Philip A. Yuya

Philip A. Yuya, Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering at Clarkson University’s Coulter School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, also holds affiliation with the Center for Advanced Materials Processing (CAMP). His research integrates theoretical and experimental mechanics of materials to elucidate structure–property–function relationships across a spectrum of materials—from ultra-hard mineralized tissues to ultra-soft polymers and biomaterials.

Education

• Ph.D. in Engineering Mechanics, 2008 – University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• M.S. in Engineering Mechanics, 2004 – University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, 1998 – University of Nairobi, Kenya

Research Focus

Dr. Yuya’s central theme is understanding how micro- and nano-scale structure dictates macroscopic mechanical behavior. He specializes in nanoscale mechanical characterization, employing contact resonance force microscopy (CR-FM) and nanoindentation to probe viscoelastic, elastic, and anisotropic properties of materials. Constitutive modeling complements these experiments, enabling the design of advanced biomaterials, nanofiber scaffolds, and polymer thin films with tailored performance.

A second major thrust examines biological and biomedical materials, including trabecular bone and temporomandibular joint cartilage, investigating how aging, menopause, and cryopreservation alter intrinsic mechanical integrity at the nanoscale.

Publication Trends

From 2007 to 2015, Dr. Yuya’s peer-reviewed output underscores sustained productivity in three intersecting domains: (i) development and refinement of CR-FM and dynamic nanoindentation methodologies for viscoelastic property extraction; (ii) nanomechanical analysis of conjugated polymer films and electrospun nanofibers for organic electronics and tissue engineering; and (iii) high-resolution mechanical mapping of bone and mineralized tissues to inform clinical and biomechanical studies.

Scientific Awards & Honors

• No specific awards explicitly listed in the provided text.

Advising & Funding

While individual student names are not supplied, Dr. Yuya mentors graduate researchers working on nanocomposite hydrogels, polymer conversion kinetics, and bone biomechanics projects. Funding sources include NSF and industry partnerships through CAMP, supporting instrumentation such as nanoindenters and AFM platforms.

Labs & Facilities

Research is conducted within CAMP’s shared instrumentation suite, housing state-of-the-art nanoindentation systems and contact-resonance AFM capabilities, complemented by cell-culture and polymer processing laboratories for biomaterial synthesis and characterization.