Dr. Jennifer Bennett, Ph.D.

Dr. Jennifer Bennett is the associate director of the Center for Applied Engineering and an assistant professor for the Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering at the United States Military Academy (USMA). 

Her research resides at the intersection of mechanics, materials science, manufacturing, and machine design, where she focuses on advancing materials and manufacturing for defense applications, particularly for ballistic and hypersonic uses. Dr. Bennett holds a master’s in mechanical and aerospace engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology and a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Northwestern University, where her research centered on tailoring the microstructure of additively manufactured materials.

Before joining the West Point team, Dr. Bennett spent seven years as an advanced solutions engineer at DMG MORI, developing turn-key additive and subtractive machine tool solutions for industry leaders such as SpaceX, Toyota, and Boeing. At USMA, she leads the AMBITION Laboratory, which focuses on characterizing and optimizing the behavior of additively manufactured materials at variable strain rates.

Dr. Bennett has been recognized as one of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) 30 Under 30 Manufacturing Innovators and holds two patents in her field. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes developing high-order thinkers through project-based learning and hands-on experiences. She is deeply committed to mentorship and increasing participation in STEM fields.

Dr. Bennett is married to MAJ David Simeroth, her classmate from USMA, and they are the proud parents of four children.