OUR PEOPLE
Academic Credentials
- Ph.D., Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, 2020
- M.S., Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, 2015
- B.S., Physics, Arizona State University, 2013
Licenses & Certifications
- NACE - Certified Coating Inspector Level 1 Certification
- NACE - Certified Coating Inspector Level 2 Certification
Professional Honors
- National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program Fellow, 2013-2016
Professional Affiliations
- Association for Materials Protection and Performance – AMPP
Dr. Bennett-Kennett specializes in failure analysis and failure prevention of complex engineering structures and devices. He has specific expertise in the areas of metallurgy, materials science, adhesion science and degradation.
Dr. Bennett-Kennett is a NACE Certified Coatings Inspector and regularly conducts analyses of various paint and protective-coating systems utilized in both industrial settings and consumer goods. He has consulted on several coating issues including degradation of tank liners for chemical shipping, abrasive damage to automotive coatings, delamination of both UV protective and electrically insulating coatings for utilities, and application of protective liners for food and beverage.
He also has experience investigating failures in ferrous and non-ferrous metals, ceramics, and polymers. He has expertise in a variety of materials characterization techniques including mechanical testing, optical and electron microscopy, EDS, and FTIR.
Prior to joining Exponent, Dr. Bennett-Kennett completed his Ph.D. at Stanford University in the department of Materials Science and Engineering, where his research focused on relating stresses in human skin upon drying to perceived impacts of a variety of consumer cosmetic treatments. To facilitate this research, Dr. Bennett-Kennett designed and fabricated a thin film stress measurement system for real time tracking of biaxial stresses in films exposed to a harsh external environment. Dr. Bennett-Kennett leveraged these new systems and his multidisciplinary expertise to study mechanical stresses of energy materials in situ and to create new collaborative partnerships with Stanford Medicine.