Kristen Brosnan

Dr. Kristen Brosnan joined GE Research in 2007 and currently is the Technology Manager leading the Metals & Ceramics team in the Structural Materials Division, with focus on delivering high temperature materials technology for industrial gas turbines, including critical new alloys, ceramic matrix composites (CMCs), coatings for the LEAP & GE9X Aviation engines, repair technologies for legacy engines, new processing of advanced alloys and ceramics by additive manufacturing, and new investment casting technology for the GE Power HA gas turbine.

Prior to her current role as Technology Manager, Dr. Brosnan worked on understanding of processing – microstructure-properties-performance relationships in thermal spray ceramic coatings – in particular, solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) electrolytes, thermal barrier coatings (TBCs), and environmental barrier coatings (EBCs).  Dr. Brosnan developed and led critical dust mitigation strategies for TBC programs, a technology critical for GE’s fielded commercial engines. In 2015, Dr. Brosnan became the Ceramics Laboratory Manager and was responsible for delivering investment casting core technology, thermal barrier coatings, and CMCs. Dr. Brosnan was recognized with the GE Women in Technology award in 2017, a company wide recognition for her work and inventions on making thermal barrier coatings more dust tolerant.

Outside of GE, Dr. Brosnan recently co-chaired the Materials Research Society (MRS) Fall 2018 Meeting, held in Boston and attracted >6,500 attendees. Dr. Brosnan is an External Advisory Board Member for the NC State NSF Data Enabled Science and Engineering of Atomic Structure.  Dr. Brosnan also serves as Vice-Chair of the Basic Science Division, Chair of the Jeppson Award Committee, and on the Nominating Committee and Diversity & Inclusion Committee for The American Ceramic Society (ACerS), and serves on the Industrial Engagement Committee for MRS.

Dr. Brosnan received her B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology, with high honor, and M.S. & Ph.D.  in Materials Science and Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University, advised by Gary L. Messing. Dr Brosnan is a member of ACerS, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS), MRS and the Society of Women Engineers. Dr. Brosnan lives in Niskayuna, NY with her husband, Steve, and her four children (Alex, Colden, Iris and Reed) and enjoys hiking, running, biking, music and reading.