Academic Credentials
  • Ph.D., Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, 1994
  • B.S., Metallurgical Engineering, University of Washington, 1988
Licenses & Certifications
  • Professional Engineer Metallurgical, California, #1867
  • Professional Engineer Metallurgical, Texas, #116334
Professional Honors
  • ASM International Fellow, 2011
  • National Materials and Manufacturing Board (three-year appointment)
Professional Affiliations
  • ASM International (Fellow)
  • Failure Analysis Society (member)
  • International Organization on Shape Memory and Superelastic Technologies (member)
  • Independent Metallurgical Engineering Consultants of California (Past President)

Dr. James applies the fundamental principles of metallurgy, materials science, engineering mechanics, electrochemistry, and quantitative risk analysis to the investigation and prevention of failures in engineering systems, devices, structures, and products. Dr. James' specific expertise includes metallurgical and materials engineering, fracture mechanics, fractographic examination, corrosion, material embrittlement and degradation, welding and joining, risk analysis, life prediction, material selection, and design.

In his more than 30 years' experience, Dr. James' broad understanding of materials, mechanics, electrochemistry, and risk concepts allows him to consult within several diverse industries. He has led multidisciplinary investigations in power generation and transmission, oil and gas, medical device, transportation, aviation, mining, fire protection, and consumer products industries.

Dr. James has served as an Adjunct Professor at Stanford and Santa Clara Universities, teaching several graduate-level courses that include metallurgical/materials failure analysis, fractography, fracture mechanics, mechanics of materials, and electrochemistry concepts. Dr. James has also taught dozens of day-long failure analysis, fracture, corrosion, and materials design courses to medical device engineers for ASM International. He is a Fellow of ASM International (the world's largest materials engineering technical society), serves on the editorial review board of the Journal of Failure Analysis and Prevention, and is a member of the National Materials and Manufacturing Board.

Prior to joining Exponent, Dr. James was employed as a Research Engineer, Materials Performance Division, at the Babcock and Wilcox Research and Development Center in Alliance, OH. In this role he conducted fatigue, fracture, and corrosion testing and analyses of materials with power generation and aerospace applications.