Dr. Tim Rupert

Biography

Tim Rupert is a professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University and the director of the Hopkins Extreme Materials Institute (HEMI). His research focuses on nanostructured materials and defect engineering, leveraging materials to enable new structural energy technologies. Rupert's current research areas include nanocrystalline metals and alloys, grain boundaries, interfaces, and defect phases/complexions. He employs both computational and experimental techniques to optimize materials for extreme environments, aiming to strengthen the applications of nanostructured materials in nuclear energy and defense. Before joining Johns Hopkins, Rupert was a professor at the University of California, Irvine, where he held a joint appointment in mechanical and aerospace engineering. In 2022, he co-founded Foundation Alloy, a company focused on designing and manufacturing novel metal alloys. Rupert earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in mechanical engineering from Johns Hopkins University and obtained his Ph.D. in materials science and engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was named a Brimacombe Medalist by the Metals, Minerals, and Materials Society in 2025.

Research Interests