Sandy Dapkunas is Trident Engineering’s Director of Metallurgy and Materials. Sandy received his Bachelor of Science degree in Metallurgical Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute. His formal studies were completed with a Master of Science in Materials Science and Solid Mechanics from George Washington University. Sandy is a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Maryland.
Prior to joining Trident Sandy was a Deputy Chief of the Ceramics Division, U.S. Department of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards/National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, MD. During his time with NIST Sandy managed ceramic materials and coatings research and evaluation, the NIST materials property database, measurement and characterization of ceramic coatings, and Standard Reference Material development.
Sandy supervised numerous projects in materials research and development in support of fossil energy systems as the Director of the Advanced Materials Research and Development Program, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Fossil Energy in Washington, DC. These Projects included high-temperature materials and process development related to coal gasification. As a Project Engineer with the Naval Alloys Division of the U.S. Navy Sandy evaluated alloys and coatings, developed marine gas turbine hot-section materials and provided failure analysis of shipboard mechanical equipment for naval projects.
While at Trident Sandy collaborated with Captain Robert Hunt to refine Trident’s program for the evaluation of aircraft windshields. Trident’s aircraft windshield failure analysis program is the leading program of its kind in the United States.
Areas of Practice:
Metallurgy
Materials Science
Glass
Plastics
Coatings
OSHA Standards
Professional:
Associate Editor, ASM, Journal of Materials for Energy Systems
Editor, Materials and Components in Fossil Energy Applications
Chairman, ASM Surface Engineering Task Force
Highlights:
Alpha Sigma Mu – International Professional Honor Society
NIST Industry Fellow, 1994 – 1995
Fellow, ASM International
President’s Award, Thermal Spray Society
