Academic Credentials
  • Ph.D., Civil Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2026
  • M.S., Civil Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2022
  • B.S., Civil Engineering, Mississippi State University, 2018
Professional Honors
  • President’s Fellowship, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2020-2024
  • GT Sigma Xi Best MS Thesis Award, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2023
  • Lawrence D. McDowell Fellowship, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2022-2023
  • CEE Best MS Thesis Award, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2022
  • AISC Student Travel Grant – Task Force Committee Meetings, American Institute of Steel Construction, 2022
  • IRA Hardin Fellowship, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2020-2021
  • Georgia Power CEE Fellowship, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2020-2021
  • Robert H. Wood Scholarship, Mississippi State University, 2016-2017
  • Pickering Alumni Scholarship, Mississippi State University, 2016-2017
  • Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship, Mississippi State University, 2015-2016
Professional Affiliations
  • American Society of Civil Engineers
  • American Welding Society

Dr. Phillips specializes in the design, analysis, and fabrication of steel members and structural systems for buildings and bridges. He has evaluated the performance and stability of structures using buckling simulations and nonlinear analyses, and he has investigated structural damage due to fatigue and fracture.

Dr. Phillips has experience in both computational and experimental analysis methods, including material characterization, large-scale fatigue and stability/strength testing, and nonlinear finite element analysis (FEA) including elastic and inelastic buckling simulations.

Prior to joining Exponent, Dr. Phillips was a graduate student researcher in the Structural Engineering Mechanics and Materials (SEMM) group at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he earned a Ph.D. in civil engineering. His research focused on the behavior and performance of steel materials and structures; specifically, he conducted analytical and experimental investigations into the design and performance of built-up steel I-section members and the effects of weld repairs on the strength and service life of built-up members. Dr. Phillips developed novel experimental techniques and datasets, created nonlinear finite element models, performed buckling simulations, and conducted small- and large-scale experimental tests. His work involving the behavior and flexural design of steel I-section members proved that the current flexural design standards overpredict the strength of certain built-up I-section members, and his work contributed to changes in the flexural design provisions used in the United States. His work involving the effects of weld repairs proved that weld repairs could be performed many times with little-to-no effect on the strength or service-life of the welded joint.

Aside from research, Dr. Phillips gained experience teaching and assisting in both undergraduate and graduate level courses while at Georgia Tech, including courses such as statics, behavior of steel structures, introduction to bridge engineering, and prestressed concrete. Dr. Phillips also has industry experience through full-time positions and co-ops with various engineering firms. His industry experience included engineering design, inspection, fabrication, and specialized lift planning.