Santa Clara University

Faculty & Staff - Wright



Mechanical Engineering

Wendelin J. Wright, Ph.D.

undefined Title: Clare Boothe Luce Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Office: EC 232
Phone: 408-554-4965
Fax: 408-554-5474
Email: wwright@scu.edu
Website: N/A
Education:

Ph.D., Stanford University, 2003
M.S., Stanford University, 2000
B.S., Stanford University, 1998
Interests:

Mechanical deformation at the micro and nano scale; bulk metallic glasses; metallic foams.

Biography

Professor Wright is a materials scientist by training with an emphasis on the mechanical behavior of engineering materials. She graduated from Stanford University with her Ph.D. in 2003 and then completed a post–doctoral term at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. In 2005, she returned to Stanford University as an Acting Assistant Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and joined the Mechanical Engineering faculty at Santa Clara University in 2006.

Current Research Interests

Professor Wright’s research interests involve experimental investigations of the mechanical behavior of advanced engineering materials to study atomic scale and microscopic deformation mechanisms. Her approach comprises a wide range of mechanical test techniques such as nanoindentation and multi–axial mechanical testing with servo–hydraulic systems as well as materials characterization methods such as transmission electron, scanning electron, and optical microscopy. Her goal is a synthesis of experimental results, mechanics, and thermodynamics in order to develop models for the mechanical behavior of novel amorphous, crystalline, and nanocrystalline materials.

Recent Publications

W.J. Wright, A.R. Maloney, and W.D. Nix. "An Improved Analysis for Viscoelastic Damping in Dynamic Nanoindentation". International Journal of Surface Science and Engineering, Volume 1, Numbers 2/3, pp. 274-292, 2007.

T.S. Wilson, J.P. Bearinger, J.L. Herberg, J.E. Marion III, W.J. Wright, C.L. Evans, and D.J. Maitland. "Shape Memory Polymers Based on Uniform Aliphatic Urethane Networks." Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Volume 106, pp. 540-551, 2007.

H. Mahfuz, A. Adnan, V.K. Rangari, M.M. Hasan, S. Jeelani, W.J. Wright, and S.J. DeTeresa. “Enhancement of Strength and Stiffness of Nylon 6 Filaments through Carbon Nanotube Reinforcement.” Applied Physics Letters, Volume 88, 083119, 2006.

W.J. Wright, T.C. Hufnagel, and W.D. Nix. “Free Volume Coalescence and Void Formation in Shear Bands in Metallic Glass.” Journal of Applied Physics, Volume 93, Number 3, pp. 1432–1437, 2003.

W.J. Wright, R. Saha, and W.D. Nix. “Deformation Mechanisms of the Zr40Ti14Ni10Cu12Be24 Bulk Metallic Glass.” Materials Transactions, JIM, Volume 42, Number 4, pp. 642–649, 2001.

W.J. Wright, R.B. Schwarz, and W.D. Nix. “Localized Heating During Serrated Plastic Flow in Bulk Metallic Glasses.” Materials Science and Engineering A, Volume 319–321, pp. 229–232, 2001.

Awards

· Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers and Department of Energy Early Career Award for Scientist and Engineers (2005)

· Walter J. Gores Award for Excellence in Teaching, Stanford University’s highest award for teaching (2003)

· American Association of University Women Educational Foundation Selected Professions Fellowship (2002 – 2003)

· National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (1998 – 2001)

· Stanford Graduate Fellowship (1998 – 2001)


Courses Taught

Undergraduate

MECH 11 Materials and Manufacturing Processes
MECH 15 Introduction to Materials Science

Graduate

MECH 330 Atomic Structure and Defects
MECH 332 Electronic Structure and Properties

 
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