Samantha Webster ()

Samantha Webster is an NRC Postdoc at NIST Gaithersburg in the Material Measurement Laboratory. She recently graduated with a Ph.D. in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics from the Advanced Manufacturing Processes Laboratory (AMPL) led by Professor Jian Cao at Northwestern University. Her research is in metal additive manufacturing technologies with a focus on fundamental interactions and formation of defects in Directed Energy Deposition (DED). With knowledge of defect formation, she has recently begun research in hybrid metal AM techniques to address defects and challenges in metal AM processes as well as alloy development through DED and hybrid-AM techniques. She has received the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship for her work, and she was recently named one of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers’ 30 under 30. With the intent to help people through science, her plan is to continue developing fundamental knowledge in metal additive manufacturing technologies to support fabrication of unique functional designs.

National Research Council Postdoctoral Research Associate

Cabell Terminal Year Fellowship, Highest honor given to graduating Ph.D. students in McCormick School of Engineering

National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, Recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines.

Predictive Science & Engineering Design Fellow, Awarded to doctoral students focusing on interdisciplinary research that addresses predictive science, design, and manufacturing of emerging materials systems

Walter P. Murphy Fellowship, Awarded to outstanding incoming Northwestern University graduate students