John Rudnicki

John Rudnicki is a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Mechanical Engineering at Northwestern University. He holds affiliations with the Theoretical and Applied Mechanics Graduate Program. His research focuses on inelastic behavior of geomaterials, deformation instabilities in rocks and granular media, and applications to fault mechanics and environmental geomechanics. He also investigates biomechanics of rat whiskers.

Education: Ph.D. (Solid Mechanics, Brown University, 19??), M.S. (Solid Mechanics, Brown University, 19??), B.S. (Engineering Mechanics, Brown University, 19??).

Research emphasizes interactions between pore fluids and geomaterial deformation, with contributions to poroelasticity theory, fault slip stability, and CO2 storage mechanisms. His work bridges laboratory experiments, computational modeling, and field-scale applications.

• Key awards: Fellow of American Rock Mechanics Association (2017), Engineering Science Medal (2014), Daniel C. Drucker Medal (2011).

Teaching includes courses on mechanics of materials, continuum mechanics, and sports mechanics. He has authored Fundamentals of Continuum Mechanics (2015).

Professional service includes co-chairing the Geomechanics & Geophysics session at ICTAM2024 and advising the Southern California Earthquake Center (2005–2010).