Reginald Hamilton

Reginald Hamilton is an Associate Professor in the Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics at the Pennsylvania State University, College of Engineering. His research focuses on the mechanics of multifunctional stimulus-responsive materials, with applications in advanced manufacturing, actuation, sensing, and damping. He is affiliated with Penn State’s Health and the Environment research theme and contributes to interdisciplinary initiatives, including NASA-funded technology development for spacecraft.

His research interests lie at the intersection of smart materials and advanced manufacturing, particularly in shape memory alloys such as NiTi. He investigates constitutive relationships, microstructure-property correlations, and functional performance in materials produced via additive manufacturing techniques like laser-directed energy deposition and selective laser melting. His work also extends to nanoscale materials, including thin films and nanowires, fabricated using ion beam deposition and nanoskiving.

The recent publications reveal a strong trend in additive manufacturing of NiTi alloys, microstructural characterization, functional fatigue, and bioinspired composites. His research integrates experimental mechanics, materials processing, and multiscale modeling to develop next-generation multifunctional materials.

• Augmentation of damping in hybrid shape memory composites
• Design optimization of compliant mechanisms
• Development of stretchable molecular composites
• Microstructure control in additively manufactured NiTi
• Nanofabrication of NiTi nanowires and thin films
• Overcoming strength-ductility trade-offs in nanocomposites

Dr. Hamilton actively mentors graduate students, as seen in collaborative publications involving master’s students’ transitions to graduate school. He has been involved in multidisciplinary seed grant projects and defense-related research through the Applied Research Laboratory. His work is supported by institutional and federal funding, including NASA.

He is a key contributor to Penn State’s research in advanced materials and manufacturing, working within collaborative teams focused on materials innovation for aerospace, biomedical, and structural applications.