he moved to the Welding Research Institute, Osaka University. Later he worked concurrently at the Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo. He became Full Professor of Systems and Management Engineering at the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Technology and was also Visiting Professor at West Virginia University, Stanford University, Osaka University and Cranfield University. Since his retirement, he has continued in his position as Visiting Professor at Cranfield University, as well as working as Consulting Professor at Stanford University and concurrently as Visiting Professor at the Open University of Japan.