Dr. Laurence Jacobs

Biography

Professor Laurence J. Jacobs has been a faculty member at the Georgia Institute of Technology since 1988. He serves in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering and also holds an administrative role as the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs within the College of Engineering. Professor Jacobs earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Columbia University in 1987, following an M.S. from the Polytechnic Institute of New York and a B.S. from Lafayette College. His research focuses on the mechanics of materials, particularly in nondestructive evaluation and the life prediction of structural materials. His work includes the application of nonlinear ultrasound techniques for characterizing fatigue, creep, and thermal embrittlement in metals, as well as exploring microstructure progression in cement-based materials. With over 8600 citations and an h-index of 48 according to Google Scholar, Professor Jacobs is recognized as a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and has received numerous awards throughout his career, including the SPIE 2019 NDE Lifetime Achievement Award. He has also supervised the completion of 19 Ph.D. and 65 M.S. theses, fostering a diverse cohort of students.

Research Interests