I am an engineer, innovator, writer, and the d’Arbeloff Career Development Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at MIT. I run a lab that designs adaptive living materials for applications ranging from medicine to machines. Currently, we are focused on engineering the neuromuscular system to restore mobility and power robots. To learn more about our work, please 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 at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I was a postdoctoral fellow in the Langer Lab at MIT, funded by a Ford Foundation Fellowship by The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and a L’Oréal USA For Women in Science Fellowship. I was a member of the MIT Technology Review 35 Innovators Under 35 Class of 2019 and the Forbes 30 Under 30 Class of 2018.

I grew up in India, Kenya, and the United States and have learned to appreciate and thrive in diverse and dynamic environments. My life experiences have shown me that technical innovation can drive positive social change, and this inspires me to help democratize and diversify STEM education around the world. Specifically, through my service as a AAAS IF/THEN Ambassador and other outreach activities, I hope to empower women to pursue impactful careers in STEM.