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
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)
Dr. Ang “Leo” Li
Doctoral Researcher
Visiting Student from the University of Toronto
B.S. 2021 – Electrical Engineering – University of Toronto
Ph.D. 2026 – Mechanical and Industrial Engineering – University of Toronto (successfully defended his dissertation May 2026!)
Dr. Alex Yin
Postdoctoral Fellow
B.S. 2016 – Mechanical Engineering – Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
M.S. 2019 – Mechanical Engineering – Boston University
Ph.D. 2024 – Ocean Engineering – University of Rhode Island (with Prof. Brennan Phillips)
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. Candidate
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)
Van Remenar
Master’s Student
B.S. 2025 – Mechanical Engineering – University of Connecticut
Victor Jimenez-Santiago
Master’s Student
B.S. 2022 – Mechanical Engineering – University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
Winner of a NASA CT Space Grant Consortium Graduate Fellowship (Spring ’25)
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
Charles “Charlie” Dilorenzo
Undergraduate Student
Mechanical 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. Codrin Tugui — Postdoctoral Researcher ’23–’25, Chemistry
Ph.D. Alumni
None yet.
Master’s Alumni
Sahib Sandhu — Master’s Student ’25, Mechanical Engineering
B.S. 2024, University of Connecticut. NASA CT Space Grant Consortium Graduate Fellow (Fall ’24).
Liam Wilson — Master’s Student ’25, Mechanical Engineering
B.S. 2024, University of Connecticut.
Hubert Sliwka — Master’s Student ’25, Mechanical Engineering
B.S. 2024, University of Connecticut.
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. Pratt & Whitney IASE Graduate Fellow (’24–’25).
Estefany Toribio-Castillo — Master’s Student ’25, Mechanical Engineering
B.S. 2024, University of Connecticut.
Dominic Flores — Master’s Student ’25, Mechanical Engineering
B.S. 2023, Mechanical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. NASA CT Space Grant Consortium Graduate Fellow (Fall ’24).
Undergraduate Alumni
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.