Some of Our Experts

We pride ourselves on the materials experts that work at The M&P Lab - as well as being highly qualified, they also have the hands-on practical experience that makes them renowned professionals in their own field. Find out more about our experts below.

David Behnke Expertise in: Physical metallurgy and conventional materials characterization techniques, primarily scanning electron microscopy, X-ray microanalysis, optical microscopy and digital image analysis. David has over twenty years experience with the physical metallurgy of ferrous, nonferrous, and nickel-based alloys and high temperature oxidation protection coatings. He conducts root cause failure analysis across a wide range of industrial and commercial products, including rotating machinery -- steam turbines, gas turbine hot gas path components and gas compressors – in addition to under-hood automotive components, high-strength fasteners and consumer cookware. He is also familiar with many aspects of material production and fabrication methods, including wire or bar drawing, extrusion, cold heading or upset forging, cold and hot rolling of sheet or strip, strip roll forming, stamping, deep drawing, precipitation hardening, heat treating and tempering. David holds a Masters Degree in Metallurgical Engineering from Purdue University. He is a member of the Capital District Microscopy and Microanalysis Society (Microscopy Society of America affiliate), and ASM International

Mary Beth Bolduc Expertise in: Environmental analysis, thermal analysis, bench chemistry techniques. Mary Beth has over eighteen years of experience in the environmental analysis of soils, sludges, water, and effluents using a variety of analytical techniques and instrumentation, including AA, ICP-OES, IC, and HPLC. Mary Beth performs thermal analysis techniques such as differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), simultaneous differential thermogravimetry (SDT: TGA- DTA-DSC), and thermomechanical analysis (TMA). These techniques are useful for the determination of filler content in plastics, rubbers and coatings; solidus and liquidus in metals; braze or solder melting properties; moisture content; thermal decomposition temperatures; cure reactions, expansion coefficients, glass transitions, softening and melting behavior, delamination, shrinkage, flexure, and to generate stress/strain diagrams or measure other important material properties for our clients. Before joining The M&P Lab, Mary Beth spent 13 years working in the pulp and paper industry performing wet chemical and instrumental analysis. She also performed fiberline audits at mill sites and was a member of TAPPI’s Standards Advisory Review Group. Mary Beth has extensive knowledge in method development and with executing a number of industry standard test methods, such as ASTM, NCASI, NIST, IPC, TAPPI, SCAN, EPA, and ISO to analyze materials such as metals, composites, ceramics, organics, polymers and coatings to determine composition, structure and properties. She holds a Neuroscience Degree.

Julius Bonini, P.E. Expertise in: Metallurgical consulting, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy, organic materials analysis methodologies. Julius is a licensed Professional Engineer with a specialty in metallurgical failure analysis. He joined The M&P Laboratory in early 2010 when we acquired his metallurgical consulting firm MPSI. He is responsible for field metallurgical consulting as well as supporting a diverse roster of clients. His expertise encompasses analysis of corrosion, wear, fatigue, heat treatment, castings, metal coating and surface treatment, powder metallurgy, welding, component design, and the analysis of contamination. He has worked with many materials, including steels (stainless, alloy, tool) and alloys (aluminum, copper, Titanium, Nickel), precious metals, soldering alloys, specialty electronic and magnet materials, and polymer and ceramic materials. Julius began his career as a Metallurgical Engineer in the Materials and Process Department at McDonnell Douglas and has amassed over 30 years of experience. He has contributed papers for symposia and publications of MPIF, APMI, AIME, SAMPE, and others and taught a variety of Mathematics courses for Purdue University. He holds multiple patents.

Joe Foroughi Expertise in: SEM/EDS, quantitative X-ray microanalysis with WDS, FTIR including microanalysis, thermal analysis, ICP-OES, gas/liquid/ion chromatography, mass spectrometry and general chemical analysis techniques. Joe is the manager of chemical operations, overseeing and conducting investigations into metals, plastics, rubber, composites and finished products. Many of the investigations he conducts involve contamination, foreign material, corrosion and reverse engineering. He also conducts and oversees analyses for QA/QC of new materials, and has also been an expert witness in a handful of legal cases. Prior to his 10 years with The M&P Lab, Joe spent one year at an environmental laboratory and 10 years as a scientist in a materials analysis laboratory with a leader in medical devices. Joe holds a Masters of Science in Chemistry from Stanford University. He is a lifelong member of the American Chemical Society, a 10-year member of ASM International, a 10-year member of Microbeam Analysis Society, and a member and treasurer of the Capital District Microscopy and Microanalysis Society.

