Gary Whelan, Ph.D.

Materials Design Engineer

Education

Ph.D. Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2020

M.S. Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2018

B. Eng. Mechanical Engineering, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2016

Current Role at QuesTek

Gary Whelan works in QuesTek’s Modeling and Software Development team. He is responsible for the implementation and generalization of integrated Process-Structure-Property prediction models to address materials design problems. Specifically, leveraging his experience and expertise, his work is focused on modeling structure-property relationships using crystal plasticity theory for structural and fatigue-critical applications as well as applying machine learning and data science techniques to construct reduced order surrogate models for high-throughput design.

Background and Specialization

Before joining Questek in 2021, Gary’s Ph.D. research at Georgia Tech was focused on uncertainty-informed ICME for design of fatigue critical alloys using a combination of microstructure-sensitive crystal plasticity finite element method and reduced order surrogate modeling using a Gaussian process regression approach. This work was focused on robust optimization of the microstructures of Ti64 and Al7075-T6 for fatigue critical aircraft structural and jet engine components. During his Ph.D. Gary also had experience working as data engineering and simulation integration intern, helping integrate a materials design AI platform with commercial FEM software.

Prior to graduate school Gary worked as a mechanical engineering co-lead for a multi-university student team that designed and built a medium scale prototype hyperloop pod that went on to win 2nd place amongst hundreds of teams at SpaceX’s international hyperloop pod design competition in 2017. During his undergraduate time at Memorial University of Newfoundland, where Gary completed a Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering, he took part in a co-op program allowing him to work in six different four-month mechanical engineering internships. Some of his experiences during this time include; corrosion research on 4130 alloy steel in a sulfurous environment, various metallurgical failure analysis projects, a strain rate sensitivity study on proprietary metal alloys, mechanical testing for premium connections for oil country tubular goods, oil reservoir modeling and simulation to optimize oil recovery from existing reservoirs, logistical and technical planning to remove wellheads and shut in wells for end of life of a gas field, and multiple project management and materials coordination roles.

Publications and Presentations

  • Whelan. “Uncertainty Informed Integrated Computational Materials Engineering for Design and Development of Fatigue Critical Alloys”. Dissertation, Georgia Institute of Technology (2020)
  • Whelan, D. L. McDowell. "Machine Learning Enabled Uncertainty Quantification for Modeling Structure-Property Linkages for Fatigue Critical Engineering Alloys Using an ICME Workflow”. TMS Integrated Materials and Manufacturing Innovation (2020)
  • Whelan, D. L. McDowell. “Uncertainty Informed Decision Making in Inductive Design Exploration of Ti64”. MS&T Conference, Portland, OR (2019)
  • Whelan, D. L. McDowell. “Uncertainty quantification in ICME workflows for fatigue critical computational modeling”. Elsevier Engineering Fracture Mechanics Digital Twin Special Issue (2019)
  • Whelan, D. L. McDowell. “Efficient Uncertainty Quantification and Propagation Workflows in ICME - applications to fatigue of microstructure”. TMS ICME Conference, Indianapolis, IN (2019)
  • S. Stopka, G. Whelan, D. L. McDowell. “Microstructure-Sensitive ICME Workflows for Fatigue Critical Applications”. SAMPE Conference, Charleston, SC (2019)
  • Whelan, D. L. McDowell. “Establishing Uncertainty Quantification and Propagation Techniques within a Process-Structure-Property framework for Uncertainty Informed Materials Design and Development”. ASME IMECE conference, Pittsburgh, PA (2018)
  • Khaksar, G. Whelan, J. Shirokoff. “Electrochemical and microstructural analysis of FeS films from acidic chemical bath at varying temperatures, pH, and Immersion Time”. International Journal of Corrosion (2016)
  • Whelan, A. Hsiao. “Corrosion Prevention in Deep Water Souring Oil and Gas Reservoirs”. CMS Conference, Halifax, NS, Canada (2015)