Meet Our People

SRI's innovative thinking depends directly on the people who work here. Meet members of our team and learn why they joined SRI — you may discover that you would like to join the team, too. Visit Careers @ SRI for descriptions of current openings.

Focus @ SRI:
Computational simulation of material and structural failure

Title and Program:
Senior Computational Engineer, Center for Fracture Physics, Materials Research Laboratory

Day in the Life @ SRI:
Here's today: Arrive at work after nice bike ride in. Check finite element simulations looking at the release of pretensioned studs by explosive nuts for the NASA space shuttle. Discuss design and check demonstration of mini air-table for use in bend-test fixture of biomedical stents. Check status of proposal to help design helicopter spin rotor against bird strike. Play pick-up soccer game during lunch break. Work on model of yarn failure for simulating the use of ballistic fabrics to protect airplanes against ejected turbine fragments from an uncontained engine burst.

Before SRI:
Post-doctoral research in Trondheim, Norway, analyzing the progressive collapse response of off-shore oil platforms in the North Sea

Academics:
Ph.D. and M.S. in Structural Engineering, University of California, Berkeley
B.A. in Applied Mechanics, University of California, San Diego

Why SRI?
Because the quality of life at SRI is so high. The combination of great people, interesting work, bike commute, and lunchtime sports is hard to beat. I learned this most clearly when I left SRI for a small company. Fortunately, SRI let me back in.

I also get to visit cool places: I rode with the conductor in a Japanese bullet train, saw the space shuttle up close, and slogged through tunnels after an underground nuclear test.

Inspiration and Motivation:
I like to figure out why things happen and to put them in simple enough terms so that I can understand it, explain it, and make improvements.

Away from the Office:
I've been coaching my kids' baseball and soccer teams for the past 16 years. My goal is to develop the next laptop-toting statistics-analyzing general manager. I play center field and bat leadoff for the Yo-Yos, the SRI championship softball team.

Languages:
All the foreign languages I've tried to learn (Norwegian, French, Japanese) are mixed together in a small part of my brain dedicated to all foreign languages.

Proudest Professional Accomplishment:
I've made significant contributions to many successful projects. Once a project is completed, I see how I could have done it even better, so I carry those lessons with me.

Words of Wisdom for New SRI Team Members:
Interact with your colleagues. SRI has a wonderful collection of knowledgeable, interesting, and competent scientists and other professionals who can help you grow and are fun to work with.

Favorites:
Books I've enjoyed recently: Moneyball, A Short History of Everything, Freakonomics, Slouching Towards Fargo

Websites: www.chordie.com, satellite views from maps.google.com

Collections: Baseball hats, musical instruments, well-worn T-shirts, and a prayer shawl that was personally blessed and handed to me by the Dalai Lama.