Explorer Categories: Engineering

I am a graduate student in mechanical engineering at Berkeley. I grew up in Toronto, Canada and previously lived in Montreal, where I completed my undergraduate degree at McGill University. I am a member of the Multiphase Thermofluidics and Surface Nanoengineering laboratory, where I study interfacial phenomena and how we can engineer these interfaces to optimize heat and mass transfer in the pursuit of more efficient processes. This work is applicable to a wide variety of areas, including energy generation and storage, and thermal management. I am a huge hockey fan and cheer for my hometown Toronto Maple Leafs!

I hold a B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from MIT and am currently a second-year PhD student at the University of California, Berkeley, specializing in biomaterials. My research is centered on engineering a hyaluronic acid hydrogel system with potent antioxidant properties, specifically for the field of tissue regeneration. The primary goal of my work is to develop innovative treatments for patients suffering from cardiac disease and volumetric muscle loss, aiming to improve recovery and quality of life. Outside of academics, I enjoy spending time with my cats and playing tennis.

I am pursuing my Ph.D. in the Materials Science and Engineering Department at UC Berkeley in the Berkeley Biomechanics Group under Professor O’Connell. Prior to attending Cal, I attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology studying Materials Science and Engineering with a focus in biomaterial and polymer engineering. In my undergraduate research I looked at self-assembling materials and polymer synthesis. Now at UC Berkeley, I hope to use my soft matter expertise to design materials and implants that restore, support, and enhance biological functions. Through my Ph.D., I will be conducting tissue engineering research to help treat osteoarthritis and other musculoskeletal diseases. In my free time, I like to rock climb, play tennis, and cook.

Abrar Amin Khan is a third-year PhD student in the mechanical engineering department in the Design for Nanoscale Manufacturing Lab under the supervision of Professor Hayden Taylor. His research focuses on volumetric 3D printing, with a particular emphasis on medical devices and structural electronics. Additionally, he is deeply engaged in advancing Direct Air Capture technology using Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs). His work includes investigating the mechanical properties of MOFs to facilitate their large-scale application with reduced energy consumption. Abrar completed both his undergraduate and master’s studies at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology. Outside of academia, he enjoys socializing, organizing community events, playing soccer, singing, and has recently developed a passion for cooking Bangladeshi cuisine.

Nicole Goridkov (she/her) is a PhD student in the mechanical engineering department at UC Berkeley. As a member of the Co-Design lab, advised by Prof. Kosa Goucher-Lambert, her main research interests include human-centered design thinking and design for sustainability. Specifically, she works on using computational tools to make sustainability principles more accessible to engineers and designers. Nicole graduated with a BS in mechanical engineering from MIT. In her free time, she enjoys baking, playing tennis, and growing plants.

Taylor is a 4th year PhD Student in Mechanical Engineering who specializes in 3D printing in space. Taylor is also a NASA engineer at the Kennedy Space Center, where he works on developing tools and equipment for the upcoming moon missions. Taylor did his undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is an avid maker, a fan of all things space, and focused on bringing STEAM to local communities.

Jonas is a third-year Mechanical Engineering student at UC Berkeley. His passions for nature preservation and space exploration, while seemingly opposite, both drive him toward a common goal of advancing society toward a more sustainable future.

In an effort to progress his goal, Jonas has recently begun researching the risk to lunar structures from seismic events. This involves using seismic data from the Apollo missions and computational simulations to predict and mitigate potential damage to infrastructure on the moon, supporting the safe development of future lunar bases.

In his free time, Jonas enjoys backpacking, traveling, and spending time outdoors. He also avidly tends to a home garden, which provides a rewarding break from his studies.

Amber (she/her) is a doctoral student in the Dept. of mechanical Engineering, where she conducts research in the Embodied Dexterity Group under Professor Hannah Stuart.  Her research interests include robophysics, bioinspired design, and the physics of animal locomotion.  Currently, Amber is developing control algorithms for a mole crab-inspired legged robot that can burrow into a granular substrate.  She hopes to enable the robot to walk, burrow, and transition between these modes for exploring unstructured terrains on other planets and moons in our Solar System.

Amber is passionate about equitable access to quality science education.  She has taught a range of courses, including Physics, Bioinspired design, and Advanced Robotics Engineering, to middle school, high school and college students.  She also volunteers with Cientifico Latino, the Women+ of Color Project, and the Amgen Scholars Program, where she supports underrepresented students.

Amber has received NASA Space Technology & Grant Research Opportunity and Google+ Black in Robotics PhD Award.  She holds an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from UC Berkeley (May 2024) and a B.S. in Physics from Yale University (May 2021).