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About

Donald O. Thompson is a leading figure in nondestructive evaluation (NDE), whose work bridges advanced ultrasonic techniques and robotic inspection systems. His research focuses on guided wave propagation in pipes, laser-ultrasonic inspection of aerospace composites, and autonomous NDE platforms. Thompson’s major contributions include pioneering visualization methods for guided wave modes—using laser Doppler vibrometry to map in-plane and out-of-plane wave interactions around defects—which clarified mode conversion phenomena previously unexplained experimentally. He also advanced probabilistic frameworks for robotic NDE, enabling reliable inspection in hazardous nuclear environments. His work on the LaserUT® technology, developed at Lockheed Martin, has demonstrated significant cost and labor reductions across over 20,000 composite aerospace parts. With papers accumulating citations in the tens, Thompson’s impact is seen in both fundamental wave mechanics and practical field deployment. Notably, his integration of mobile robots with passive infrared thermography and ultrasonic remote sensing agents has opened new frontiers for reconfigurable, intelligent structural health monitoring. For students and researchers, Thompson exemplifies how combining physics-based NDE with robotics can solve real-world inspection challenges in safety-critical industries.