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Brad A. James, Ph.D., P.E.

Principal Engineer

Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science

Professional Profile


Dr. James specializes in failure analysis, materials science, life prediction, and design. Dr. James focuses on issues relating to metallurgy, fracture, fatigue, and material degradation.

Dr. James has specific experience within the medical device, pipeline, chemical processing, energy, automotive, fire protection, and electronics industries. He helps both industrial and legal clients solve complex problems, as well as interact with governmental agencies such as the FDA, NHTSA, and the NTSB. Dr. James has particular interest in metallurgy, fractography, fracture mechanics, wear, corrosion, embrittlement phenomena, microstructural development, heat treatment, material selection, welding and joining, and design.

Dr. James is an Adjunct Lecturer in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Santa Clara University, where he teaches graduate-level failure analysis and fracture mechanics courses. He has taught several courses for The American Society for Materials (ASM International) involving failure analysis, design, and life prediction/validation of medical devices. Dr. James has been a Visiting Lecturer at Stanford University and San Jose State University. Prior to joining Exponent, Dr. James was employed as a Research Engineer, Materials Performance Division, at the Babcock and Wilcox R&D Center.

  • Ph.D., Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, 1994
  • B.S., Materials Science Engineering, University of Washington, 1988

    • Registered Professional Metallurgical Engineer, California, #MT1867

    • Adjunct Lecturer, Santa Clara University, Department of Mechanical Engineering