Dr. Dan Danks is currently owner and lead scientist for Wear & Friction Resources. His metallurgical career began as a power plant operator and nuclear qualified welder on a George Washington class fleet ballistic missile submarine. He holds a B.S. in metallurgical engineering and his Ph.D. from Oregon Graduate Institute in materials science. In addition to this, Dr. Danks holds an MBA from the University of Portland. For more than 25 years, his experience in in the field of wear (fracture, fatigue, and abrasion of various material surfaces) has included an array of fields such as the railroad, manufacturing, mining, and energy industries. This experience encompasses designing and commissioning wear simulating machinery, wear failure analyses, field testing projects, and R&D project management. Dr. Danks has work both published and patented.