Meet STLE’s Newest Board Members

Members have elected the following to STLE’s 2024-2025 Board of Directors:
  • Dr. Hong Gao, Shell Global Solutions
  • Dr. Michael Kotzalas, The Timken Co.
  • Dr. Wenyang Zhang, Tesla Inc.

Dr. Hong Gao, Dr. Michael Kotzalas, and Dr. Wenyang Zhang begin their three-year terms in May.

Dr. Hong Gao is project leader responsible for heavy duty engine oils and coolants at Shell Global Solutions. He has worked in the areas of lubricant product development, tribology, materials and coatings and f luid solutions to fuel economy and sustainability across the lubricants industry since 2002 and has experience working in lubricant research labs for two automotive OEMs. He has been involved in industrial technical meetings and committees to moderate and lead industry discussions on lubricants research, specifications and test developments at STLE, SAE and ASTM. Gao is a past recipient of the STLE Captain Alfred E. Hunt Award (two times), STLE Outstanding Volunteer Award and SAE Powertrain Fuels & Lubes Conference Paper Recognition Award. His tribological research has been published and referred to in a wide range of prestigious journals in the STLE and  SAE communities. 

Gao has served as chair of the STLE Awards Committee, chair of SAE Automotive Lubricants Research Award Board, chair of the STLE Gears and Gear Lubrication Technical Committee and vice chair of STLE’s Wear Technical Committee. He also was a TLT Technical Editor. Gao is an STLE Fellow and member of SAE and ASTM.


Dr. Michael Kotzalas is currently the director of global customer engineering for The Timken Co., responsible for the application and service engineering activities in all market segments. Working for Timken since 1999, he has worked his way through the corporate R&D, product engineering and customer engineering groups as he progressed through the company. He received his bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees in mechanical engineering from The Pennsylvania State University and specialized in rolling element bearing technologies during his graduate work.

Kotzalas is an active member of STLE, ASME and American Bearing Manufacturers Association (ABMA). His STLE volunteer service includes serving as chair of STLE’s Wind Energy Tribology Technical Committee and Awards Committee, respectively. He also has served as an associate editor for STLE-affiliated Tribology Transactions journal and was a TLT Technical Editor. Kotzalas has published 16 peer-reviewed papers in journals and conference proceedings and co-authored the fifth edition of the two volume textbook, “Rolling Bearing Analysis.” He has received the ASME Tribology Division’s Best Paper Award, STLE’s Walter D. Hodson Award (two times), SAE/ AEM’s Outstanding Young Engineer Award in the Off-Highway Industry and Field Best Presentation at the World Tribology Congress (WTC). He also holds two U.S. patents on cylindrical roller bearing designs and has previously served as an instructor for the ABMA short courses Advanced Concepts of Bearing Technology and Essential Concepts of Bearing Technology. 


Dr. Wenyang Zhang is senior  staff mechanical design  engineer—drive system engineer ing for Tesla, Inc., responsible for leading fluid engineering (lubricant design, selection, specs development, etc.), tribology and lubricant- related subjects for all current and future Tesla platforms, including but not limited to Model S/X/3/Y/Cybertruck/Semi. He also is responsible for the determination of key lubrication parameters and designs and involved in subjects related to cooling and lubrication designs of Tesla drive units. 

At Tesla, Zhang has successfully led engineering solutions to address multiple key challenges during recent and current programs launches (Model S/X refresh, 4th generation powertrain of Model 3/Y, Cybertruck, Semi). He is the recipient of multiple awards. He serves as associate editor of ASME’s Journal of Tribology and guest editor of the Special Issue on EV Tribology for ASME Journal of Tribology. He has served in several roles on STLE’s Grease Technical Committee (chair, vice chair and paper solicitation chair), as TLT Technical Editor and as an instructor for STLE’s electric vehicle education courses. Zhang holds STLE’s Certified Lubrication Specialist™ (CLS) certification and NLGI’s Certified Lubricating Grease Specialist (CLGS) designation.