Derek H. Warner

Derek H. Warner is a Professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Cornell University, where he has served since 2007. He previously held a Postdoctoral Research Associate position at Brown University and earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University (2006). He also served as a Visiting Professor at the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in 2013 and 2020. His research focuses on structural materials failure, additive manufacturing, and advanced materials modeling, leveraging atomistic simulations, machine learning, and experimental techniques like X-ray CT and fatigue testing.

Education: B.S. in Mathematics (2002, Saint Francis University), M.S. in Solid Mechanics (2004, Johns Hopkins University), Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering (2006, Johns Hopkins University).

Research Interests: Director of the Cornell Fracture Group, collaboration with the U.S. Navy on failure mechanisms of structural materials, additive manufacturing of metallic components, and multiscale modeling. His work integrates atomistic simulations, machine learning interatomic potentials, and experimental validation to advance predictive models for material deformation and failure.

Publications highlight his contributions to fracture mechanics (e.g., crack dissolution studies) and additive manufacturing (e.g., defect prediction in metal AM). Recent work emphasizes computational tools for material characterization and fatigue performance prediction.

• Awards: James and Mary Tien Teaching Award (2019), Presidential Early Career Award (2009), and multiple teaching recognitions.

Advising and Grants: Mentors students in fracture mechanics and additive manufacturing. Active in grants related to Navy-sponsored materials research. Serves as Director of Undergraduate Studies in Civil Engineering and chairs the College Common Curriculum Governing Board.

Labs/Teams: Leads the Cornell Fracture Group, a multidisciplinary team advancing materials science and structural integrity analysis.