Phil graduated in 1991 with a BS in Civil Engineering and in 1993 with a MS in Civil Engineering from the University of Kentucky. During his graduate research at UK, Phil worked at the Asphalt Institute, Lexington, KY, in the Strategic Highway Research Program. He assisted in developing N-Design to simulate field mixture compaction in the Superpave gyratory compactor.

From 1993-1995, Phil was the Superpave Coordinator and managed the Asphalt Binder Laboratory for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Materials in Frankfort, KY.

Phil joined Koch Pavement Solutions in December 1995. He was one of Koch’s project development engineers for new asphalt technology; specifically, the development of a Reflective Crack Relief System (Strata).

In 2007, Phil joined the Asphalt Institute as the Senior Research Engineer. Phil managed AI’s Mixture and Performance Testing Laboratory, performing private and government testing. He also coordinated the Mix Design Technology course along with other lab courses and webinars.

In 2017, Phil started Blankenship Asphalt Tech and Training to open a consulting engineering company that uses his agency, industry, and association combined experience. In 2019, he opened BATT lab, an asphalt testing laboratory focused on lab-to-pavement innovation.

Phil is a member of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) binder and mechanical testing committees. Serves on the executive board for the Association of Asphalt Paving Technologists (AAPT), and chairs ASTM subcommittee D04.26 on Fundamental Mechanistic Testing.