Dr. Cassandra Birrenkott
Dr. Cassandra Birrenkott received her B.S. degree in Metallurgical Engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in 2007. She received her Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering in 2012 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, studying mechanochemical reactions of a spiropyran mechanophore in polymeric materials under shear loading. She is currently the Alva L. Addy Professor in the Leslie A. Rose Department of Mechanical Engineering at South Dakota Mines where her research interests include novel manufacturing and characterization techniques of polymer and composite structures, the incorporation of multifunctionality in polymeric materials by inducing desired responses to mechanical loading stimuli, and STEM education.
See an abbreviated version of Dr. Birrenkott's curriculum vitae here
Andrew Lindgren
Andrew Lindgren is a current B.S. student in the JMP lab studying applications of digital image correlation, particularly the application of DIC to the characterization of ultrasonic spot welded high-performance thermoplastics and composites. He will receive his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from South Dakota Mines in May 2026. Andrew's research in digital image correlation and ultrasonic welding is supported through the Alva L. Addy Professorship.
Graduate Students
- Casey Strong
MS Mechanical Engineering 2024
Thesis title: Mechanical and Thermal Characterization of Hydroxyl-Terminated Polybutadiene during Confined Compressive Loading
Now employed at Applied Research Associates (ARA), Rapid City, SD - Elijah Meakins
MS Mechanical Engineering 2024
Thesis title: The Effect of Glassy Relaxation on the Mechanical Properties of Iron-Based Nanocrystalline Soft Magnetic Alloys
Now a PhD student in the Department of Materials Science & Engineering at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX - Austin Gutknecht
MS Mechanical Engineering 2024
Thesis title: Investigating the Feasibility of Raman Spectroscopy for Document Authentication
Now employed at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Premerton, WA - Kaytie Barkley
MS Mechanical Engineering 2022
Thesis title: Employing Experimental and Analytical Methods to Understand the Ultrasonic Spot Welding Process for Thermoplastic Polymers to Guide Joint Design
Now employed at Solventum, Brookings, SD - Carter Barkley
MS Mechanical Engineering 2021
Thesis title: Correlation of Experimental and Computational Models to Predict the Response of Thermoplastic Matrix Composite Lap Joints
Now employed at Solventum, Brookings, SD - Joseph Newkirk
MS Mechanical Engineering 2018
Thesis title: Characterization of Thermoplastic Matrix Composite Joints for the Development of a Computational Framework
Now employed at Autoliv, Ogden, UT - Rohit Dulal
MS Materials Engineering and Science 2017
Thesis title: Mechanochemical Polymeric Inks for Security Printing
Co-founder of Varpas Concepts, Pune, Maharashtra, India - Eirik Valseth
MS Mechanical Engineering 2015
Thesis title: Impact and Shear Properties of Ultrasonically Spot Welded Composites
Now a Research Associate at the Oden Institute for Computational Engineering & Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX - Navaraj Gurung
MS Mechanical Engineering 2014
Thesis title: Fabrication and Analysis of 3D Polycarbonate Ultrasonic Welded Structures
Now a VDDV engineer (sealing, structures, and fastening) at General Motors, Livonia, MI
Undergraduate Students
- Chandler Casey
BS Mechanical Engineering, University of Notre Dame
Project title: Development of a Mechano-Responsive Ink for Security Printing
Dates of research in the JMP Laboratory: Summer 2017 - A. Natalie Lillig
BS Materials and Mechanical Engineering, Irving Valley College
Project title: Correlation of Bond Area and Ultrasonic Spot Welding Parameters
Dates of research in the JMP Laboratory: Summer 2017 - Ethan Powell
BS Mechanical Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Project title: Development of Laboratories for Mechanics of Viscoelastic Solids
Dates of research in the JMP Laboratory: Summer 2017 - John Siefert
BS Mechanical Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Project title: Bond Area Analysis of Ultrasonic Spot Welds in Thermoplastic Matrix Composite Materials
Dates of research in the JMP Laboratory: Spring 2017 - Delaney Clouse
BS Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi
Project title: Analysis of Poly(dimethylsiloxane) Printability for Security Printing Applications
Dates of research in the JMP Laboratory: Summer 2016 - Colton Shipper
Pre-Engineering, Casper Community College
Project title: Retention of the piezoelectric β-phase of PVDF during ultrasonic spot welding
Dates of research in the JMP Laboratory: Summer 2015 - Austin Steffen
BS Mechanical Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Project title: Effects of Ultrasonic Spot Welding on HDPE Microscopic Polymer Structure
Dates of research in the JMP Laboratory: Spring and Summer 2015 - Roye Schwab
BS Mechanical Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Project title: Effects of Ultrasonic Spot Welding on Microscopic Polymer Structure
Dates of research in the JMP Laboratory: Summer and Fall 2014 - Morgan Knehans
BS Metallurgical Engineering, University of Alabama
Project title: Depth Control and Relation to Quality of Ultrasonic Spot Welds in Polycarbonate
Dates of research in the JMP Laboratory: Summer 2014 - Mayra Muci-Casteneda
BS Chemical Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Project title: Effects of Ultrasonic Spot Welding on Microscopic Polymer Structure
Dates of research in the JMP Laboratory: Fall 2012 - Spring 2014 - Alexandra Ling
BS Mechanical Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Project title: Novel Routes to Achieve Self-Healing Elastomeric Polymers
Dates of research in the JMP Laboratory: Spring 2013 - Spring 2014 - Kimberly DeBoer
BS Civil Engineering, Dordt College
Project title: Feasibility of Joining Techniques for Thermoplastic and Thermoset Polymers
Dates of research in the JMP Laboratory: Summemr 2013 - Heather Goka
BS Mechanical Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Project title: Development of Submarine and Submersible teaching modules
Dates of research in the JMP Laboratory: Fall 2013 - Colton Fuhrmann
BS Mechanical Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Project title: Development of Submarine and Submersible teaching modules
Dates of research in the JMP Laboratory: Summer 2013