He earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI, where he studied microstructural and environmental effects on the very high cycle fatigue behavior of a titanium alloy for use in aircraft engines. His current research interests include multi-scale mechanics of materials, deformation mechanisms, fatigue and fracture of structural materials, and small-scale characterization by advanced electron microscopy. Dr. Geathers teaches both introductory and upper-level undergraduate mechanical engineering courses in the areas of design, manufacturing, and materials.