Bernd Schönbauer

Bernd Schönbauer is a materials scientist active at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU) and holds a Visiting Professor title at Fukuoka University, Japan. His research focuses on high-cycle fatigue, very high cycle fatigue (VHCF), and fracture mechanics of metals and composites. He leads the Christian Doppler Laboratory for Defect Tolerance of Steels and has contributed to projects funded by the European Union and FFG.

• 2024–present: Head of Christian Doppler Laboratory
• 2016–present: Research Associate at BOKU’s Institute of Physics and Material Science
• 2018: Adjunct Professor at University of Oulu, Finland

His research bridges material defects, microstructural analysis, and industrial applications, with recent work on hydrogen embrittlement, CNT-reinforced polymers, and wood fatigue. He has supervised over 5 theses and served as a reviewer for 20+ journals.

Notable collaborations include the Fukuoka-Vienna Joint Symposium and leadership roles at the European Structural Integrity Society. His publications span journals like International Journal of Fatigue and Acta Biomaterialia, with a focus on defect tolerance and fatigue prediction methodologies.