Bio

Jess received a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1984, and a Ph.D. in Polymer Science from the University of Akron in 1994 with intervening stints in contract and corporate R&D. After graduating from the University of Akron, he spent the next 27 years working at the NASA-Johnson White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) in Las Cruces, New Mexico with a focus on testing and evaluation of aerospace componentry and materials. He also served as the HX5 Teammate Principal (2016 to 2022) on the WSTF TEST2 contract, and was a Project Leader on numerous Shuttle, ISS, and site support projects examining the effect of liquid propellants, oxygen-enriched atmospheres, and radiation on polymeric, composite and metallic materials using destructive and nondestructive test methods. In addition to an extensive publication history, Jess is the technical point of contact and has contributed to numerous voluntary consensus standards on plastics, flat panel composites, composite overwrapped pressure vessels, aerospace structures, and additively manufactured aerospace parts. He is a member of ASNT, AIAA, ASME, and ASTM Committee E07 on Nondestructive Testing, D30 on Composite Materials, D11 on Rubbers, D20 on Plastics, G04 on Sensitivity of Materials in Oxygen Enriched Atmospheres, and F42 on Additive Manufacturing Technologies. He also is a secretary of the AIAA Structures Committee on Standards. Jess is presently a Professor of Practice and the NMSU Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Department enjoying splitting his time between teaching, service, and R&D.  

 

Professional Links

Awards and Certifications

  • Radiological Worker I and NASA Space Radiation Laboratory Guest User at Brookhaven National Laboratory (2015 - 2023).
  • ASTM Committee E07 on Nondestructive Testing, Certificate of Appreciation for devotion and leadership on E3166, January 2021.
  • STEP Level 1 training, NASA Office of Safety & Mission Assurance, Dec. 16, 2020.
  • ASTM Charles W. Briggs Award for continuous and outstanding contributions to the work of Committee E07 on Nondestructive Testing, January 2018.
  • NASA Quality Leadership Forum, Certificates of Appreciation, NASA OSMA, March 2016 and 2017.
  • ASTM/SES Robert J. Painter Memorial Award for Meritorious Service, August 2015.
  • NASA-JSC ‘Power of One’ Gold Award, NASA agency-wide impact for work on NDE of Additive Manufactured Parts, April 2015.
  • ASTM Committee E07 on Nondestructive Testing, 10‑Year ASTM Service Recognition Award, January 27, 2015.
  • NASA JSC Group Achievement Award to Biennial Research and Technology Development, 2011.
  • NASA Group Achievement Award to WSTF Ares 1X Thruster Pressure Cartridge Team, 2010.
  • NASA Certificate of Appreciation, in recognition of dedication, commitment to excellence, and achievements in support of the Space Shuttle Program, 2010.
  • ASTM Committee E07 on Nondestructive Testing, Certificate of Appreciation, for work on standard E2533-09, 2010.
  • NASA JSC Group Achievement Award to Biennial Research and Technology Development, 2011.
  • NASA JSC Group Achievement Award to Biennial Research and Technology Development, 2009.
  • NASA JSC Group Achievement Award to Biennial Research and Technology Development, 2007.
  • NASA JSC Group Achievement Award to Biennial Research and Technology Development, 2005.
  • Certified Associate Manager, Institute of Certified Professional Managers, 1997.
  • Magna Cum Laude, University of Akron, 3.785/4 GPA, 1994.
  • Maurice Morton Award for achievement (highest GPA) in core curriculum. Department of Polymer Science, The University of Akron, 1991.
  • Director's Award for achievement in research. Becton Dickinson Research Center, 1990.

Professional Affiliations and Activities

  • American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics
  • August 2012-present: AIAA Aerospace Pressure Vessel Committee on Standards (APV CoS)
  • January 2021-present: Structures Committee on Standards (AIAA S-089/S-110) (S CoS)
  • American Society of Mechanical Engineers
    • July 2022-present: Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC) SECTION V Nondestructive Examination
  • American Society for Testing and Materials, Committees D11 (Rubbers, since 2021), G04 (Oxygen‑Enriched Atmospheres, since 1995), E07 (Nondestructive Testing, since 2005), D20 (Plastics, since 2004), D30 (Composite Materials, since 2006), F42 (Additive Manufacturing Technologies, since 2014)
  • ANSI/America Makes Additive Manufacturing Standardization Collaborative (AMSC)
    • NDE Working Group co-chair (2022-2023)
    • NDE Working Group (2016-18)
  • January 2012-June 2018: Chairman of the ASTM E07.10 Subcommittee on Specialized NDT Methods Taskgroup on NDT of Aerospace Materials
  • November 2014-May 2019: member of the ASTM Smart Manufacturing Advisory Committee (SMAC) (Committee E07 on NDT liaison)
  • 2017-present: American Society for Nondestructive Testing
  • 2010-present: NASA OSMA NDE Program (Langley, VA)
  • 2016-present: NASA Engineering and Safety Center Nondestructive Evaluation Technical Discipline Team (NESC NDE TDT)
  • Past affiliations
    • 2015-2021: NASA OSMA NDE Program Additive Manufacturing Foundational Effort
    • 2014-2018: Toastmasters
    • 2007-2015: OSMA NASA NDE Working Group (NNWG)
    • 1995-2000 National Management Association (NMA)
    • 1988-2005 American Chemical Society (ACS)
    • 1992-1994 Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (SAMPE)

