Draft:Benjamin Schafer

Benjamin W. Schafer is an American structural engineer, renowned for his extensive research contributions in structural stability, mechanics, and the design of thin-walled structures. Currently he is the Willard and Lillian Hackerman Professor of Civil and Systems engineering at Johns Hopkins University, Schafer has made strides in advancing the understanding and application of structural engineering principles. He received awards from the American Society of Civil Engineers, including the Norman Medal and the Huber Research Prize.

Education and career
Schafer graduated with a BSE in civil engineering from the University of Iowa in 1993. He then went on to Cornell University to get an MS and a Ph.D. in structural engineering in 1994 and 1997, respectively. Throughout his career, he has assumed roles within the academic and technical communities, including chair positions in Structural Stability Research Council and the Cold-Formed Steel Engineers Institute.

He is the founding directorship of the Ralph S. O’Connor Sustainable Energy Institute at Johns Hopkins University.

Research
Schafer's research has been focused on enabling engineers to design resilient civil structures using minimal material.

Schafer's research aims to design and test earthquake-ready buildings primarily constructed from cold-formed steel, which has become increasingly popular in structural engineering projects.