Dr. Marthinus van Schoor received a BSc. Honors in Science from the University of the Orange Free State, South Africa, and an honors degree in Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Pretoria, South Africa.

He also received a Master's and a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering. Dr. van Schoor started Midé Technology Corporation in 1989. Since its start, Midé has received more than US$60 million in government and commercial contracts focusing on the research and development of components and systems based on active materials.

His research spans the fields of aircraft, helicopters, hypersonic missiles, oil exploration, valves for spacecraft and automotive injection systems, seals for naval systems, health monitoring of structures, energy harvesting, sensors and actuators. In 1992, Dr. van Schoor taught at the University of Pretoria as a Full Professor. He also taught undergraduate and graduate courses at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He currently holds thirteen US and international patents.