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(i) Professional Preparation
Ph.D. in Applied Physics, Stanford University, 1971
M.S. in Physics, Stanford University, 1965
B.S. in Physics, Rice University, 1964
(ii) Appointments
1997–present
Anson Marston Distinguished Professor, Materials Science and
Engineering Department and Aerospace Engineering
and Engineering Mechanics Department, Iowa
State University
1990–1997 Professor, Aerospace Engineering & Engineering Mechanics Department, Iowa State University
1987 Visiting Fellow, Wolfson College and Academic Visitor, Department of Metallurgy and Science of Materials, Oxford University
1984–present Adjunct to Full Professor, Materials Science & Engineering Department, Iowa State University
1980–1990 Short Course Lecturer, University of California-Los Angeles
1974 Lecturer, California Luthern College
1969 Teaching Assistant, Stanford University
(iii) Selected publications most relevant to forensics
Over 90 journal articles, over 200 papers in edited conference proceedings, 5 critical review articles, 6 handbook chapters)
Gray, T.A. and R.B. Thompson. Ed. D.O. Thompson and D.E. Chimenti. "Solution of an Ultrasonic Benchmark Problem within the Paraxial Approximation." Review of Progress in Quantitative Nondestructive Evaluation 21 (in press).
Guo, Y., R.B. Thompson, and F.J. Margetan. Ed. D.O. Thompson and D.E. Chimenti. "Verification of Time Domain Theories for the Reflection of Ultrasonic Waves from Periodically Rough Surfaces." Review of Progress in Quantitative Nondesctructive Evaluation 21 (in press).
Li, Anxiang, R. Roberts, F.J. Margetan, and R.B. Thompson. Ed. D.O. Thompson and D.E. Chimenti. "Influence of Forward Scattering on Ultrasonic Attenuation Measurement." Review of Progress in Quantitative Nondestructive Evaluation 21 (in press).
Margetan, F.J., R. Roberts, C.-P. Chiou, and R.B. Thompson. Ed. D.O. Thompson and D.E. Chimenti. "Determination of the Effective Focal Characteristics of Bicylindrically-Focused Ultrasonic Transducers." Review of Progress in Quantitative Nondestructive Evaluation 21 (in press).
Wormley, S., R.B. Thompson, G.A. Alers, and M. Warachol. Ed. D.O. Thompson and D.E. Chimenti. "The Influence of Microstructure on the Acoustoelastic Measurement of Stress in Aluminum Alloys." Review of Progress in Quantitative Nondestructive Evaluation 21 (in press).
(iv) Synergistic activities
a. Directly in Forensics. Dr. Thompson led a group at the Center for Nondestructive Evaluation in which two members, funded by NIJ, demonstrated initial viability and limitations of serial number recover from metals using ultrasound. He is currently leading a team of industry and university scientists, sponsored by the FAA, working to improve inspection-reliability in the aviation industry (e.g., by early, nondestructive detection of cracks and defects in metals).