Thomas W. Shield
Professor and Director of
Undergraduate Studies

- Contact information
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
B.S., Engineering Mechanics, University of Illinois -Urbana/Champaign, May 1983.M.S., Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Berkeley, December 1984.
Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Berkeley, May 1988.
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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
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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
- See more publications
Honors and Fellowships
University of Minnesota's McKnight Land-Grant Professorship, 1992-1994 Background
NSF National Young Investigator Award, 1992-1997. Background
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Current Courses
- Undergraduate
- AEM 4501 -- Aerospace Structures | Course Home Page
- Undergraduate
- AEM 3031 -- Deformable Body Mechanics
- AEM 4501 -- Aerospace Structures
- AEM 4595 -- Problems in Mechanics and Materials
- AEM 4601 -- Instrumentation Laboratory
- AEM 4602W -- Aeromechanics Laboratory
- Graduate
- AEM 5501 -- Continuum Mechanics
- AEM 5503 -- Theory of Elasticity
- AEM 8500 -- Research Seminar in Mechanics of Materials
- AEM 8523 -- Elastodynamics
- AEM 8533 -- Theory of Plasticity
- AEM 8880 -- Plan B Project
Subjects and Courses Taught
| Curriculum Vitae | Brief Biographical Sketch |
Last Modified: Wednesday, 02-Jan-2008 05:59:02 CST -- this is in International Standard Date and Time Notation



