Dr Ma Qian is a Distinguished Professor of Advanced Manufacturing and Materials at RMIT. Professor Qian has come to RMIT from The University of Queensland in 2013 where he was the Reader in Materials Engineering, School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering. Currently, Professor Qian also holds the appointments of Honorary Professor of The University of Queensland, Australia, and Specially Appointed Professor of Osaka University, Japan. 

Professor Qian is an elected Fellow of American Society for Metals International (FASM). He currently serves as an Associate Editor for both  Acta Materialia and Scripta Materialia and is on the editorial board for a number of other journals. In addition, he is the Series Editor of Elsevier on Additive Manufacturing and an Advisory Editor of Elsevier on Advanced Manufacturing and Materials. Also, he serves as the Publications Committee Chair of Materials Australia. Professor Qian has received nine research awards including the American Society for Metals (ASM) 2006 Henry Howe Marion Medal with his colleagues, TMS Light Metals 2003 - Magnesium Technology Award, the inaugural Australian CAST-CRC Industry Partners Award (2003) and RMIT Engineering 2019 Executive Dean's Research Excellence Award - Level E (professorial level).