Graduate Research Assistant, PhD Candidate
Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Biomedical Engineering
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Contact Information
- 1321 White Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37916
- Phone: (815)482-0795
- E-mail: rspenc15@vols.utk.edu
- NDE: ultrasound testing, acoustic emission, vibration analysis, infrared thermography, digital image correlation.
- Composite manufacturing: compression molding, extrusion compression, filament winding, commingled fibers (CF-thermoplastics), VARTM.
- Characterization of composites: flexural, ILSS, tensile, compression (CLC & IITR), shear (Iosipescu), lap-shear, low-velocity impact (IZOD and drop tower), optical microscopy, SEM, DSC, TGA, TMA
- Desktop 3D printing and Large-scale Additive Manufacturing
- Composites for automotive and aerospace applications
- PhD in Mechanical Engineering, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville - Expected May 2023
- MS. in Mechanical Engineering, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, 2017
- BS in Mechanical Engineering, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, 2015
- July 2017 – Present: University of Tennessee – Fibers and Composites Manufacturing Facility – Graduate Research Assistant
- June 2018 – December 2019: DuPont – Performance Materials – IACMI Internship
- January 2017 – July 2017: Santec Systems, Inc. – Co-Op R&D Engineer
- August 2013 – January 2017: Southern Illinois University, IMEL Laboratory – Lab Supervisor
- August 2015 – December 2016: Southern Illinois University – Graduate Teaching Assistant
- Jul 2022: America’s Cutting Edge (ACE) – Certificate of Achievement – Providing Mentorship,
- May 2022: UT-Science Alliance GATE Program: Scholarship to support collaboration between UTK-ORNL
- May 2022: UT-MABE Department Outstanding Graduate Student in Mechanical Engineering Award
- Apr 2022: I-Corps NSF – Experiment to Enterprise program: Cash prize to perform customer discovery
- Dec 2013 – Dec 2022: ASNT Travel Grant Award (Financial support to travel and present at conference).
- Nov 2021: SPE-ACCE Student Poster Competition: 2nd Place in UG category (Mentored UG)
- Jul 2021: America’s Cutting Edge (ACE) – Certificate of Achievement – Providing Mentorship
- Aug 2020: SPE-ACCE Student Poster Competition: 2nd Place in the PhD, MCN category
- Nov 2019: ASNT Mentoring Award
- Sep 2019: CAMX Outstanding Technical Paper Award (Co-Authored)
- Sep 2019: CAMX ACE – Most Creative Application: Oak Ridge Friendship Bell Park (Assisted in efforts)
Biography
Ryan Spencer is a PhD student researching the manufacturing and characterizing composite materials, with a focus of nondestructive evaluation (NDE) for conventional composites and additive manufacturing (AM). His PhD topic involves the development of a novel nondestructive method to measure fiber orientation for fiber reinforced composites.
Ryan spends his free time in the outdoors, traveling, playing hockey, working with his hands (carpentry projects or fixing cars), and loves spending time with his two sons.
Research Interests
Education
Professional Service
Awards and Recognitions
Publications
Journal Articles
R. Spencer, S. Alwekar, E. Jo, A.A. Hassen, S. Kim, U. Vaidya, Fiber orientation evaluation in reinforced composites using digital image correlation and thermal excitation, Composites Part B: Engineering, Vol 234, pg 109713, 2022
U. Vaidya, N. Hiremath, R. Spencer, S. Young, D. Penumadu, H. Mainka, M. Kardos, A. Hassen, Manufacturing Demonstration of Automotive Seat Backrest Using Sheet Molding Compound and Overmolding with Continuous Reinforcement, Applied Composite Materials, 2022
R. Spencer, A.A. Hassen, J. Baba, J. Lindahl, L. Love, V. Kunc, S. Babu, U. Vaidya, An innovative digital image correlation technique for in-situ process monitoring of composite structures in large scale additive manufacturing, Composite Structures, Vol 276, 2021
S. Kore, R. Spencer, H. Ghossein, L. Slaven, D. Knight, J. Unser, U. Vaidya, Performance of hybridized bamboo-carbon fiber reinforced polypropylene composites processed using wet laid technique, Composites Part C: Open Access, Vol 6, Pg 100185, 2021
V. Kumar, P. Yeole, A. Majed, C. Park, K. Li, M. Naguib, P.K. Ravindranath, C. Jafta, R. Spencer, B. Compton, U. Vaidya, V. Kunc, MXene Reinforced Thermosetting Composite for Lightning Strike Protection of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer, Advanced Materials Interfaces, Vol 8, Is 17, pg 2100803, 2021
V. Kumar, P.S. Yeole, N. Hiremath, R. Spencer, K.M.M. Billah, U. Vaidya, M. Hassanian, M. Theodore, S. Kim, A.A. Hassen, V. Kunc, Internal Arcing and Lightning Strike Damage in Short Carbon Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic Composites, Composites Science and Technology, Vol. 201, 2021.