Formal Publications

  1. S. James, J. Waller, M.-C. Ebert, H. Gong, E. Biedermann, K. LaCivita, J. Brausch, T. Nakagawa, C. Peitsch, B. Trethewey, M. White, E. Ginzel, C. Kretzer, T. Mayer, S. Singh, and J. Middendorf, “Representative NDE Round Robin Results on Metal Additively Manufactured Test Parts and Physical Reference Standards,” in Smart and Sustainable Manufacturing Systems, ASTM International (in review).
  2. Anton du Plessis, Eric Macdonald, Jess Waller, Filippo Berto, “Non-destructive testing (NDT) of parts produced by laser powder bed fusion,” in Fundamentals of Laser Powder Bed Fusion of Metals, Elsevier, eds., Yadroitsev, I., Yadroitsava, I, Du Plessis, A., MacDonald, E., Chap. 10, 278-299, May 2021. https://www.elsevier.com/books/fundamentals-of-laser-powder-bed-fusion-of-metals/yadroitsev/978-0-12-824090-8
  3. Anton du Plessis, Waller, Jess; le Roux, Stephan; Yadroitsava, Ina; Yadroitsev, Igor; Els, Johan; Prinsloo, Jacobus, “X-ray computed tomography inspection in metal additive manufacturing: the role of witness specimens,” in Structural Integrity of Additive Manufactured Materials and Parts, ASTM STP 1631, West Conshohocken, PA, 2020. https://www.astm.org/stp163120190109.html
  4. Anton du Plessis, Stephan G. le Roux, Jess M Waller, Philip Sperling, Nils Achiles, Andre Beerlink, Mirko Sinico, Wim Dewulf, Gabriel Probst, Florian Bittner, Marian Wilmer, Drégelyi-Kiss Ágota, Thomas Zikmund, Jakub Laznovsky, Jozef Kaiser, Pascal Pinter, Stefan Dietrich, Elena Lopez, Oliver Fitzek, Porebski Konrad, “Laboratory X-ray tomography for additive manufacturing: round robin test,” Additive Manufacturing 2019 (Available online 13 September 2019). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addma.2019.100837
  5. du Plessis, A. and Waller, J. M., “Simple and standardised X-ray CT testing in metal Additive Manufacturing,” Metal AM 4(4), 87-96, Winter 2018. https://issuu.com/inovar-communications/docs/mam_winter_2018_sp?e=32443561/66482405
  6. Dutton, B., W. Vesga, J. Waller, S. James, M. Seifi, and M. Seifi, “Metal Additive Manufacturing Defect Formation and Nondestructive Evaluation Detectability,” in Structural Integrity of Additive Manufactured Parts, ed. N. Shamsaei, S. Daniewicz, N. Hrabe, S. Beretta, J. Waller, and M. Seifi (West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM International, 2020), 1-50. https://doi.org/10.1520/STP162020180136
  7. Na, J. K., J. Middendorf, M. Lander, J. M. Waller, and R. W. Rauser, "Nondestructive Evaluation of Programmed Defects in Ti-6Al-4V L-PBF ASTM E8-Compliant Dog-Bone Samples," in Structural Integrity of Additive Manufactured Parts, ed. N. Shamsaei, S. Daniewicz, N. Hrabe, S. Beretta, J. Waller, and M. Seifi (West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM International, 2020), 206-233. https://doi.org/10.1520/STP162020180095
  8. Livings, R. A., E. J. Biedermann, C. Wang, T. Chung, S. James, J. M. Waller, S. Volk, A. Krishnan, and S. Collins, "Nondestructive Evaluation of Additive Manufactured Parts Using Process Compensated Resonance Testing," in Structural Integrity of Additive Manufactured Parts, ed. N. Shamsaei, S. Daniewicz, N. Hrabe, S. Beretta, J. Waller, and M. Seifi (West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM International, 2020), 165-205. https://doi.org/10.1520/STP162020180111
  9. Waller, J., Rojdev., K., Shariff, K., Litteken, D., Hagen, R., Valle, G., Ross, A., Lear, D., Christiansen, E., Nichols, C. and Koontz, S., “Simulated Space Radiation Effects on Inflatable Habitat, Composite Habitat, Space Suit, and Space Hatch Materials,” WSTF-IR-1250-001-18, NASA Johnson Space Center White Sands Test Facility, Las Cruces, New Mexico, January 31, 2020.
