who. we. are.
LESLIE LAMBERSON
XSTRM DIRECTOR
Associate Professor
Leslie is currently in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Colorado School of Mines. She received her B.S. in Aerospace Engineering and B.A. in Dance Performance as a Shipman Scholar from the University of Michigan, and her M.S. degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology as a NASA Space Grant fellow with a thesis on thin foil fatigue. Leslie received her Ph.D. from the California Institute of Technology under Prof. Ares Rosakis, researching hypervelocity impact damage as a NASA Aeronautics Scholar and NSF Graduate Research Fellow. A former Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Advanced Development Programs (Skunk Works) engineer, Leslie is a recipient of an NSDEG Graduate Research Fellowship, Zonta International Amelia Earhart Fellowship, and the 2009 Ernest E. Sechler Award from Caltech. Leslie spent the summer of 2013 at NASA Glenn as a Faculty Fellow, and she is a 2017 ONR Young Investigator and a 2018 NSF CAREER awardee.
KAPIL BHAGAVATHULA
POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH ASSISTANT
Research Focus: Low-Impedance Cellular Material Characterization and Development for Next-Generation Helmet Liners to Mitigate TBI
PhD - University of Alberta, Canada (Advisor: Dr. James Hogan)
ANDREW MATEJUNAS
PHD CANDIDATE
PhD Focus: Viscoelastic Constitutive Parameter Identification using the Image Based Inertial Impact Test and the Virtual Fields Method
Co-Advisor: Dr. Lloyd Fletcher, UK Atomic Energy Authority
MS - New Mexico Tech, Thesis: Dynamic Tensile Failure of Rolled Magnesium (Advisor: Dr. Jamie Kimberley)
ISABELLA MENDOZA
PHD CANDIDATE
Current Research Focus: Dynamic Fracture of Ferroelectric Ceramics
PhD Focus: Repetitive Impact Loading to Simulate Launch and Recovery Cycles for Composite Impulsive Fatigue Performance and Damage Tolerancing
EMILY PITTMAN
PHD CANDIDATE / NDSEG FELLOW
PhD Focus: Thermomechanical Behavior of Ti and Ti-Alloys Across Strain-Rates
Other Active Research: Dynamic Fracture of Aerospace Epoxies and Polymer Matrix Composites
BS in Mechanical Engineering from University of New Mexico
MEGAN SHEPHERD
PHD STUDENT
PhD Focus: Dynamic Fracture and Failure Behavior of Additively Manufactured Polymers and Advanced Polymer Systems
BS in Mechanical Engineering from Mississippi State University
XINGYUAN "ZAZZY" ZHAO
PHD CANDIDATE
PhD Focus: Understanding Deformation Mechanisms in Highly Oriented MAX Phases across Strain Rates
MS THESIS: Phase Content Influence on the Mechanical Behavior of Group V Transition Heavy Metal Carbides
NICHOLAS BRUNSTAD
MS STUDENT
Thesis: The Role of Layer Orientation on the Dynamic Fracture Behavior of Two Additively Manufactured Thermosets
B.S. in Biological Systems Engineering from the University of Wisconsin - Madison.
