Dr Rose is widely acknowledged as the foremost Australian researcher in the theory and application of fracture mechanics. He has contributed seminal work on crack bridging which is used for the design of bonded repairs to aircraft structures (known as the Rose model), and on transformation toughening in partially-stabilised zirconia, a new class of high-toughness ceramics first developed in Australia. His contribution to non-destructive evaluation includes comprehensive analysis of laser generated ultrasound and of the interaction of eddy currents with cracks in thin sheets. In 1995 he initiated and now leads a comprehensive research program in support of the structural integrity management of the RAAF-111 fleet.