Elisabeth Malsch is a leader in the forensics practice at Thornton Tomasetti in New York. She has decades of experience in modeling the mechanical behavior of structures; for the past 13 years, she has focused on structural analysis and design, specializing in investigative projects and restoration and repair of a wide variety of structures. She is proficient in static, dynamic, and nonlinear analysis and evaluation of buildings, mechanical systems, parking garages, space frames, domes, and scaffolds under the effects of wind, seismic forces, vibration, and blast loads. After completing her studies at Columbia University—where she earned a bachelor’s degree, two master’s degrees, and a doctorate in civil engineering and engineering mechanics—Malsch received a postdoctoral fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to conduct research at the Braunschweig University of Technology in Germany (2004-2005). She contributes to the scholarship of the profession as an adjunct professor at Columbia University in the Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics Department, through numerous speaking engagements, technical papers, and articles. In 2012, Malsch was named to Building Design + Construction magazine’s 40 Under 40 list and Engineering News-Record New York’s New York Top 20 Under 40. In 2013, she was included in Civil + Structural Engineer’s list of Rising Stars in Structural Engineering. Malsch has also contributed to making her firm more family-friendly by promoting intelligent staffing arrangements and access to the right tools for working remotely.
Elisabeth Malsch, PhD
