Mechanics prof is at home (and work) with materials

Wendy Crone

As an assistant professor of engineering mechanics and in the Materials Science Program, Wendy Crone conducts cutting-edge mechanics of materials research. These days, she's thinking most about shape-memory alloys, which can be deformed and still return to their original shape. Collaborating with researchers in the Center for Plasma Aided Manufacturing, she's using plasma-source ion implantation to improve the biocompatibility of the shape-memory alloy nickel titanium, often used in devices such as dental archware for braces and stents that keep veins open after balloon angioplasty.

She also studies ways to create new nanostructured shape-memory alloys, and she and Materials Science & Engineering Professor John Perepezko have developed a promising mechanical alloying fabrication technique. "One of the tricks is to end up with the correct phase of the material that displays shape-memory behavior," says Crone. "That we've been able to do."

In addition to teaching and researching, Crone speaks to students about a variety of engineering topics every chance she gets. Interested in encouraging women to consider engineering careers, she has become involved with the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) residential program at UW-Madison. To create a supportive environment, WISE enables its participants to live, study and take core courses together. "I've really enjoyed that contact with the freshmen and sophomore women who come into the university and know they want to be a scientist or engineer and just need a little bit of support to stay in that area," Crone says. She is so enthusiastic about her field that a little of her encouragement goes a long way.