Academic Credentials
  • Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, 2018
  • M.S., Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, 2014
  • B.S., Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Davis, 2010
Licenses & Certifications
  • Professional Engineer Mechanical, California, #39641
  • Professional Engineer, Hawaii, #PE-19821

Dr. Malito specializes in the failure analysis, mechanical behavior, and processing of engineering materials, with a particular emphasis on polymers, NiTi-based shape memory, and other alloys used in medical device development. His expertise includes fracture mechanics-based analyses. 

Dr. Malito also has expertise in a wide variety of characterization techniques including, small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), focused ion beam (FIB), and bend free recovery (BFR). Dr. Malito draws on his wide experience, including his graduate studies at UC Berkeley, and his time as a research and development engineer in the manufacture of NiTi medical devices.

Prior to Exponent, Dr. Malito worked at Nitinol Devices and Components (now Confluent Medical) and Veniti Medical, on the manufacture, processing, development, and testing of NiTi medical devices particularly inferior vena-cava filters and stents. Dr. Malito has extensive experience with the NiTi medical device development process.

Dr. Malito completed his Ph.D. at UC Berkeley studying the deformation, yielding, and fracture of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) used in total joint replacements. His thesis work focused foremost on critiquing and improving the methodologies for performing mechanical testing of engineering polymers especially fracture resistance using UHMWPE as the choice material, given its prolific safety-critical use. His thesis also focused on elucidating microstructural and bulk mechanical property relationships in UHMWPE. Additionally during his time at UC Berkeley, Dr. Malito served as a teaching assistant for over nine semesters teaching courses in mechanics of materials, polymer engineering, and mechanics of biomaterials.