  10. Waller, J. M., E. R. Burke, D. N. Wells, C. T. Nichols, A. D. Brandao, J. Gumpinger, M. Born, T. Ghidini, T. Nakagawa, A. Koike, M. Mitsui, and T. Itoh, "NDE-Based Quality Assurance of Metal Additively Manufactured Aerospace Parts at NASA, JAXA, and ESA," in Structural Integrity of Additive Manufactured Parts, ed. N. Shamsaei, S. Daniewicz, N. Hrabe, S. Beretta, J. Waller, and M. Seifi (West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM International, 2020), 92-129. https://doi.org/10.1520/STP162020180106
  11. Russell, R., Wells, D., Waller, J. M., Poorganji, B., Ott, E., Nakagawa, T., Sandoval, H., Shamsaei, N., Seifi. M., “Qualification and Certification of Metal Additive Manufactured Hardware for Aerospace Applications,” Chapter 3, in Additive Manufacturing for the Aerospace Industry, Boyer and Froes, Eds., Elsevier, December 2019. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128140628000030
  12. Seifi, M., Gorelik M., Waller, J., Hrabe, N., Shamsaei, N., Daniewicz, S., Lewandowski, J., “Metal Additive Manufacturing Standardization in Support of Qualification/Certification,” Journal of the Materials, Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (JOM), 69(3), 439-455, 2017. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11837-017-2265-2
  13. Peters, B., Hussain, S., Waller, J., “Results of Simulated Galactic Cosmic Radiation (GCR) and Solar Particle Events (SPE) on Spectra Restraint Fabric,” International Conference on Environmental Systems, Charleston, SC, Jul. 2017. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/314208254_Effect_of_Simulated_Galactic_Cosmic_Ray_GCR_and_Solar_Particle_Event_SPE_Radiation_on_SpectraR_Restraint_Fabric https://www.researchgate.net/publication/314208254_Effect_of_Simulated_Galactic_Cosmic_Ray_GCR_and_Solar_Particle_Event_SPE_Radiation_on_SpectraR_Restraint_Fabric
  14. Waller, J. M., Parker, Bradford H., Hodges, Kenneth, L., Burke, Eric R., Walker, James, L., Nondestructive Evaluation of Additive Manufacturing State-of-the-Discipline Report, NASA/TM—2014–218560, November 2014. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20140016447
  15. Waller, J. M., Saulsberry, R. L., Parker, B. H., Hodges, K. L., Burke, E. R., Taminger, K. M., “Summary of NDE of Additive Manufacturing Efforts in NASA,” QNDE Conference, Boise, ID, 20-25 July 2014. https://scitation.aip.org/content/aip/proceeding/aipcp/10.1063/1.4914594
  16. McClure, M., Spencer, P., Waller, J., Nufer, B., Kalmanson, P., “Accelerated Aging of Polymeric Seals Used in Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Hydrazine Fuel Sealing Applications,” JANNAF Joint Subcommittee Meeting, 42nd SMBS/38th PEDCS/29th RNTS/27th SEPS, 9-12 December 2013. (ITAR)
  17. Nevarez, M., Waller, J. M., Saulsberry, R. L., “Characterization of Space Radiation Effects on Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels for the International Space Station,” USRP Final Report, NASA-JSC Whites Sands Test Facility, Las Cruces, NM, July 30, 2013.
  18. Abraham, A. R., Johnson, K. L., Nichols, C. T., Saulsberry, R. L., and Waller, J.M. “Use of Statistical Analysis of Acoustic Emission Data on Carbon-Epoxy COPV Materials-of-Construction for Enhanced Felicity Ratio Onset Determination,” USRP Final Report, JSC-CN-26080 NASA-JSC Whites Sands Test Facility, Las Cruces, NM, January, 2012. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20120009066/downloads/20120009066.pdf?attachment=true
