Academic Credentials
  • Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, University of Pennsylvania, 2024
  • M.S.E., Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, University of Pennsylvania, 2022
  • B.S., Mechanical Engineering, Oklahoma Christian University, 2018
Professional Honors
  • Platinum Poster Award, Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers, 2025
  • (Finalist) Penn Prize for Excellence in Student Teaching, The University of Pennsylvania, 2022
  • Gold Poster Award, Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers, 2022
  • Philadelphia Graduate Student Scholarship, Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers, 2021
  • Editor’s Selection: Best from STLE’s Research Community, Tribology & Lubrication Technology, 2020
  • National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellow, US Department of Defense, 2020
  • (Declined) Graduate Research Fellow, National Science Foundation, 2020
  • Goldwater Scholar, Barry Goldwater Foundation, 2017
Professional Affiliations
  • Society of Tribologists & Lubrication Engineers – Member

Dr. Parker LaMascus is a consultant with deep experience in mechanical engineering, including mechanics of materials, lubrication science, and data-driven methods. His research background is in tribology — the study of friction, wear, adhesion, and lubrication — where he focused on nanomaterials in the power transmission of heavy vehicles and wind turbines. He also has industrial experience in manufacturing, technical writing, and scientific sales.

Dr. LaMascus has developed novel experimental methods and data-driven models to improve vehicle efficiencies and prevent wear-related failure. Before joining Exponent, Dr. LaMascus received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, where he worked to prevent wear in powertrains through modeling and optimizing metal oxide nanoparticle lubricant additives. This project was a collaboration between large-scale industrial research, national laboratories, and small tech companies. Dr. LaMascus was awarded an NDSEG Research Fellowship in 2020 for this work and an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (declined).

Since joining Exponent, Dr. LaMascus has contributed to projects focusing on automobile accident reconstruction, including project management, photogrammetry, and optical methods. Dr. LaMascus also has work experience as a researcher and assistant instructor at Penn, a technical writer for PCS Instruments, a physics researcher at Harvard, a manufacturing engineer at Niagara Bottling LLC, and a customer specialist at McMaster-Carr Industrial Supply.