Michael's research is in the area of computational solid mechanics with a focus on finite elasticity, the mechanics of thin films and membranes, and parallel computing. Recent projects include modeling rupture in biomembranes and the design and analysis of auxetic metamaterials.
Michael has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University as well as M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from U.C. Berkeley. Prior to joining SCU, Michael was a Mechanical Specialist at Northrop Grumman Marine Systems (Sunnyvale, CA) working on the structural dynamics of missile launching systems and developing analysis software. This was followed by a Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Harvard Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, which included research into auxetic structures for gas turbine applications for Rolls-Royce Energy (now a part of Siemens).