Academic Credentials
  • Ph.D., Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2020
  • Bachelors, Materials Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota, 2014
Professional Affiliations
  • American Ceramic Society (ACerS)

Dr. Smith is a materials scientist and engineer who specializes in the synthesis, processing, and characterization of inorganic and ceramic materials. His research experience has focused on the evaluation and design of materials subjected to extreme environments including high temperatures, stress, radiation, and corrosion. He is an expert in the mechanical behavior of ceramics and metals, a variety of microstructural characterization techniques, as well as inorganic material fabrication and processing methods. He also has industrial research and development experience and understands the development of materials and products from a manufacturing perspective.

Dr. Smith has extensive experience with materials characterization methods including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), focused ion beam (FIB) milling, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), x-ray diffraction (XRD), optical microscopy, thermogravimetric/differential thermal analysis (TGA/DTA), x-ray fluorescence (XRF), dynamic light scattering (DLS) particle size measurement, and BET surface area analysis. Additionally, Dr. Smith has experience with mechanical characterization of materials across a range of length scales, including micro- and nanoindentation, in situ SEM and TEM deformation, fatigue testing, and fracture toughness quantification.

Prior to joining Exponent, Dr. Smith completed his Ph.D. at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where his research focused on mechanical and microstructural characterization of ferroelastic deformation in ceramics, as well as spark plasma sintering of refractory materials. After completing his Ph.D., Dr. Smith then spent five years working in the Corporate Research Lab at 3M as a Senior Research Engineer working on a broad range of projects related to inorganic materials, developing materials solutions for industries including electronic devices, aerospace components, energy devices, and nuclear power generation, among others.