Scott W. Robertson

EDUCATION

University of California, Berkeley; August 2002 – present
Ph.D., Materials Science & Engineering, anticipated Dec 2006
Masters of Science, Materials Science & Engineering, May 2005
Ph.D. & Masters topic: My research is aimed at addressing two of the primary failure modes in endovascular stents: fatigue-crack growth and overload fracture. The small dimensions of stents, coupled with their complex geometries and variability among manufacturers, make it virtually impossible to determine generic material constants associated with specific devices. Instead, my research utilizes a hybrid of standard test techniques (fracture mechanics and x-ray micro-diffraction) and custom-designed testing apparatuses for the determination of the fracture properties of specimens that are suitable representations of self-expanding Nitinol stents. Specifically, the role of texture (crystallographic alignment of atoms) and austenite-to-martensite phase transformation on the propagation of cracks in Nitinol was conducted under simulated body conditions and over a multitude of stress/strain conditions. The results determined through this research were then used to create conservative safe operating and inspection criteria to be used by the biomedical community for the determination of specific device vulnerability to failure by fracture and/or fatigue.

University of California, Berkeley
Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley
Management of Technology Certification, Jan 2006

University of Texas, Arlington; August 1998 – December 1998
 Material Science and Engineering Dept. (mse.uta.edu) graduate level courses

University of Texas, Austin; August 1994 – May 1998
 Mechanical Engineering Dept (www.me.utexas.edu); B.S.M.E. earned

Honors & Professional Certifications

HAZWOPER 29CFR 1910.120(e)

Pi Tau Sigma, Mechanical Engineering Honor Society
 
 

Work History

SWR CONSULTING SERVICES; Berkeley, CA
2004 - present
Engineering failure analysis company focused on in-vivo biomedical device failure.
President
Founded SWR Consulting Services in early 2004 with the intention to make biomedical devices safer for use in the human body, thereby increasing patients' quality and length of life. Performed analyses on such devices as mitral heart valves and hip implants that failed in-vivo, resulting in severe trauma or even death to the patient, determined the failure mechanism(s), and suggested modifications to the existing designs to promote safer and more reliable devices.

STANFORD RESEARCH INSTITUTE INTERNATIONAL; Menlo Park, CA
2004 - present
Multi-disciplinary, non-profit research and development institute.
Student Researcher, Consultant
As a founding member of the RESIStent program (Reliability Enhancement and Service Improvement for Stents), co-organized a worldwide group of biomedical device manufacturers, engineers, physicians and medical professionals all with the common goal of investigating the shortcomings of current stent design, and dissemination that information to the general public, FDA, physicians, and engineers such that future advancements in the field could lead to lower occurrences of device failure and increase patient well-being.

EXPONENT; Houston, TX and Menlo Park, CA
2001 - present
World's largest engineering and scientific consulting corporation.
Consulting Engineer
In Exponent's Mechanics and Materials practice, specialized in analysis of mechanical and materials applications including accident investigations/recreations and failure analyses for a variety of industries including aerospace, architecture, automotive, aviation, biotechnology, construction, defense, electronics, energy, nuclear power, oil/gas, optoelectronics, polymer, semiconductor and tele-communications.

METALLURGICAL ENGINEERING SERVICES; Richardson, TX
1998 - 2001
Mechanical testing and consulting services company.
Project Engineer
Designed and developed custom mechanical testing techniques for determining tensile, shear, and impact strengths of printed circuit board material; identified organic contaminants by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) that caused failures in products such as bioengineered implants, PCB components, thermo-electric coolers, and jet engines; and performed photodocumentation: macroscopic, stereomicroscopic and metallographic techniques to accentuate failure mechanisms such as fatigue striations, stress-corrosion-cracking and intergranular attack.

Professional Profile

Before joining Exponent, Mr. Robertson was a Project Engineer at Metallurgical Engineering Services, Inc., where he designed and developed custom mechanical tests for determining tensile, shear, and impact strengths of printed circuit board material.  He also identified organic contaminants by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) that caused failures in products such as bioengineered implants, printed circuit board components, thermo-electric coolers, and jet engines.  As well, Mr. Robertson performed photodocumentation:  macroscopic, stereomicroscopic and metallographic techniques to accentuate failure mechanisms such as fatigue striations, stress-corrosion-cracking and intergranular attack.