V. Kumar, R. Spencer, T. Smith, J. Condon, P.S. Yeole, A.A. Hassen, V. Kunc, Replacing Metal-Based Lightning Strike Protection Layer of CFRPS by 3D Printed Electronically Conductive Polymer Layer, Journal of Advanced Materials, January 2020.
Conference Proceedings
R. Spencer, S. Wasti, S. Kim, M. Theodore, U. Vaidya, A.A. Hassen, V. Kunc, V. Kumar, Volumetric nondestructive evaluation for damage in carbon fiber reinforced polymer panels subjected to artificial lightning strikes, SPIE Smart Structures + Nondestructive Evaluation, Long Beach, California, US, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2614618
R. Spencer, M.G. Núñez, H. Saboonchi, V. Godinez-Azcuaga, U. Vaidya, V. Kunc, A.A. Hassen, Detecting thermal crack growth on a large additive manufactured structure using acoustic emission, SPIE Smart Structures + Nondestructive Evaluation, Long Beach, California, US, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2615094
U.Kumar, C. Nielson, P. Yeole, R. Spencer, C. Cramer, A.S. Badesha, D. Nuttall, U. Vaidya, V. Kunc, Large-scale continuous carbon/glass fiber additive-compression molded composites, CAMX, Dallas, Texas, US, 2021
R. Spencer, A.A. Hassen, U. Vaidya, Fiber Orientation Evaluation in Reinforced Composites using Digital Image Correlation, Proceedings of 2021 Annual Research Symposium and Spring Conference, Virtual, OH, April 27 - 29, 2021. https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1819526
V. Kumar, R. Spencer, J.C. Condon, T. Smith, T. Yokozeki, A.A. Hassen, U. Vaidya, V. Kunc, 3d printed layer of polyaniline-based conductive polymer for lightning strike protection of cfrps, in: International conference on lightning and static electricity- ICOLSE, 2019. Wichita, Kansas, USA, https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1564202.
V. Kumar, R. Spencer, T. Smith, J.C. Condon, P.S. Yeole, A.A. Hassen, V. Kunc, Replacing metal-based lightning strike protection layer of cfrps by 3d printed electrically conductive polymer layer, in: CAMX – The Composites and Advanced Materials Expo, 2019. Anaheim, CA, https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1569381.
R. Spencer, A.A. Hassen, U. Vaidya, Overview of NDE Techniques for Additive Manufacturing, Proceedings of the 27th Annual ASNT Research Symposium, Orlando, FL, March 26-29, 2018
R. Spencer, A. Poudel, T.P. Chu, J.S. Sandhu, Comparing Acoustography and Ultrasonic Testing to Evaluate Porosity within Carbon Composite Laminates, Proceedings of 26th Annual Research Symposium and Spring Conference, Jacksonville, FL, March 13 - 16, 2017.
R. Spencer, S.F. Karimian, T.P Chu, Ultrasonic Testing – Digital Image Correlation (UT-DIC) of Adhesive Bondlines using Fine Particle Resin (FPR) Speckle, Proceedings of 26th Annual Research Symposium and Spring Conference, Jacksonville, FL, March 13 - 16, 2017.
R. Spencer, A. Poudel, J.S. Sandhu, T.P. Chu, Characterization of Porosity in Carbon Fiber Epoxy Laminates Using Acoustography and Microscopy, Proceedings of 2016 ASNT Nondestructive Evaluation of Aerospace Materials and Structures Topical Conference, St. Louis, MO, June 08, 2016.
R. Spencer, A. Poudel, J.S. Sandhu, T.P. Chu, Characterization of Porosity in Carbon Fiber Epoxy Laminates Using Acoustography, Proceedings of 25th Annual Research Symposium and Spring Conference, New Orleans, LA, April 14, 2016.
A. Poudel, R. Spencer, T.P Chu, J.S. Sandhu, Porosity Characterization in Composite Laminates Using Acoustography, Proceedings of 14th International Symposium on Nondestructive Characterization of Materials, Marina Del Rey, CA, June 2015.
