Andrew Wereszczak

Andrew Wereszczak is a Joint Faculty Professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) within the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Tickle College of Engineering. He also serves as a Distinguished R&D Staff Member at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)’s Materials Science and Technology Division. His professional career includes two stints at ORNL (1991–2000 and 2002–present) and a period at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (2000–2002). Wereszczak holds a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Delaware (1992) and a bachelor’s degree in Ceramic Engineering from Alfred University (1987).

His research focuses on the mechanical behavior and microstructural relationships of brittle materials, including ceramics, glasses, and advanced composites. Key applications include armor systems, gas turbine engines, thermoelectric devices, and photovoltaic cells. He has pioneered novel mechanical test methods, high-temperature testing protocols, and probabilistic life prediction models for brittle components. His work integrates fracture mechanics, finite element analysis, and microstructural-level thermomechanical modeling.

Wereszczak has authored/co-authored over 175 publications, including book chapters and patents, and has delivered over 100 presentations. He is an Associate Editor of the International Journal of Applied Glass Science and has held leadership roles in professional societies such as the American Ceramic Society (ACerS) and ASTM International. His honors include ACerS Fellow (2011), ORNL’s Distinguished R&D Staff Member (2009), and the ACerS Richard M. Fulrath Award (2008).

In addition to his academic and research roles, Wereszczak contributes to industry partnerships and standards development. His lab at ORNL collaborates on projects involving material characterization, failure analysis, and advanced manufacturing processes for high-performance materials.