  19. Tylka, J., Waller, J., Nichols, C., Johnson, D., Saulsberry, R., “Use of Numerical Analysis of Acoustic Emission Data to Optimize Failure Prediction in Carbon-Epoxy Materials of Construction, “USRP Final Report, NASA-JSC Whites Sands Test Facility, Las Cruces, NM, October 2011.
  20. Nichols, C., Waller, J., Saulsberry, R., Johnson, D., Tylka, J., “Optimized Software Approaches to Predict Rupture in Fracture-critical Composites and Implications for Structural Health Monitoring,” in Biennial Research and Technology Report, University Research and Affairs Office, NASA-JSC, Houston, TX, 2011.
  21. Waller, J. M., C. T. Nichols, and R. L. Saulsberry., “Assessing Progressive Damage in Composite Materials Using Acoustic Emission and Development of Accept-Reject Criteria,” in Biennial Research and Technology Report, University Research and Affairs Office, NASA-JSC, Houston, TX, 2011.
  22. Waller, J. M., et al., “Nondestructive Evaluation of Carbon/epoxy COPV Stress Rupture Final Report,” WSTF-IR-1166-001-10, NASA Johnson Space Center White Sands Test Facility, Las Cruces, New Mexico, December 16, 2010
  23. Waller, J. M., C. T. Nichols, D. J. Wentzel, and R. L. Saulsberry, “Use of Modal Acoustic Emission to Monitor Damage Progression in Carbon Fiber/Epoxy Composites,” QNDE Conference, NASA Report JSC-CN-21146, San Diego, CA, July 2010.
  24. Weathers, D. E., C. T. Nichols, J. M. Waller, R. L. Saulsberry, “Automated Determination of Felicity Ratio for Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels, “USRP Final Report, NASA-JSC Whites Sands Test Facility, Las Cruces, NM, August 2010.
  25. Kowalski , E. E., J. M. Waller, and R. L. Saulsberry, “Acoustic Emission Attenuation Characterization of Carbon Fiber/Epoxy Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels,” USRP Final Report, NASA-JSC Whites Sands Test Facility, Las Cruces, NM, August 2010.
  26. Nichols, C. T., J. M. Waller, and R. L. Saulsberry, “Acoustic Emission Lifetime Estimation for Carbon Fiber/Epoxy Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels,” USRP Final Report, NASA-JSC Whites Sands Test Facility, Las Cruces, NM, August 2010.
  27. Wentzel, D. J., Waller, J. M., and Saulsberry, R. L. “Progression of Micromechanical Damage in Carbon Fiber/Epoxy Tows,” USRP Final Report, Las Cruces, NM, June 2010.
  28. Waller, J. M., Spencer, P. R., Gonzalez, B., Wolle, J. B., Saulsberry, R. L., “Acoustic Emission and Microscopic Characterization for Improved Composite Overwrapped Pressure vessel Health Monitoring,” in Biennial Research and Technology Report, University Research and Affairs Office, NASA-JSC, Houston, TX, December 2009.
  29. Nichols, C. T., Waller, J. M., and Saulsberry, R. L., “Use of Acoustic Emission to Monitor Progressive Damage Accumulation in Carbon Composites,” USRP Final Report, NASA-JSC Whites Sands Test Facility, Las Cruces, NM, December 2009.
  30. Jess M. Waller, Paul R. Spencer, Benjamin Gonzalez, J. Brooks Wolle, Regor L. Saulsberry, “Acoustic Emission and Microscopic Characterization for Improved Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessel Health Monitoring”, JSC Biennial Report, Materials Development and Testing, 73-74, Dec. 2009.
  31. Waller, J. M, Saulsberry, R. L., and Andrade, E., “Use of Acoustic Emission to Monitor Progressive Damage Accumulation in Kevlar® 49 Composites,” QNDE Conference, Providence, RI, JSC-CN-18563, July 2009. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20090026552/downloads/20090026552.pdf

