American Society of Mechanical Engineers recognizes Army researcher

By Army Research Laboratory Public AffairsJanuary 31, 2019

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1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – The American Society of Mechanical Engineers, or ASME, recently elected a researcher from the CCDC Army Research Laboratory, the Army's corporate research laboratory (ARL), as a fellow. Dr. Todd Bjerke received this recognition last fall for more tha... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. -- The American Society of Mechanical Engineers, or ASME, recently elected a researcher from the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command's Army Research Laboratory, the Army's corporate research laboratory (ARL), as a fellow.

Dr. Todd Bjerke received this recognition last fall for more than 30 years of research achievements in the field of terminal ballistics and leadership in program management.

ASME, founded in 1880, is a nonprofit professional organization that enables collaboration, knowledge sharing and skill development across all engineering disciplines, while promoting the role of the engineer in society. The society has a membership of more than 130,000 engineers and scientists from 150 different countries. The honor of fellow is conferred by the ASME committee of past presidents to recognize members on their outstanding engineering achievements.

According to the citation, Bjerke's research in the fields of applied terminal ballistics and high rate material deformation and failure have defined the direction of terminal ballistics research, improved munition concepts being transitioned from research to product development and have been used as the foundation for subsequent research throughout the world. His research activities span theoretical, experimental and computational approaches to fundamental high rate material deformation and failure, impact physics and applied terminal ballistics.

Bjerke established himself as a recognized expert in both the applied aspects of terminal ballistics and the underlying fundamental mechanisms that include high rate material deformation and failure. In the nomination, it also said he distinguished himself as an international leader of research programs that has resulted in many productive research collaborations and a substantial increase in stature, reputation and achievements of his organization.

"I've had a very rewarding career at ARL, I have been able to pursue research on topics that I find truly fascinating while at the same time transitioned my research in a way that made a real difference to the Soldier and the country," Bjerke said. "Achieving the status of fellow with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers further affirms my belief that my research achievements were significant and of value to the Army as well as the broader engineering research community."

Professor John Lambros from the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign led the nomination.

"What I have always found fascinating about Todd's research approach is his innate ability to distill from a complex practical problem the basic scientific principles that should be addressed, and vice versa, seeing a basic science problem and extrapolating to what realistic physical situations it could possibly be applied for good use," Lambros said. "This gives Todd a unique ability to manage both basic and translational research--a hallmark of ARL, and DOD labs in general."

The CCDC Army Research Laboratory (ARL) is an element of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command. As the Army's corporate research laboratory, ARL discovers, innovates and transitions science and technology to ensure dominant strategic land power. Through collaboration across the command's core technical competencies, CCDC leads in the discovery, development and delivery of the technology-based capabilities required to make Soldiers more lethal to win our Nation's wars and come home safely. CCDC is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Futures Command.

Related Links:

U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command

Army Research Laboratory

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