Experience
Google, Technical Program Manager, Product Quality
2022 – Present
– Led Product Quality efforts for Google Pixel on several programs, including Pixel 7 Pro, a to-be-announced 2024 product, and a to-be-announced 2025 product.
– Collaborated with engineers across many teams including Product Design, Process, Reliability, and Failure Analysis to understand, correct, mitigate, and contain issues during the NPI (New Product Introduction) phases and during EFFA (Early Field Failure Analysis).
– Built new tools and automations to support analysis of return rates, including real-time Weibull modeling to track emerging issues.
Exponent, Senior Managing Engineer, Materials
2018 – 2022
– Investigated materials in products through all stages of development, from prototype phase to field failures, with a focus on consumer electronics (phones, wearables, AR/VR), displays, glass, thin films, and inks / coatings.
– Communicated frequently and effectively with client teams to ensure good alignment of objectives; delivered reports which succinctly presented our findings and recommendations.
– Captured (sold projects) and served as project manager for over $3 million in projects. Completed several hundred projects.
– Managed a team of associates within the firm, with two direct reports. Worked closely with the Shanghai / Hong Kong teams to develop new team members and manage projects spanning between the US / China offices.
Stanford University, Lecturer of Materials Science and Engineering
2016 – 2018
– Interacted broadly with the undergraduate program, including teaching, advising, research mentorship, curriculum, and lab management.
– Courses taught: Materials Structure and Characterization, Microstructure and Mech. Properties, Nanomaterials Laboratory, Mech. Behavior Laboratory, Electronic and Photonic Materials and Devices Laboratory
Reinhold Dauskardt Research Group, Research Assistant (PhD)
Stanford University, 2011 – 2016
– Developed new testing metrologies for adhesion and fracture of films on brittle substrates
– Investigated physics of reliability in multijunction solar cells as part of SunShot Initiative
– Performed failure analysis to diagnose stress development in photovoltaics, developed models to enable design of new antireflective layers and metal gridline structures with industrial partners
– Mentored several younger researchers including undergraduates, master’s students, and new Ph.D’s
Mark Hersam Research Group, Research Assistant (BS/MS)
Northwestern University, 2009 – 2011
Derk Joester Research Group, Research Assistant (BS)
Northwestern University, 2008 – 2009
Education and Certification
Professional Engineer (PE), Metallurgy
State of California, 2020
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Materials Science and Engineering
Stanford University, 2016
Thermomechanical Degradation and Failure Mechanisms in Thin Film Technologies
Bachelor of Science (BS) / Master of Science (MS), Materials Science and Engineering
Northwestern University, 2011
SW Carbon Nanotube Thin Films as Transparent Conducting Anodes in Organic Photovoltaic Devices
Skills and Areas of Knowledge
– Displays
OLEDs, passivation / encapsulation / barrier layers, glass, inks, adhesives (PSA, OCA, etc.), fault localization
– Mechanical properties
fracture, adhesion, nanoindentation (hardness, DMA), design of mechanical test systems, recreation testing
– Reliability
accelerated life testing (heat soak, thermal cycle, UV exposure), failure analysis, degradation modeling
– Programming
Python (primary language), Javascript / GAS, MATLAB and visual basic (VBA). Basic familiarity with data science / ML.
– Materials characterization
Fractography, SEM, FIB, EDS, AFM, XPS, XRD (x-ray diffraction), optical and confocal microscopy
– Technical communication
teamwork, public speaking, technical writing, teaching, training, mentorship and advising
– Research and development (R&D)
data analysis, design of experiments (DOE)
– Basic materials synthesis / deposition
chemical vapor deposition (CVD), sputtering, spin coating, dip coating
– Broad fields of knowledge
materials science and engineering, metallurgy, corrosion, physics, chemistry, statistics
thin films, inks, coatings, photovoltaics, semiconductors, polymers, nanomaterials, nanotechnology
Publications and Conferences
R. Brock, E. Brown, D. Schoen, “Diagnosing Failures of Thin Films Across the Product Life -Cycle”, Exponent, 2020.
Hosted the 10th annual North American Materials Education Symposium (NAMES) at Stanford University, 2019.
R. Brock, “Hands-on with Nanoindentation: An exploration of real-world mechanical properties”, North American Materials Education Symposium, 2018.
R. Brock, R. Dauskardt, et al “Degradation of Multijunction Photovoltaic Gridlines Induced via Thermal Cycling”, Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 2018, 179C, p178.
R. Brock, R. Rewari, R. Dauskardt, et al “Quantitative Adhesion Characterization of Antireflective Coatings in Multijunction Photovoltaics”, Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 2016, 153, p78.
R. Brock, R. Dauskardt, et al, “Adhesion and Reliability of Complex Multijunction PV Structures”, MRS Spring Meeting, 2015.
R. Brock, F. Iacopi, R. Dauskardt, et al “Highly Compressed Nano-Layers in Epitaxial Silicon Carbide Membranes for MEMs Sensors”, Proceedings of the IEEE IITC/AMC, 2014, p241.
R. Brock, R. Dauskardt, et al, “Residual stress and fracture of pressurized epitaxial SiC membranes”, MRS Spring Meeting, 2014.
F. Iacopi, R. Brock, R. Dauskardt, et al “Evidence of a highly compressed nanolayer at the epitaxial silicon carbide interface with silicon”, Acta Mat., 2013, 61 (17), p6533.
R. Brock, R. Dauskardt, et al, “Size-dependent tearing resistance of polymer membranes ”, MRS Spring Meeting, 2013.
A. Antaris, J. Seo, R. Brock, M. Hersam, “Probing and tailoring pH-dependent interactions between block copolymers and single – walled carbon nanotubes for density gradient sorting”, J. Phys. Chem. C, 2012, 116 (37), p20103.
R. Brock*, T. Tyler, M. Hersam et al, “Electronically monodisperse single-walled carbon nanotube thin films as transparent conducting anodes in organic photovoltaic devices”, Adv. Energy Mater., 2011, 1, p785. (Cover Article)
C. Tester, R. Brock, D. Joester, et al “In vitro synthesis and stabilization of amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) nanoparticles within liposomes”, CrystEngComm, 2011, 13, p3975.
Mission
I am interested in all types of materials challenges, especially those which support and enable product development for new and interesting technologies. Beyond that, my goal is to always work with teams at the intersection of multiple fields of expertise to synthesize these areas of knowledge into new processes, products, and solutions.
I have developed a broad knowledge of materials science and engineering, with over 10 years of experience in materials characterization and failure analysis of a variety of thin film technologies. Applications of interest have been wide ranging but have included a particular focus on consumer electronics, displays, and photovoltaics. I have expertise in investigation of failures associated with fracture and delamination / adhesion of materials, including analyses of the stress states leading to failure. I also have experience in other forms of mechanical characterization, including nanoindentation, as well as in high resolution microscopy and spectroscopy of engineering materials, including Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with EDS and FIB, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), and 3D Confocal Microscopy.
A common thread through my teaching, technical, and managerial work has always been that I enjoy the challenge of distilling new knowledge into an easily understood story, and creating something actionable for any given audience.
