During 1982–2007, research in material processing integrated chemical mechanical polishing theory with physical removal dynamics, unifying removal mechanisms, pad–abrasive interactions, and stress states to predict polish rates. Pattern geometry emerged as a dominant factor in CMP nonuniformity, with copper pattern density, feature width, and dielectric implications driving dishing and erosion through geometry-driven removal physics. Abrasive particle size distributions and slurry composition were shown to critically influence polishing outcomes and defect density, with models incorporating size distributions and chemistry to explain performance trends. Separately, severe plastic deformation concepts and related processing routes enabled ultrafine grains and nanostructures, foreshadowing new material properties and linking polishing science with advanced materials processing. These directions together framed a cohesive narrative where modeling, geometry controls, and SPD-inspired processing converged to expand control of microscale material removal and microstructure engineering.