Patents

  • Payne, D., Waller, J., Clark, R., Titus, G., Martin, D., “Lubricious Radiation Stable Polymeric Compositions/Articles Therefrom,” U.S. Patent 5 331 019, 19 July 1994.
  • Payne, D., Waller, J., Clark, R., Titus, G., Martin, D., “Lubricious Radiation Stable Polymeric Composition and Method for Sterilizing Therefrom,” U.S. Patent 5 356 948, 18 October 1994.

National Voluntary Consensus Standards developed (Technical Point of Contact)

  1. ASTM E3370-22, Standard Practice for Matrix Array Ultrasonic Testing of Composites, Sandwich Core Constructions and Metals Used in Aerospace Applications, Annual Book of ASTM Standards.
  2. ASTM D7194-05, -12, -19 Standard Specification for Aerospace Parts Machined from Polychlorotrifluoroethylene, Annual Book of ASTM Standards.
  3. ASTM E2533-09, -16, -21 Standard Guide for Nondestructive Testing of Polymeric Matrix Composites Used in Aerospace Applications, Annual Book of ASTM Standards.
  4. ASTM E2981-15, -19, -21 Standard Guide for Nondestructive Testing of Composite Overwraps in Filament Wound Pressure Vessels Used in Aerospace Applications, Annual Book of ASTM Standards.
  5. ASTM E2982-14, -21 Standard Guide for Nondestructive Testing of Metallic Thin-Walled Liners in Filament Wound Pressure Vessels Used in Aerospace Applications, Annual Book of ASTM Standards.
  6. ASTM G114-07, -14, -21 Standard Practice for Aging Oxygen-Service Materials Prior to Ignitibility or Flammability Testing, Annual Book of ASTM Standards.
  7. ASTM E3166-20, -20e1 Standard Guide for Nondestructive Testing of Metal Aerospace Additive Manufactured Parts After Build, Annual Book of ASTM Standards.

Standards Co-Authored

  1. ANSI/AIAA-S-110A, Standard: Space Systems—Structures, Structural Components, and Structural Assemblies, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, in progress.
  2. ANSI/AIAA-S-082, Standard: Space Systems—Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels with a Plastic Liner, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
  3. ANSI/AIAA-S-081B, Standard: Space Systems—Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Approved 20 March 2018. https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/book/10.2514/4.105425
  4. ANSI/AIAA-S-080A, Standard: Space Systems—Metallic Pressure Vessels, Pressurized Structures, and Pressure Components, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Published 13 Apr 2018. https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/4.105418.001
  5. ASTM D7211-06, -13 Standard Specification for Parts Machined from Polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE) and Intended for General Use, Annual Book of ASTM Standards.
  6. ASTM E2661-10, -15 Standard Practice for Acoustic Emission Qualification of Plate-like and Flat Panel Composites Used in Aerospace Applications, Annual Book of ASTM Standards.
  7. ASTM E2662-09, -15 Standard Practice for Radiologic Testing of Flat Panel Composites and Sandwich Core Materials Used in Aerospace Applications, Annual Book of ASTM Standards.
  8. ASTM E2580-07, -12 Standard Practice for Ultrasonic Testing of Flat Panel Composites and Sandwich Core Materials Used in Aerospace Applications, Annual Book of ASTM Standards.
  9. ASTM E2581-07, -14 Standard Practice for Shearography of Polymer Matrix Composites and Sandwich Core Materials in Aerospace Applications, Annual Book of ASTM Standards.
  10. ASTM E2582-07, -07(2014) Standard Practice for Infrared Flash Thermography of Composite Panels and Repair Patches Used in Aerospace Applications, Annual Book of ASTM Standards.
  11. ASTM E3353-23 – Standard Guide for In-Situ Monitoring of Metal Additively Manufactured Aerospace Parts, Annual Book of ASTM Standards.

Miscellaneous NASA Publications

  1. Jess M. Waller, Bryan Bookhart, Charles T Nichols, “NASA NDE Enterprise Capability Assessment,” NASA Techport, Feb. 2021, https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20210000871/downloads/NDE_EnterpriseCapabilityAssessment_20210000871_02.24.2021.pdf
  2. “SF6 Materials Compatibility Testing,” Special Test Data Report WSTF # 15-46721, NASA-JSC White Sands Test Facility, Las Cruces, NM, December 9, 2015.
  3. “Pressurized Gaseous Oxygen Pneumatic Impact Test,” Special Test Data Report WSTF # 04-39097, NASA-JSC White Sands Test Facility, Las Cruces, NM, Jan. 31, 2005.
  4. “Annual Report on XR-5 Lining Material for Evaporative Waste Tanks,” Special Test Data Report WSTF # 04-38266, NASA-JSC White Sands Test Facility, Las Cruces, NM, April 7, 2004.
  5. Waller, J., Saulsberry, R., Shuttle Primary Reaction Control Subsystem Thruster Fuel Valve Pilot Seal Extrusion: A Failure Correlation, 5th Conference on Aerospace Materials, Processes, and Environmental Technology, Huntsville, AL., Nov. 2003. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20040084026/downloads/20040084026.pdf
  6. Reynolds, M., B. S. Forsyth, J. M. Waller, B. Ross, R. Saulsberry, “RCS Primary Thruster Fuel Extrusion Exposure Testing,” WSTF-TP-0996-03, NASA-JSC White Sands Test Facility, March 19, 2003.
  7. “Annual Report on XR-5 Lining Material for Evaporative Waste Tanks,” Special Test Data Report WSTF # 03-37534, NASA-JSC White Sands Test Facility, Las Cruces, NM, March 19, 2003.