Graduation with Distinction Prepares Students for What’s Next
Graduation with Departmental Distinction gives MEMS undergraduates the skills and confidence to take their next step in academia, industry, medicine and beyond.
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Lego-Like Mechanical Blocks Let Robots Reprogram Stiffness and Swimming Paths
Lego-like blocks from Xiaoyue Ni let robots rewrite stiffness and motion by reprogramming solid materials in real time.
Programmable Lego-Like Material Emulates Life’s Flexibility
Electrically heated elements turn from solids to liquids to provide flexibility to robotic building blocks.
Innovative Control System Theory for Complex Networks
Leila Bridgeman and her team at Duke University Pratt School of Engineering are developing software that will improve upon existing techniques to ensure robust and safety-assured control for complex autonomous systems such as drones and medical robotics.
Reversing Blindness, Printing Knees, Pet Policies: NC’s Biggest Startup Deals of 2025
The News and Observer highlights some of the state's biggest startup successes of 2025, including Duke Engineering startups focused on genetic health solutions and bespoke 3D-printed orthopedic implants.
AI Learns to Build Simple Equations for Complex Systems
New AI system analyzes data to help scientists understand complex systems that change over time.
Bringing Together Regional Industry and Duke Materials Science
The Duke Materials Initiative and the Duke Critical Minerals Hub, in conjunction with Duke’s Office for External Partnerships, hosted the inaugural Duke-Industry Materials Connect event, an afternoon focused on collaboration, innovation, and networking across the broad space of materials science.
When Robots Learn to Hear
At Duke University’s General Robotics Lab, a diverse team is giving robots a new sense—teaching machines to listen, move, and even learn on their own.
Advancing Departmental Growth Through Strategic Leadership
Former MEMS Chair Cate Brinson reflects on her five-and-a-half years working to strengthen departmental organization and expand faculty hiring in key research areas.
Cate Brinson Named 2026 Fellow of the Materials Research Society
Brinson has been elected a Fellow of the Materials Research Society in recognition of her pioneering contributions to polymer science, shape memory alloys and the materials genome space.
Launching a More Meaningful Model for Undergraduate Advising
Through interest‑based matching, curriculum orientation and an AI‑supported advising system, MEMS is redefining how undergraduates and faculty engage with each other.
Five Duke Engineers Featured in the Highly Cited Researchers 2025 List
Yiran Chen, Stefano Curtarolo, Charles Gersbach, David Mitzi and Junjie Yao were recognized for ranking in the top 1% by citation in their fields.