As a researcher in material science, I’ve been always fascinated by the intelligent materials—living organisms—that nature creates. To survive and master in the ever-changing environment, “nature uses soft materials frequently and stiff materials sparingly – better bent than broken” (Vogel, 1995), and is capable of tasks that surpass even the most impressive machines that humans have devised.

Interested in synthetically constructing soft intelligent materials, my research focuses on exploiting the rich dynamics in molecular switches and molecular assemblies, and its coupling to mesoscale architectures and macroscale material properties, to realize new exciting functions based on self-regulation across lengthscales. By bringing the intelligence of soft materials to the next level, I’m hoping to realize next-generation multifunctional materials with increased autonomy to address challenges in healthcare, energy, and sustainability.

Prior to joining Georgia Tech, I was a Postdoctoral Scholar in Mechanical Engineering at MIT, working with Prof. Xuanhe Zhao on multiscale structural control of hydrogels (e.g., phase separation, 3D printing) for applications in sustainability and healthcare. For my doctoral research, I worked with Prof. Joanna Aizenberg at Harvard University, where I earned my Ph.D. in Chemistry in 2022. My research focuses on developing bio-inspired, responsive, self-adaptive, and architected materials—leveraging the fundamental principles of soft matter physics, polymer phase engineering, soft material mechanics, and advanced nano/microfabrication and additive manufacturing techniques—to pioneer novel types of soft intelligent materials and soft robotics for real-world challenges in healthcare and sustainability.