Senior Research Scientist
Senior Research Scientist

Biography

Erin Iesulauro Barker is a senior research scientist in the National Security Directorate (NSD) at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). She has 15 years of experience in computational modeling of the mechanical behavior of materials at multiple length scales using finite element analysis, developing computational tools for automatically generating digital material samples, and developing highly parallel solver frameworks. Working with computational and experimental scientists, she has applied the integrated computational materials engineering process to applications ranging from irradiation damage modeling for structural steels in nuclear reactors, to the performance of solid phase processed materials and joints, to ice sheet modeling. Barker brings her experience working with computational and experimental scientists from across PNNL working from multiple domains to aid in bringing together the right expertise to tackle multidisciplinary problems for a range of sponsors.

Barker received her PhD in civil engineering from Cornell University in 2006. At Cornell, she was a member of the Cornell Fracture group under Professor Anthony Ingraffea, where she focused on computational solid mechanics and fracture mechanics, as well as software development. Her research work included developing microstructure scale representations of polycrystalline metals and conducting crack initiation and propagation simulations to study the impact of local heterogeneity in materials on bulk performance and failure of materials.

After graduation, she began her professional career at Los Alamos National Laboratory, working on multi-physics and multi-scale simulation capabilities. In 2010, she joined PNNL as a member of the Computational Engineering group in the Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate. She was promoted to group leader of the Computational Engineering group in 2017, where she worked to increase the group’s visibility and collaborations inside and outside of PNNL. She joined the NSD as the Mathematics, Statistics, and Data Science group in 2019 and served as leader for four years. 

Education

  • PhD in civil and environmental engineering, Cornell University
  • MS in civil engineering, Cornell University
  • BS in civil engineering, Ohio Northern University

Publications

2025

  • Li L., D. Garcia, T. Wang, J.D. Escobar, M. Pole, K. Nwe, and D.M. Brown, et al. 2025. "Meshfree simulation and prediction of recrystallized grain size in friction stir processed 316L stainless steel." Journal of Materials Processing Technology 337:118751. PNNL-SA-205212. doi:10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2025.118751

2022

  • Pitts S.A., W. Jiang, D. Pizzocri, E.I. Barker, and H.M. Zbib. 2022. "A Continuum Dislocation Dynamics Crystal Plasticity Approach to Irradiated Body-Centered Cubic a-Iron." Journal of Engineering Materials and Technology 144, no. 1:Art. No. 011018; Paper No: MATS-21-1029. PNNL-SA-159287. doi:10.1115/1.4052256

2021

  • Kulkarni S.S., V. Gupta, A. Ortiz, H. Das, P. Upadhyay, E.I. Barker, and D.R. Herling. 2021. "Determining cohesive parameters for modeling interfacial fracture in dissimilar-metal friction stir welded joints." International Journal of Solids and Structures 216. PNNL-SA-153218. doi:10.1016/j.ijsolstr.2021.01.023
  • Mueller J., X. Hu, X. Sun, Y. Ren, K. Choi, E.I. Barker, and J. Speer, et al. 2021. "Austenite formation and cementite dissolution during intercritical annealing of a medium-manganese steel from a martensitic condition." Materials & Design 203. PNNL-SA-164871. doi:10.1016/j.matdes.2021.109598

2020

  • Cai Y., C. Sun, Y. Li, S. Hu, N.Y. Zhu, E.I. Barker, and L. Qian. 2020. "Phase field modeling of discontinuous dynamic recrystallization in hot deformation of magnesium alloys." International Journal of Plasticity 133. PNNL-SA-142845. doi:10.1016/j.ijplas.2020.102773
  • Li Y., S. Hu, E.I. Barker, N.R. Overman, S.A. Whalen, and S. Mathaudhu. 2020. "Effect of grain structure and strain rate on dynamic recrystallization and deformation behavior: a phase field-crystal plasticity model." Computational Materials Science 180. PNNL-SA-144520. doi:10.1016/j.commatsci.2020.109707
  • Rosenthal W.S., F.C. Grogan, Y. Li, E.I. Barker, J.F. Christ, T.R. Pope, and A. Battu, et al. 2020. ""Sintering" Models and In-Situ Experiments: Data Assimilation for Microstructure Prediction in SLS Additive Manufacturing of Nylon Components." MRS Advances 5, no. 29-30:1593-1601. PNNL-SA-150448. doi:10.1557/adv.2020.125
  • Wang T., D. Ramirez Tamayo, X. Jiang, P. Kitsopoulos, W. Kuang, V. Gupta, and E.I. Barker, et al. 2020. "Effect of interfacial characteristics on magnesium to steel joint obtained using FAST." Materials & Design 192, no. 2020:108697. PNNL-SA-150237. doi:10.1016/j.matdes.2020.108697

2019

  • Choi K., E.I. Barker, X. Sun, J. Song, S. Xiong, J. Forsmark, and M. Li. 2019. "An integrated two-dimensional modeling method for predicting ductility of thin-walled die cast magnesium." International Journal of Fracture 219, no. 2:203-220. PNNL-SA-105712. doi:10.1007/s10704-019-00390-w

2016

  • Cheng G., E.I. Barker, E.V. Stephens, K. Choi, and X. Sun. 2016. "Quantifying Grain Level Stress-Strain Behavior for AM40 via Instrumented Microindentation." MRS Advances 1, no. 12:761-722. PNNL-SA-114581. doi:10.1557/adv.2016.25
  • Cheng G., E.I. Barker, E.V. Stephens, K. Choi, and X. Sun. 2016. "Quantifying Grain Level Stress-Strain Behavior for AM40 via Instrumented Microindentation." MRS Advances 1, no. 12:761-772. PNNL-SA-117595. doi:10.1557/adv.2016.25
  • Choi K., E.I. Barker, G. Cheng, X. Sun, J. Forsmark, and M. Li. 2016. "Predicting Stress vs. Strain Behaviors of Thin-Walled High Pressure Die Cast Magnesium Alloy with Actual Pore Distribution." SAE International Journal of Materials and Manufacturing 9, no. 2:361-367. PNNL-SA-117687. doi:10.4271/2016-01-0290

2014

  • Barker E.I., K. Choi, X. Sun, E. Deda, J. Allison, M. Li, and J. Forsmark, et al. 2014. "Microstructure Based Modeling of ß Phase Influence on Mechanical Response of Cast AM Series Mg Alloys." Computational Materials Science 92. PNNL-SA-98650. doi:10.1016/j.commatsci.2014.03.010

2011

  • Sun X., K. Choi, D. Li, E.I. Barker, M. Li, A. Schroeder, and J. Allison. 2011. "Mechanistic-based Ductility Prediction for Complex Magnesium Castings." In 2011 Annual Progress Report for Lightweighting Materials. 2-60 - 2-63. Washington Dc, District Of Columbia:US Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy. PNNL-SA-84503.