Thomas W. Shield
Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies

Professor Shield's research program focuses on understanding the effects that microstructures in modern materials have on the overall behavior of these materials and on their fracture properties. The materials under study include single crystals of shape-memory and other copper-based alloys, as well as novel materials with both magneto-elastic and shape-memory behaviors. Experimental work concentrates on observing the microstructures that form under various types of loading and at the tips of cracks. Single crystals are studied to isolate the microstructural behaviors from the grain-to-grain interactions that occur in polycrystalline materials. Models are then developed that allow the observed microstructures to be predicted and their effects on overall behavior of these materials to be understood. The basic understanding developed by this work will allow the actuators, sensors and other applications that employ these and other similar materials to be improved and designed more reliably. This work is funded by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Defense Office of Naval Research and is done in collaboration with Professors Leo and James.

Degrees

Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Berkeley, May 1988.
M.S., Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Berkeley, December 1984.
B.S., Engineering Mechanics, University of Illinois -Urbana/Champaign, May 1983.

Experience

2004 - Present, Professor: Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics, University of Minnesota
1996 - 2004, Associate Professor: Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics, University of Minnesota
1990 - 1996, Assistant Professor: Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics, University of Minnesota
1988 - 1990, Research Associate: University of Illinois and Brown University
1983 - 1988, Research Assistant: University of California at Berkeley

Five Recent Publications

Crone, W. C., Shield, T. W., Creuziger, A., Henneman, B., 2004, Orientation Dependence of the Plastic Slip near Notches in Ductile FCC Single Crystals, Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, 52(1), pp. 85-112, (Journal Article) More Details, Request PDF
Cui, J., Shield, T. W., and James, R. D., 2004, Phase transformation and magnetic anisotropy of an iron–palladium ferromagnetic shape-memory alloy, Acta Materialia, 52(1), pp. 35-47, (Journal Article) More Details, Request PDF
J.W. Dong, J. Q. Xie, J. Lu, C. Adelmann, C. J. Palmstrøm, J. Cui, Q. Pan, T. W. Shield, R. D. James S. McKernan, 2004, Shape memory and ferromagnetic shape memory effects in single-crystal Ni2MnGa thin films, J. Appl. Physics, 91, pp. 2593–2600., (Journal Article) More Details, Request PDF
Loughran (Vasko), G. M., Shield, T. W., and Leo, P. H., 2003, Fracture of Shape Memory CuAlNi Single Crystals, International Journal of Solids and Structures, 40(2), pp. 271-294, (Journal Article) More Details, Request PDF
Crone, W. C., and Shield, T. W, 2003, An Experimental Study of the Effect of Hardening on Plastic Deformation in Metallic Single Crystals, Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, to appear, (Journal Article) More Details, Request PDF

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Honors and Fellowships

University of Minnesota's McKnight Land-Grant Professorship, 1992-1994: Background
NSF National Young Investigator Award, 1992-1997.: Background

Last Modified: 2008-09-19 at 14:29:59 -- this is in International Standard Date and Time Notation

Thomas W. Shield Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies

Degrees

Experience

Five Recent Publications

Honors and Fellowships

Committees

Current Courses

Subjects and Courses Taught

Thomas W. Shield
Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies