D. Dane Quinn was awarded the B.M.E. degree from Georgia Tech in 1991 and, in 1995, a Ph.D. from Cornell University in the Department of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics. He is currently an Associate Professor on the faculty of the University of Akron in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and holds a joint appointment in the Applied Mathematics Division.

His research interests lie in the area of applied dynamical systems and mechanics. Specifically, he has considered the effects of resonances in nonlinear systems with applications to rotordynamics, spacecraft dynamics, and the mechanisms by which energy is transferred through mechanical systems. Since joining the University of Akron, he has initiated studies of differential collision models and research into structural health monitoring. Each of these projects is currently supported by the National Science Foundation. He is currently collaborating with researchers at Sandia National Laboratories modeling the dynamic response and structural dissipation induced by mechanical interfaces such as lap joints and bolted connections. In addition, he has worked in several related areas, including the modeling, simulation, and control of thermo-acoustic instabilities in aeropropulsion systems, celestial mechanics, nonlinear thermoelastodynamics, nonlinear control systems, and the evolution of virulence in age-dependent populations.

He has published numerous papers in archival journals and has presented his work at national and international scientific meetings. His research has led to over $500,000 in research funding. Finally, he is currently an Associate Editor of the Journal of Vibration and Acoustics and in 2005 was selected as the recipient of the Tau Beta Pi Outstanding Teacher Award for the College of Engineering. He currently lives in Akron, Ohio with his wife Kristen, children Kaelyn, James, and Ian, and his dog Madison.