TOBI & MO
UNOFFICIAL FELINE MASCOTS
Alumni
DANIEL PARDO
Drexel BS MEM
expected 2020
HESS Undergrad Reserach Scholar
COOP Student
Project: Carbon Fiber Compression Damage Behavior across Strain Rates
ALEX WILL-COLE
Drexel MS MSE 2019
Volunteer on IMPACT Program:
Dance-Mechanics Intersections
Presently pursuing a PhD in MSE at Northeastern University
HTET NAING AUNG
Drexel BS/MS MEM
HESS Undergraduate Research Scholar
Project: Fracture Toughness of Advanced Thermosets for Composites
Presently MS GAANN Fellow @ Drexel
DHWANIT VISPUTE
currently Drexel MS MEM
Independent Study
Project: Polyurethane Foam Characterization- Identifying the Role of Inertia & Fluid-Solid Interactions Under Compression
STEVEN PAGANO
Drexel PhD 2019
Dissertation: Dynamic Fracture & Fragmentation Investigations of Brittle Polymers and Composite
Teaching Faculty in Drexel's COE
PETER JEWELL
BS/MS Drexel 2019
Project: Fracture Behavior of Ceramics & Polymers
Currently Structural Engineer
at Voith HYDRO
MADISON KIEROD
Independent Study &
Research Associate
Project: The Next Phase of Multi-Piece Fracture Reduction for Hard Maple
BS Drexel MEM
2018
Currently an engineer at Boeing
ARIANA PARDISO
Drexel BS/MS MEM
2018
Thesis: Failure Behavior of Woven Fiberglass Composites under Combined Environmental and Mechanical Compressive Loading
Currently an
Application Engineer at SKF USA Inc.
DANIEL DUNCHACK
2018 REU Student
Project: Relaxation Times in Protective Foams for Defense Helmets
BS Engin. Science
St. Vincent College
2018
Currently in industry
JACQUELINE TAWNEY
Drexel BS MEM 2018
HESS Undergraduate Research Scholar
Project: Water & Rate Effects on Basalt Compression & Fragmentation
Presently pursuing a MS/PhD
in Aerospace at Caltech
NICK SAVINO
Drexel BS MEM 2019
Undergraduate Researcher
Project: MAX Phase Fragmentation & Copper
High Rate Deformation Behavior
XAVIER CADIOT
Visiting MS Scholar
École Normale Supérieure
Paris-Saclay
Project: Identification of Constitutive Parameters with the Virtual Fields Method Applied to Woven Composites
PhD Student ISAE-Supaero (France)
LOGAN SHANNAHAN
Drexel PhD 2016
Dissertation: A Hybrid Experimental-Computational Approach to the Analysis of Dynamic Fracture
Research Scientist at the Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Grounds
ELENI REYNOLDS
NSF REU 2016
Project: Water Uptake on Compressive Behavior of Gabbro
BS degree in Earth and Environmental
Engineering from
Columbia University
GUILLERMO RETUERTA
Drexel MS 2016
Project: Impact Fatigue of
WC HardMetals
Now completing a dual MS degree at Politecnico Milano, Italy
JULIE LOSSIGNOL
Visiting MS from University of Grenoble, France
Project: Hypervelocity Impact of Ceramics
(joint with Prof P. Forquin)
Successfully defended MS thesis Now in EU industry
JACOB MANERA
STAR Program 2017
Project: Ferroelectric fracture
BS Drexel MEM
expected 2021
RICHARD TREDINNICK
Independent Study Research 2016
Project: MAX Phase Ti3SiC2 Damage
Graduated Drexel BS-MS MEM '17
now in industry
LUKE HANNER
STAR Program 2016
Project: MAX Phase Ti3SiC2 Dynamic Damage
(joint w/ Prof. M. Barsoum)
BS Drexel MSE
expected 2020
BRIAN HOSLER
XSTRM Electrical Eng. Consultant
Project: Impact Fatigue Device
& Lab Triggering/Software Systems
BS/MS Drexel 2019
currently a PhD Student at Drexel
ANNABEL YOUNG
Summer Intern from Brooklyn Tech High 2016
Project: Fragmentation of Basalt
Currently pursuing undergraduate degree at Cornell University
CONNOR WILLIAMS
NSF REU 2016
Project: Dynamic Compression of Basalt
Continuing to pursue BS in Physics from Villanova University
HANG YU
Independent Study Research 2012-2013
Project: Composite Micromechanical Model
Graduated PhD '17
under Prof. C. Weinberger
CASEY CONRAD
Summer Researcher 2013
Project: Seawater effects on Garolite under Compression
BS-MS Drexel MEM '14
Now in industry