Vanderbilt’s Doug Adams received the prestigious Society for Experimental Mechanics (SEM) B.J. Lazan Award at the XIII International Congress: Exposition on Experimental and Applied Mechanics. Dr. Adams is the Daniel F. Flowers Professor of Engineering and Chair of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Vanderbilt University. He also directs IACMI’s NDE facilities and leads its NDE research, development, and demonstration efforts.
The award was established in 1967 to recognize individuals who have made outstanding original technical contributions to experimental mechanics. In 1973 this award was named in honor of Dr. Benjamin J. Lazan, a pioneer in his field who achieved recognition in dynamic testing, vibration, materials damping and fatigue. The award honors inventors, developers or contributors to the introduction of new devices or methods.
Dr. Adams’ research in nonlinear system identification reveals unique signatures that characterize how materials and machines behave. He has developed and patented nondestructive evaluation and structural health monitoring technology to reduce the cost and improve the reliability of systems in manufacturing, energy, and defense applications. He has written 260 technical papers including many at SEM conferences, a textbook on structural health monitoring, and several book chapters. He received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers and Society for Experimental Mechanics DeMichele Award, and was elected a Fellow of ASME in 2011. Read more about Dr. Adams in his bio.