Daniel M. Dowden

Dr. Daniel M. Dowden is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering at Michigan Technological University. He holds a PhD in Civil Engineering (Structural Engineering) from the University at Buffalo, along with MS and BS degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of Wyoming and Washington State University, respectively. Prior to academia, he worked as a structural engineer in Seattle for 10 years, which influenced his research focus on earthquake engineering and resilient infrastructure design.

• Education:
• PhD, Civil Engineering – Structural Engineering, University at Buffalo (2014)
• MS, Civil Engineering – Structural Engineering, University of Wyoming
• BS, Civil Engineering – Structural Engineering, Washington State University

His research emphasizes innovative solutions for earthquake-resistant structures, particularly self-centering systems and low-damage frameworks to mitigate seismic impacts. He has conducted extensive experimental testing using shake-tables, pseudo-dynamic systems, and static methods. Key areas include steel plate shear walls, post-tensioned connections, and resilient friction dampers.

Teaching focuses on earthquake engineering, structural dynamics, steel/concrete design, and structural analysis. He joined Michigan Tech in 2017 after serving as Structural & Testing Engineer at UB’s Structural Engineering and Earthquake Simulation Laboratory (SEESL), where he contributed to seismic qualification testing.

Recent publications highlight advancements in numerical modeling of friction dampers, shake-table testing methodologies, and analytical investigations of rocking wall systems.