Douglas Cook

Douglas Cook is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering within the College of Engineering at Brigham Young University (BYU), where he conducts interdisciplinary research at the intersection of mechanical systems and biological applications, particularly in crop and plant biomechanics.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University (2009)
• M.S. in Mechanical Engineering (Biomechanics), Purdue University (2005)
• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Utah State University (2003), with minors in Mathematics and Mandarin Chinese

His research focuses on experimental and computational biomechanics, particularly in agricultural contexts. He emphasizes the role of biological variation in predictive modeling and employs stochastic methods to improve model robustness and reliability. His work bridges mechanical engineering with botany, agronomy, medicine, and acoustics, reflecting a highly interdisciplinary approach. Teaching interests include numerical methods, measurement systems, computer programming, and statistical modeling under uncertainty.

Dr. Cook has secured research funding from the US National Science Foundation, the US Department of Agriculture, and industry partners, supporting his innovative work in crop biomechanics. He actively contributes to the scientific community as an ad hoc reviewer for journals including Agronomy Journal, Journal of Experimental Botany, Crop and Pasture Science, Biosystems Engineering, and Field Crops Research.

Scientific Service:

• Ad Hoc Reviewer, Agronomy Journal (2018)
• Ad Hoc Reviewer, Journal of Experimental Botany (2018)
• Ad Hoc Reviewer, Crop and Pasture Science (2018)
• Ad Hoc Reviewer, Biosystems Engineering (2018)
• Ad Hoc Reviewer, Field Crops Research (2017)

He leads the Crop Biomechanics Research group at BYU, maintaining a dedicated website (https://cropbiomechanics.byu.edu/) to showcase ongoing projects and educational outreach. Though specific advisees are not listed, he mentors students through graduate research and teaching in core engineering disciplines.