Publications

Robertson SW, Ritchie RO. A Fracture-Mechanics Based Approach to Fracture Control in Biomedical Devices Manufactured from Nitinol Tube. J. Biomed. Mater. Res. B 2006, in review.

Robertson SW, Ritchie RO. In vitro fatigue-crack growth and fracture toughness behaviour of thin-walled superelastic Nitinol tube for endovascular stents: A basis for defining the effect of crack-like defects. Biomaterials 2006, in review.

Stankiewicz JM, Robertson SW, Ritchie RO. On the fatigue-crack growth properties of thin-walled superelastic austenitic Nitinol tube for endovascular stents. J. Biomed. Mater. Res. A 2006, in press.

Robertson SW, Gong XY, Ritchie RO. Effect of Product Form and Heat Treatment on the Crystallographic Texture of Austenitic Nitinol. J Mater Sci 2006; V41; 621-630.

Robertson SW, Stankiewicz J, and Ritchie RO. A Fracture Mechanics-Based Approach to Fatigue of Nitinol Tube. Proceedings of the International Conference on Shape Memory and Superelastic Technologies, SMST Society, Inc.; Monterey, CA; 2006, in review.

Robertson SW, Mehta A, Gong XY, Pelton A, and Ritchie RO. Ultrahigh Resolution Diffraction Characterization of the Local Mechanics at a Crack Tip. Proceedings of the International Conference on Shape Memory and Superelastic Technologies, SMST Society, Inc.; Monterey, CA; 2006, in review.

Mehta A, Tamura N, Robertson S, Imbeni V, Pelton A, and Ritchie R. The Marriage of Mechanical Testing and Synchrotron Radiation Micro-Diffraction. Proceedings of the International Conference on Shape Memory and Superelastic Technologies, SMST Society, Inc.; Monterey, CA; 2006, in review.

Robertson SW, Imbeni V, Wenk H-R, Ritchie RO. Crystallographic texture for tube and plate of the superelastic/shape-Memory alloy Nitinol used for endovascular stents. J Biomed Mater Res A 2005; V72A; Iss 2: 190-199.

Pelton AR, Mehta A, Zhu L, Trepanier C, Imbeni V, Robertson S, Barney M, and Minor A. TiNi Oxidation: Kinetics and Phase Transformations. Proceedings of The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS) Solid-to-Solid Transformations in Inorganic Materials 2005, Vol. 2: Phase Transformations in Novel Systems or Special Materials. Edited by James H. Howe, David E. Laughlin, Jong K. Lee, Ulrich Dahmen, and William A. Soffa.

Robertson SW, Imbeni V, Wenk HR, and Ritchie RO. Crystallographic texture in Austenitic Nitinol. Proceedings of the International Conference on Shape Memory and Superelastic Technologies, Baden-Baden, Germany, Oct 3-7, 2004; M Mertmann, ed.; ASM International; 37-43.

Robertson SW, Stankiewicz J, Gong XY, Ritchie RO. Cyclic Fatigue of Nitinol. Proceedings of the International Conference on Shape Memory and Superelastic Technologies, Baden-Baden, Germany, Oct 3-7, 2004; M Mertmann, ed.; ASM International; 79-88.

Stankiewicz J, Robertson SW, Gong XY, Wenk HR, and Ritchie RO. Effects of Texture on the Fatigue Resistance of Nitinol. Tenth International Congress and Exposition of the Society for Experimental Mechanics; Costa Mesa, California, USA; Session 54: Nitinol II, Paper No. 453. June 7-10, 2004.

Robertson SW, Imbeni V, Notkina E, Wenk HR, Ritchie RO. Texture in tubes and plates of the superelastic/shape-memory alloy Nitinol. Proceedings of the International Conference on Shape Memory and Superelastic Technologies; A. R. Pelton and T. Duerig, eds.; SMST Society, Inc., Menlo Park, CA, 2003; 341-347.