I am a scientist, and am currently a Eugene Bell Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at MIT. I run a research lab at MIT that designs adaptive living materials for applications ranging from regenerative medicine to biohybrid robotics. Currently, my lab is focused on tissue engineering the neuromuscular system to preserve healthy human mobility and power efficient robots. Our research is funded by a variety of programs including a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the NSF CAREER Award, the Army Research Office Young Investigator Award, and the Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award. To learn more about our work, please visit our lab website and refer to my book Biofabrication, published by MIT Press and targeted at general audiences.

I received my B.S. magna cum laude in Mechanical Engineering, with a minor in Biomedical Engineering, from Cornell University in 2012. I received my M.S. (2013) and Ph.D. (2016) in Mechanical Engineering as an NSF Fellow with Prof. Rashid Bashir at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I completed my training as a postdoctoral fellow with Prof. Robert Langer, funded by a NASEM Ford Foundation Fellowship and a L’Oréal USA Fellowship.