Georgia Institute of Technology

Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1998
M.S., Mechanical Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1996
B.S., Mechanical Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1995

Dr.  Ken Gall is a Professor in the School of Materials Science and Engineering and Mechanical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Before joining Georgia Tech in July 2005, he was an associate professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Colorado at Boulder and a post-doc at Sandia National Laboratories. He received his BS, MS, and PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois in 1995, 1996, and 1998, respectively.

Professor Gall’s research combines polymer chemistry, materials science, bioengineering, and mechanical engineering in a unified way to synthesize and characterize new materials for use in emerging technologies. His specific interests include metallic and polymer biomaterials, mechanically active materials, and nanometer scale materials and characterization. 

He has published over 100 journal articles, given over 170 professional talks, and served as a reviewer for more than 50 different science and engineering journals.  Over the past seven years, his research, consulting, and entrepreneurial activities have been supported by approximately $9M.  He has provided extensive consulting on materials and engineering for law firms, industry, national labs , and the United States military.  His research on shape memory alloys and polymers led to the founding of MedShape Solutions, a startup company developing shape memory material based medical devices for use in orthopedics.

Research Interests

• metallic and polymer biomaterials
• mechanically active materials
• nanometer scale materials and characterization

Representative Distinctions

• 2005 University of Colorado Mechanical Engineering Professor of the Year
• 2005 ASM Bradley Stoughton Award for Young Teachers
• 2004 ASME Pi Tau Sigma Gold Medal
• 2004 University of Colorado Teacher Recognition Award
• 2004 SAE Ralph R. Teetor Educational Fellow
• 2003 Subaru Educator Spotlight Award
• 2002 Boulder Faculty Assembly (BFA) Award for Excellence in Teaching
• 2001 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE)
• 2001 DOE Early Career Scientist and Engineer Award
• 2001 University of Colorado Junior Faculty Development Award (JFDA)
• 2000 Sullivan-Carlson Innovation in Teaching Award

Selected Publications

1. C. M. Yakacki, R. Shandas, C. Lanning, B. Rech, A. Eckstein, and K. Gall (2007) Unconstrained Recovery Characterization of shape-memory polymer networks for cardiovascular applications. Biomaterials, vol. 28, pp. 2255-2263.
2. K. Gall, J. Tyber, V. Brice, C. P. Frick, H. J. Maier, and N. Morgan (2005) Tensile Deformation of NiTi Wires. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research, vol. 75A, pp. 810-823.
3. J. Diao, K. Gall and M. L. Dunn (2003) Surface-Stress-Induced Phase Transformation in Metal Nanowires. Nature Materials, vol. 2, no. 10, pp. 656-660.