We are an interdisciplinary group that aims to solve hard challenges in soft robotics for real world applications.
Prof. Mihai “Mishu” Duduta
Principal Investigator
Ph.D. 2019 – Mechanical Engineering – Harvard University
M.S. 2015 – Mechanical Engineering – Harvard University
B.S. 2010 – Materials Science and Engineering – MIT
Current Members
Dr. Wonjin Kim
Postdoctoral Fellow
Ph.D. 2026 – Seoul National University Mechanical Engineering
Alexander White
Ph.D. Candidate
B.S. 2022 – Electrical and Mechanical Engineering – University of Edinburgh
Winner of a NASA CT Space Grant Consortium Graduate Fellowship (Fall ’24)
Winner of a GE Fellowship Next Generation Scholar (2023–2024)
Edward “Eddie” Pomianek
Ph.D. Candidate
B.S. 2024 – Mechanical Engineering – University of Michigan
Winner of a NASA CT Space Grant Consortium Graduate Fellowship (Spring ’25)
Winner of a Pratt & Whitney IASE Graduate Fellowship (Fall ’25, Spring ’26)
Anatol M. Gogoj
Ph.D. Candidate – co-advised with Prof. Farhad Imani
B.S. 2024 – Mechanical Engineering – University of Connecticut
Winner of a NASA CT Space Grant Consortium Graduate Fellowship (Spring ’25)
Winner of a NASA CT Space Grant Consortium Travel Grant (Summer ’25)
Winner of the Kosciuszko Foundation Tuition Scholarship (Fall ’26)
Denise De Andrade
Ph.D. Student
B.S. 2019 – Materials Engineering – Ponta Grossa State University
M.S. 2023 – Materials Science and Technology – São Paulo State University
Winner of a Materials Science Predoctoral Fellowship (Fall ’25)
Emily Yale
Ph.D. Student
B.S. 2018 – Mechanical Engineering – Fairfield University
B.S. 2018 – Intricacies of a Start-Up Venture (Individualized) – Fairfield University
M.B.A. 2021 – Information Systems – Fairfield University
M.Eng. 2021 – Global Entrepreneurship – University of Connecticut
Eva Crowley
Master’s Student
B.S. 2024 – Physics – Union College
Winner of a GE Fellowship (’24–’25)
Winner of a Pratt & Whitney IASE Graduate Fellowship (Fall ’25)
Matthew “Matt” Francoeur
Undergraduate Student
Materials Science and Engineering
Visiting Researchers
Dr. Codrin Tugui — Petru Poni Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Iași, Romania.
Annual visiting researcher (’25, ’26).
Past Lab Members
Postdoctoral Researchers
Dr. Alexander Yin — Postdoctoral Researcher ’24–’26, Mechanical Engineering
Dr. Codrin Tugui — Postdoctoral Researcher ’23–’25, Chemistry
Ph.D. Alumni
Dr. Ang “Leo” Li — PhD ’26, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Ph.D 2026, University of Toronto.
Currently with the Vector Institute.
Master’s Alumni
Victor Jimenez-Santiago — Master’s Student ’26, Mechanical Engineering
B.S. 2022, Mechanical Engineering, University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
Awardee of the NASA CT Space Grant Consortium Graduate Fellowship (Spring ’25)
Van Remenar — Master’s Student ’26, Mechanical Engineering
B.S. 2025, Mechanical Engineering, University of Connecticut
Currently with Electric Boat.
Sahib Sandhu — Master’s Student ’25, Mechanical Engineering
B.S. 2024, Mechanical Engineering, University of Connecticut.
Awardee of the NASA CT Space Grant Consortium Graduate Fellowship (Fall ’24).
Currently with L3Harris.
Liam Wilson — Master’s Student ’25, Mechanical Engineering
B.S. 2024, Mechanical Engineering, University of Connecticut.
Currently with the US Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Newport Division.
Hubert Sliwka — Master’s Student ’25, Mechanical Engineering
B.S. 2024, Mechanical Engineering, University of Connecticut.
Currently at the Yale School of Management, working towards an MBA.
Tirth Thakar — Master’s Student ’25, Mechanical Engineering
B.E. (Hons) 2021, Engineering Science, University of Auckland; B.Com 2021, Finance and Economics, University of Auckland.
Awardee of the Pratt & Whitney IASE Graduate Fellowship (’24–’25).
Currently with Advanced Navigation.
Estefany Toribio-Castillo — Master’s Student ’25, Mechanical Engineering
B.S. 2024, Mechanical Engineering, University of Connecticut.
Currently with Triem Industries.
Dominic Flores — Master’s Student ’25, Mechanical Engineering
B.S. 2023, Mechanical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Awardee of the NASA CT Space Grant Consortium Graduate Fellowship (Fall ’24).
Currently with Electric Boat.
Undergraduate Alumni
Charles “Charlie” Dilorenzo — Undergraduate Student ’26, Mechanical Engineering
B.S. ’26, University of Connecticut.
Boce “Sebastian” Xu — Undergraduate Student ’25, Mechanical Engineering
B.S. ’25, University of Connecticut.
Bailey Baclaski — Undergraduate Student ’26, Mechanical Engineering
B.S. ’26, University of Connecticut.
Nicholas Siwek — Undergraduate Student ’26, Mechanical Engineering
B.S. ’26, University of Connecticut.
Veranika Hryn — Undergraduate Student ’26, Mechanical Engineering
B.S. ’26, University of Connecticut.
Landon Rice — Undergraduate Summer Researcher ’24
Now at the University of Pittsburgh working towards a PhD in Chemistry.
High School Alumni
Hao Gu — High School Summer Researcher ’24
Now at UCLA working towards a B.S. in Electrical Engineering.