R. Danner Friend
- Director, David Crawford School of Engineering
- Professor of Mechanical Engineering
About
R. Danner Friend, Ph.D., PE, joined the faculty of the David Crawford School of Engineering at Norwich University in 2003. Danner Friend worked as a senior engineer for Applied Research Associates before coming to Norwich University in 2003. He served as chair of the Mechanical Engineering Department at Norwich from 2017 to 2026. He teaches undergraduate engineering courses in the areas of computer-aided design and analysis, engineering design, and innovative engineering. He enjoys mentoring undergraduate students in aerospace-related research and design projects. Examples of the projects include robotic mining on the surface of the Moon and Mars, autonomous navigation of micro-space vehicles, and design of experiments for testing new materials for spacecraft thermal protection systems. He has conducted educational research on innovative design and creativity in engineering education. He is a licensed professional engineer. In 2026, he was promoted to chair of the David Crawford School of Engineering.
Education
Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Texas A&M University
M.S. in Engineering Mechanics, Clemson University
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Military Institute
Publications
R. D. Friend, “Fostering Professional Practice Skills in a Redesigned Materials Science Course for Engineering Students,” 2016 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, New Orleans, LA, (June 2016).
R. D. Friend and J. Beneat, "Development of Aerospace Engineering-Focused Undergraduate Research at a Small University: Accomplishments and Lessons Learned," Proceedings of the 2013 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Atlanta, GA, (June 23 - 26, 2013).