Professor in Materials Science and Engineering
Vice-President for Research and Innovation at Mines Saint-Etienne

materials science and engineering ; physical metallurgy ; environmental-sensitive fracture of metals and alloys ; hydrogen embrittlement of metals ; hydrogen-deformation interactions ; psychosensory properties and perception engineering of materials and products ; materials for design and the creative industries ; intangible qualities and symbolic properties of materials and products ; design thinking methods

Physical metallurgy, deformation and fracture of metals, environmental-sensitive fracture of metals, hydrogen embrittlement, materials selection methods for engineering and design, materials for design and creation, design thinking methods

After an MSc and PhD level education in materials engineering, physical metallurgy and mechanics of materials across France and the U.K., David started his academic career at Mines Saint-Etienne in 1996 in the field of the environmental degradation and hydrogen embrittlement of metals and alloys, in which he achieved an international recognition. He was appointed head of the research group on environmental-sensitive fracture in 2003, head of the Science of Materials and Structures research and teaching center in 2011 and Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation of Mines Saint-Etienne in 2015.
From 2009, he set-up and started the Industrial Design project of Mines Saint-Etienne. He initiated teaching collaborations with graduate and postgraduate Design degrees at Brunel University, London, Politecnico di Milano, Italy and Auburn University, Alabama, and a joint research program on “Materials for the creative industries” with the department CMIC “Giulio Natta” of Politecnico di Milano, which has been hosting him as visiting professor since 2013. He co-created the multidisciplinary “Prospective Design” Master degree program with Université Jean-Monnet and Saint-Etienne School of Arts and Design. He develops research and teaching tools and methods to stimulate the social and human factor awareness of engineering students on the one hand, and to foster the appropriation of technology by arts and design students on the other.

– Graduate degree in materials engineering at Ecole des Mines de Nancy, France (1991),
– MSc in mechanical engineering at Strathclyde University, Glasgow, U.K. (1992)
– PhD in mechanics of materials at Ecole Centrale Paris, France (1995),

1996: Assistant professor in Materials Science and Engineering at Mines Saint-Etienne, France
2003: Associate professor in Materials Science and Engineering at Mines Saint-Etienne, France
2008: Full professor in Materials Science and Engineering at Mines Saint-Etienne, France
2011-2015: Head of the Science of Materials and Structures Division of Mines Saint-Etienne
2012-2017: Visiting professor at the Department of Chemistry, Material and Chemical Engineering (CMIC) “Giulio Natta” of Politecnico di Milano, Italy
2015: Vice-President for Research and Innovation at Mines Saint-Etienne, France