Ray Pearson

Ray Pearson is a Professor in the Department of Materials Science & Engineering at Lehigh University. He specializes in polymeric materials, particularly their fracture mechanisms in bulk materials, bimaterial interfaces, and additive manufacturing processes like selective laser sintering (SLS). His lab has secured funding from government agencies and private companies. Pearson has authored over 60 peer-reviewed publications and 8 textbook chapters, and edited volumes for prominent societies including the American Chemical Society.

Education: Ph.D. in Materials Science & Engineering from the University of Michigan (2000s), B.S. in Chemistry from the University of New Hampshire.

Research interests include adhesion science, fracture behavior of polymers, nanocomposite development, and polymer processing. His work bridges fundamental materials science with industrial applications, such as optimizing polymers for additive manufacturing and analyzing biofouling effects on marine materials.

• Awards: Fellow of the Society of Plastics Engineers (2010), multiple awards from Adhesion Society, Arkema, ACS, IBM, and NSF.
• Professional Roles: Vice President of Technology and Education for the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE), Associate Editor for the Journal of Polymer Composites.
• Grants & Funding: Supported by government agencies and private industry for projects on nanocomposites and polymer processing.

Labs/Teams: Whitaker Lab at Lehigh University, focusing on advanced materials characterization and manufacturing techniques.