Mathew Smith

PhD PEng

Project Engineer

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mathew.smith@meaforensic.com
778.724.1622
778.724.1622
Vancouver
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Mathew Smith is a Project Engineer in MEA Forensic’s Failure Analysis group, and is based in the firm’s Vancouver office. He investigates the causes of material, component, and mechanical system failures in a wide range of insurance and litigation sectors, from residential and commercial buildings to transportation and heavy industry. Mathew has worked on everything from failures in plumbing and fire sprinkler systems, to problems with medical equipment and consumer products, to incidents involving cars, boats, and aircraft.

For Mathew, every piece of evidence, big or small, can be revealing. A microscopic examination of a fracture surface, for example, can often distinguish the difference between a one-time overload fracture versus slow-growing progressive failures like fatigue and corrosion. Combining these small details with the overall big picture results in defendable opinions about causation. “The more complex the system, the more pieces to the puzzle, the more satisfying it is to uncover the chain of events that led to a failure,” he says.

Mathew earned a Master’s and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, with a specialization in aerospace materials, from the University of Manitoba and the University of British Columbia – Okanagan, respectively. His doctoral research focused on repairing in-service jet engine components made of high-performance superalloys.

Mathew values MEA’s commitment to integrity and impartial analysis. “We don’t advocate; we follow the science. Conclusions based on evidence stand up to scrutiny, and that’s how we earn trust in this field.”

expertise

  1. Failure Analysis
  2. Aviation Investigations

education

  1. Doctor of Philosophy, Mechanical Engineering, University of British Columbia – Okanagan, 2017.
  2. Masters of Science in Mechanical Engineering, University of Manitoba, 2013.
  3. Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (Aerospace Engineering), Dean’s Honors List, University of Manitoba, 2011.

professional status

  1. Registered Professional Engineer, Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia (EGBC), License No. 51032.
  2. Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI), National Association of Fire Investigators, 2026.
  3. X-ray Fluorescence Operator Level 1, Natural Resources Canada National Non-Destructive Testing Certification Body, License No. 32789
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Professional Experience

  1. MEA Forensic Engineers & Scientists
    April 2025 to present | Project Engineer
    Conducts technical investigations of mechanical and material failures related to product, property, transportation, heavy industry, and equipment losses by employing scientific failure analysis tools to isolate root cause and contributing factors related to defective use, maintenance, inspections, manufacture, or design.

  2. Consultant
    June 2019 to March 2025
    Consultant for industry and academic institutions. Developed processes, infrastructure, facilities, and procedures to support advanced materials research. Reviewed and edited journal publications, technical reports, and other academic and engineering documents. Developed, supported, and reviewed research grants applications.

  3. Selkirk College
    October 2019 to October 2020 | Lead Researcher: Advanced Materials
    Successfully collected $1.7 million in grant funding for projects at the Selkirk College Applied Research and Innovation Centre.

  4. University of British Columbia
    June 2018 to May 2019 | Post Doctoral Fellow, Mechanical Engineering
    Designed a new rubber recycling system and ways to upgrade the raw products for use in other industries.

    June 2017 to May 2019 | Senior Researcher and Materials Lab Manager
    Conducted research and development activities and project management.

    January 2014 to May 2019 | Forensic Consultant
    Performed material analysis for industry, including but not limited too: failure analysis, fitness-for-service, mechanical testing, microstructural characterization (energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis, scanning electron microscopy, optical microscopy).

  5. University of Manitoba
    June 2011 to April 2012 | Research and Teaching Assistant
    Made and marked lab and class assignments, ran laboratory lectures, and taught for Introduction to Material Science and Corrosion of Metals and Alloys. Performed advanced materials research-based tasks including experimental design, material sample preparation, testing, characterization and analysis, data collection and analysis.

Lectures & Presentations

Training & Professional Development

  1. December 12, 2025 – BlazeMaster Compatibility Webinar, BlazeMaster Fire Protection Systems, Online.
  2. July 24-25, 2025 – Failure Analysis for Injection-Molded Plastic Products, Pennsylvania State University Behrend College, Erie, PA.
  3. June 2025 – X-Ray Fluorescence Operator – Level 1, Natural Resources Canada, Vancouver, BC.

Mathew's news and
upcoming events

upcoming events

Let the Evidence Speak Seminar for Legal & Insurance Professionals
September 16, 2026, 8:30 am - 12:00 pm
THIS WEEK
View all Mathew's events