John Strenkowski

Dr. Strenkowski is interested in the development of computational rules for additive manufacturing, technologies for joining composites and metal parts, and nondestructive inspection techniques. His research program is attractive because additive manufacturing promises to change the world. The idea is essentially to build up parts from a bucket of powder (additive) in contrast with the traditional manufacturing method of removing material (subtractive). Furthermore, additive manufacturing replaces manufacturing plants with smaller machines that essentially can be placed in your garage.

Students in the program are exposed to a multidisciplinary environment working with mechanical and aerospace products. These students tend to be self-starters, hands-on, and have an appreciation for the practical.

In the classroom, Dr. Strenkowski teaches MAE 533 Finite Element Analysis I and MAE 415 Analysis for Mechanical Engineering Design. In MAE 533 he balances fundamentals with applications, showing the relevance of the fundamentals through interesting applications. In MAE 415, Dr. Strenkowski draws from over 30 years of experience with design of mechanical parts.

Outside of work, Dr. Stenkowski enjoys spending time with his children and grandchildren and he loves outdoor activities, time permitting.