John Hutchinson is an engineer whose work on the structural stability of materials has had a profound and wide-ranging impact. From his early work on the buckling of large-scale structures to his more recent contributions to material science on the micron scale, he has inspired and facilitated an explosion of scientific interest in structural engineering.

John’s work on plasticity theory and the study of fractures has proven crucial to solving problems of technological importance in areas as diverse as aerospace and microelectronics. An ongoing area of interest is the development of coatings for aircraft and power-generation turbines that will continue to function at ever higher operating temperatures.

A fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, John was awarded the prestigious 2012 Ludwig-Prandtl-Ring, the highest award of the German Society for Aeronautics and Astronautics.