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BIOINSPIRED MATERIALS LAB
Advanced Materials for Robotics, Healthcare, and Sustainability
See the "Join us" tab for details
2021 Winter Holiday Party
(L to R): Cecelia, Zane, Sprite, Shuo, Yi-Hua, Katja, Leela, LeahAbdon, Chia-Heng
2020 - Heidelberg (Germany)
(L to R): Robert, Abdon, Pol
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If interested in joining our team, see details here.
Abdon Pena-Francesch ("Don")
Assistant Professor
Materials Science & Engineering, Macromolecular Science & Engineering, Robotics (2021-...)
2018-2020 Humboldt Postdoctoral Fellow, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (Stuttgart, Germany)
2013-2017 Ph.D. (Engineering Science and Mechanics), Penn State University (PA, USA)
2011-2013 M.Sc. (Chemical Engineering), Institut Químic de Sarrià (Barcelona, Spain)
2006-2011 B.Sc. (Mechanical Engineering), Institut Químic de Sarrià (Barcelona, Spain)
Bio & personal info here
Email: abdon@umich.edu
Zane Zhang
Ph.D. student (MSE)
Research: soft magnetic materials, nanocomposites, soft actuators
Personal: road trips, cooking
2021 M.Sc. (MSE), UMich
2019 B.Sc. (MSE), Beijing University of Chemical Technology (BUCT, CN)
Email: zzenghao@umich.edu
Leah Marks
M.Sc. student (MSE)
Research: polymer synthesis and characterization, rheology, soft mechanics
Personal: binge-watching, good music, writing
2021 B.Sc. (MSE), UMich
Email: lpmarks@umich.edu
Shuo Zhang
M.Sc. student (MSE)
Research: surface chemistry, polymer
coatings, microstructure
Personal: skiing, cooking, board Games
2021 B.Sc. (ME/MSE), UMich - Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Email: shuozh@umich.edu
Cecelia Kinane
Ph.D. student (Macro)
Research: polymer design, structure-property relationships, hydrogels
Personal: rowing, baking, camping, cats, museums
2019 B.Sc. (Chem), University of St. Thomas (St. Paul, MN)
Email: cakinane@umich.edu
Chia-Heng Lin
M.Sc. student (MSE)
Research: 3D printing, polymer coatings, microstructure, active matter
Personal: photography, cooking, traveling
2019 B.Sc. (MSE), National Chiao Tung University (TW)
Email: linchtn@umich.edu
Leela Mukherjee
UG student (CSE)
Research: robotic actuator design, materials mechanics, electronics design
Personal: hiking, indie music, and embroidery
Email: leelam@umich.edu
Tiwa Yimyai (Sprite)
Ph.D. visiting student (ChE)
Fulbright Scholar, VISTEC (TH)
Colloid Organic Materials Laboratory
Research: polymer synthesis, self-healing materials, functional polymer coatings
Personal: mindfulness, traveling, cultures, nature
2015 B.Sc. (ChE), Silpakorn University (TH)
Email: tyimyai@umich.edu
Yi-Hua Chen
M.Sc. student (MSE)
Research: nanocomposites, polymer mechanics, thin film processing, sustainability
Personal: baking, hiking, board games, traveling
2020 B.Sc. (ChE), Yuan Ze University (TW)
Email: yihuakim@umich.edu
Where are we from?
Alumni
Rich Kaplan, M.Sc. (Macro, UMich) - 2021
Now at:
Pol Cabanach, Ph.D. (Bioengineering, Max Planck Institute / IQS-GEMat) - 2021
Now at: Zabala Innovation Consulting, Barcelona, Spain (international R&D consultant)
Dario Perez Balaguer, M.Sc. (Max Planck Institute / IQS-GEMat) - 2020
Now at: Venair GmbH, Freiberg am Neckar, Germany (silicones team)
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