Dr. Jennifer Hooper McCarty

photo by Coleen Cahill

Jennifer Hooper McCarty is a materials scientist who specializes in the analysis of historic materials. She completed her Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, based on her studies of recovered material from the RMS Titanic, continuing the analyses that began with the 1998 expedition. McCarty has studied the structure and strength of the Titanic wrought iron and compared it to additional contemporary material from ships, bridges, buildings and other structures. McCarty also has a BS in Chemistry from Temple University. As a researcher during archeological field excavations at the Palace of Nestor in Greece, McCarty completed a study of the cleaning and conservation techniques used on Bronze Age pottery, before beginning her graduate studies. In 1999, she received a M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering for her research at the Smithsonian Institution on the development of Korean ceramic traditions.

Following completion of her PhD, McCarty worked as a researcher in the Materials Department at Oxford University, and carried out historical analysis on 19th-20th century wrought iron and steel structures, including archival and documentary research and discussions with local blacksmiths, historians and shipbuilding experts. Currently, she resides in Portland, OR and works at Oregon Health & Science University.