Ryan Hurley

Ryan Hurley is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University's Whiting School of Engineering, with a secondary appointment in the Department of Civil and Systems Engineering. He is a Fellow of the Hopkins Extreme Materials Institute (HEMI) and leads a research group focused on the mechanics of granular and geologic materials, multiscale modeling, and 3D materials characterization.

• PhD, California Institute of Technology (Caltech), 2015
• Postdoctoral Research, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), 2015–2017
• Joined JHU Faculty, 2018

His research interests center on understanding the mechanical behavior and failure mechanisms of granular materials, rocks, concrete, and ceramics through novel experiments and numerical models. He specializes in in-situ X-ray imaging and diffraction to observe deformation at micro and mesoscales. Key areas include impact physics, wave propagation, and rapid compaction, with applications in asteroid deflection and structural safety. His group develops digital twin models to simulate material behavior across scales.

The research publications reveal a strong trend in multiscale experimental mechanics of geomaterials, combining high-resolution imaging with computational modeling. His work frequently appears in top journals such as Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and International Journal of Solids and Structures, focusing on granular dynamics, fracture, compaction, and constitutive modeling.

Scientific awards include:

• NSF CAREER Award (2020)
• AFOSR Young Investigator Program (YIP) Award (2022)
• AEOP Mentor of the Year (2021)
• Department of Energy Secretary’s Appreciation Award (2017)

Hurley has secured significant research funding from NSF, AFOSR, ARL, DOE, and DTRA. He actively mentors PhD, postdoctoral, and undergraduate students, and his group has produced numerous publications. He serves as co-editor of Open Geomechanics and has reviewed for major journals and funding agencies. Since 2021, he has chaired the annual Mach Conference.

His research group operates within the Hopkins Extreme Materials Institute (HEMI) and utilizes advanced facilities including synchrotron X-ray sources and high-speed imaging systems for impact experiments.