Gary W. Kagel Expertise in: Electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) (aka: electron microprobe), ISO quality systems, field consultation, gas/liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, IR/UV/VIS spectroscopy and general analytical chemistry laboratory operations. Gary brings over 25 years of analytical chemistry experience to The M&P Lab, where he conducts a wide range of electron microprobe investigations in our Greenville, SC laboratory. Prior to joining The M&P Lab, Gary worked for the pharmaceutical, biotech and environmental industries on the West Coast under FDA and EPA regulatory systems. He holds a Master of Science in Analytical Chemistry from Montana State University. He is a lifelong member of the American Chemical Society, a 4-year member of ASM International and the Microbeam Analysis Society, and serves on the executive committee of the Greenville (Old South) ASM Chapter.

Kevin Shoemaker Expertise in: Digital Photography, Audio Visual Presentation, Photomicroscopy, Photomacrography, Image Analysis, and SEM Operations. Kevin has over 23 years of photographic experience and leads all general photography, photomicroscopy, photomacrography and Image Analysis operations as well as assisting with SEM and metallography divisions at our Schenectady, NY facility. He leads the 2nd-shift operations and assists all departments in monitoring and maintaining round-the-clock testing services for our customers. In his 15 years with The M&P Lab, Kevin led the transition from traditional silver halide film and chemical photographic processes to state of art digital imaging. He created sophisticated studio facilities in our Schenectady and Greenville locations to accommodate a large variety of specimen shapes and sizes and supports a wide range of imaging techniques. A former Argonne National Laboratory employee, Kevin relocated from Chicago to join The M&P Lab in the early 1990s. Kevin earned an A.A.S. in Photography from Rochester Institute of Technology and holds a B.S. in Imaging and Photographic Technology, a training program dedicated to using photography and imaging systems as tools for technical and scientific documentation and data acquisition for image analysis. He has worked in all areas of the photographic industry, including commercial illustration, fashion, architectural, industrial, public relations, photofinishing and scientific research.

Shirley Strickland Expertise in: ISO 17025 Quality Management Systems, Nadcap-AC7101, GE-A S400 and Nuclear Regulatory Commission Quality Standard 10CFR50 Appendix B. Shirley is responsible for managing all Quality Assurance Programs across our U.S. operations. Shirley established the comprehensive Quality Assurance program currently used by The M&P Lab, ensuring that every job we perform meets the most stringent standards for consistency, accuracy, and thorough documentation. Shirley came to the quality assurance field after serving as an analytical chemist in General Electric’s Defense Systems laboratory. In the 1990s, she single-handedly established a manufacturer’s field testing program for incoming propellant testing to stringent U.S. Army standards. Shirley now has over 25 years in Quality Assurance, materials and processes. Shirley holds a BS in Chemistry, with a minor in Biology, and an MBA from Union College.

Jason Trotter Expertise in: Mechanical testing including tensile and compression testing, hardness testing, impact testing and fixture design. Also skilled in creep, stress rupture, stress relaxation and electrical testing. Jason heads up The M&P Lab mechanical laboratory performing industry standard testing, product specification testing and unique client specified testing. He designs test fixtures required for mechanical testing and as required by clients. Jason canperform sub-ambient, ambient and elevated temperature tensile, compression, impact, and flexural tests on metals, plastics, rubber, and composites. Jason also is cross-trained to assist in the creep and stress-relaxation laboratory and the electrical testing laboratory. Jason earned his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2005.

Edward Vesely Expertise in: Corrosion, erosion-corrosion, material properties in hydrogen, welding and brazing evaluation, general failure analysis, microstructure evaluation for component specification, and medical devices alloy development. Ed's broad expertise includes 10 years in corrosion and erosion-corrosion in coal gasification and 15 years in materials properties in hydrogen environments (tensile, fatigue, creep, permeability). In addition to failure analysis, he performs certification of components to the microstructural parts of industry specifications (GE energy, GE Aircraft, Rolls Royce, Goodrich) and organizational specifications (ASME B&PV code section 9 and ASTM) for welds, brazes, recrystallized grains, recast layer, grain size, Cr plating thickness and adhesion. Ed has published and presented many papers, including several on hydrogen and alloy development. He is a member of ASM, ASTM, AIAA, AWS, SME, TMS, and ASQ, and earned Six Sigma Green Belt from ASQ in 2008. He holds a BS and ME from Illinois Institute of Technology and an MBA from Nova Southeastern University.

Richard Warner Expertise in: Mechanical testing, particularly creep and rupture, stress relaxation, and tensile testing. Rich has worked in mechanical test engineering for over twenty years, six of them with The M&P Lab. He heads up our creep and rupture laboratory, which he has upgraded and expanded since he arrived. He interactively consults with clients to identify the most appropriate test parameters and provides data analysis/interpretation of results. Previously, Rich worked as a test engineer for another materials testing lab, where he also gained experience with charpy, tensile, and other forms of destructive physical testing. He holds an Associate Degree in Business Administration from Schenectady County Community College.

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