Working with the US Army Research Office (ARO)

The “Mechanical Behavior of Materials” program focuses on basic research investigations that enable unprecedented mechanical behaviors across a broad spectrum of advanced structural materials in order to ensure high performance under a variety of extreme and highly variable operational conditions. Experimental, theoretical, and numerical efforts are encouraged, particularly those that promote understanding of the underlying physical mechanisms leading to extraordinary behaviors. Studies may focus on a variety of materials, including: metals, ceramics, polymers, composites, and hybrid structures. Research efforts that leverage recent discoveries in other scientific fields, such as Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Network Science, and Data Science, are also highly encouraged. These investigations are expected to enable transformative capabilities for the Soldier in the areas of protection, maneuver, and sustainability. Current focus areas for this portfolio include, but are not limited to, the following: 

Extreme Thermomechanical Behaviors. This thrust emphasizes foundational concepts that enable structural materials with extraordinary combinations of ultrahigh temperature stability and exceptional mechanical properties under non-equilibrium conditions, e.g., transient thermal loads, high g-loading, and/or variable oxidizing environments. Areas of interest include: Understanding, control, or confinement of deformation mechanisms; exploiting interface/interphase interactions in heterogeneous materials; and concepts enabling materials to undergo refinement under relevant conditions to enhance thermomechanical performance.

Disruptive Mechanical Responsiveness. This thrust focuses on structural materials with unprecedented mechanical responsiveness when subject to complex loading environments, e.g. high strain rate or multiaxial loads. Areas of interest include materials that actively respond to dynamic loading environments and other external stimuli through rapid adaptation of shape, topology, or mechanical properties. This thrust seeks concepts for manipulation of mechanical forces within materials at specific spatial locations, particularly for the consideration of high rate, inelastic behaviors. In addition, concepts are sought for using mechanical loads to transmit and process information in order to enable high rate material responses.

Dr. Cole oversees the Mechanical Behavior of Materials program at the Army Research Office, shaping and supporting basic research efforts focused on extreme mechanical behaviors and active mechanical response of next generation structural materials. This portfolio is expected to enable transformative capabilities for the Soldier in the areas of protection, movement & maneuver, and sustainability. Prior to joining ARO in 2019, Dr. Cole spent 10 years as a researcher at ARL at Aberdeen Proving Ground investigating the nano-/micro-scale behavior of a variety of composites, hybrid materials, and structures processed through additive manufacturing. He has co-authored 60+ publications, including 39 peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Cole received a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from the State University of New York at Geneseo in 2004 and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland in 2009.