Richard D. James

Richard D. James is a Distinguished McKnight University Professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics within the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Minnesota. His research group, consisting of postdoctoral scholars, graduate students, and international collaborators, focuses on the mathematical foundations of materials science with applications across multiple disciplines.

James' primary research interests center on phase transformations in materials, particularly shape memory and multiferroic materials at various scales. His work involves developing mathematical methods for analyzing materials at both atomic and continuum levels, with a special focus on multiscale methods that bridge these different scales. He has pioneered research in objective structures—molecular structures composed of identical molecules where corresponding molecules 'see' the same environment—and their applications in materials science and biology. His group also explores origami structures with applications ranging from energy conversion to climate change mitigation, and energy conversion through phase-transforming materials that combine magnetic, ferroelectric, and shape-memory properties.

James' publication record demonstrates consistent innovation across materials science, with recent work focusing on objective molecular dynamics, origami-inspired structures, and soft magnetic materials design. His research shows a clear trajectory toward developing mathematical frameworks that enable the discovery and design of new materials with unprecedented properties.

As a Distinguished McKnight University Professor, James has received significant recognition for his contributions to materials science. His research has been supported by numerous collaborations with prestigious institutions worldwide, including Caltech, Carnegie Mellon, Princeton, and international partners in Germany, Hong Kong, and Norway.

James has mentored an extensive list of students who have gone on to prominent positions in academia and industry. His former students include professors at leading universities such as UCSB, Peking University, UCLA, and Caltech, as well as researchers at major corporations including GE, Intel, and Medtronic. His group has secured substantial research funding for projects spanning materials discovery, mathematical modeling, and energy conversion technologies.

The James Research Group maintains strong laboratory facilities for materials synthesis and characterization, complemented by advanced computational resources for simulation and modeling. The group actively collaborates with national laboratories and industry partners, with recent initiatives including the launch of WhirrlEnergy LLC for commercializing wind turbine technology and developing machine learning approaches to optimize material designs.