Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, January 1988.
Thesis: "The Control of Compounding of Particulate Filled Thermosetting Polymers".  Advisor: Professor L. Erwin.

The research objective was the implementation of feedback control to the compounding of silica particle-filled epoxy used as an encapsulant for integrated circuit chips. The quality of filled thermosetting polymers compounded in extruders is uncontrollable because the number of quality attributes exceeds the number of control variables. The application of an externally applied vibration as an additional control variable was investigated. It was found that low frequency vibration has an effect on the rheology of highly filled polymeric suspensions that increases with increasing particle volume fraction and vibration power but decreases with increasing shear rate.

S.M. Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, June 1984.
Thesis: "Gas-Injection-Molding of a Particulate Material".  Advisor: Professor L. Erwin.

The application of the research was molding a polymer based particulate ablator to the external fuel tank of the Space Shuttle. The ablator was comprised of glass and phenolic resin microballoons, cork particles, and glass fibers bound together by a film of thermosetting resin. Conventional compression molding techniques could not be applied to this material because Coulomb friction between the particles and the mold surface prevented flow.

S.M. Civil Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, January 1978.
Thesis: "Gypsum Model of Rock Joints" .  Advisor: Professor H.H. Einstein.

Experiments conducted on the effect that joints inclined at less than the friction angle have on the strength of a rock mass found that strength is reduced if joint intensity is increased. The joints increase the energy stored in the mass available to propagate brittle fracture. The joint surface area increases the number of asperities concentrating stress.

S.B. Civil Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, January 1976.

Academic Honors: Tau Beta Pi, Chi Epsilon, Sigma Xi.

Professional Registration: Registered Professional Engineer in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.