Featured Researcher
Name: Stephen Holland
How long have you been at CNDE? Since 2002
Area(s) of expertise: Thermography, ultrasound, NDE data integration and digital twin
Who or what inspired you to pursue your career in NDE? I stumbled across laser ultrasonics as a student intern at Sandia Labs because it was a more interesting topic than boring virtual reality computer work. Back at university, I was inspired to continue after starting undergraduate research in Wolfgang Sachse’s lab. Five years later, I had my PhD and started at Iowa State.
Briefly describe one of your technical contributions to the NDE field. Discovery and explanation of the significance of a zero-group-velocity plate wave resonance that dominates air-coupled ultrasonic transmission, is fundamental to impact echo testing of civil structures, and also important in laser ultrasound.
What advice would you give a researcher just starting out in the NDE field? To study as much math and engineering physics as you can.