Dr. Burak Aksak

Assistant Professor

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Biography

Burak Aksak is a Teaching Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Carnegie Mellon University. He has a rich history in academia, having served as an Associate Professor at Texas Tech University from 2012 to 2023, where he was also the Associate Department Chair from 2019 to 2022. Aksak is known for his collaboration with industry, having co-founded Setex Technologies Inc. in 2009, which is a CMU spin-off, and later took on the role of Vice President in 2022. His research interests lie in bioinspired engineering, focusing on the design of engineering systems such as adhesives, actuators, and sensors that are inspired by biological systems. He is also passionate about incorporating biomimicry, advanced materials, and entrepreneurship in his engineering courses. Aksak joined Carnegie Mellon University in Spring 2025 and is enthusiastic about teaching design courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Research Interests

Requirements for Carnegie Mellon University

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.5
GRE General
Verbal
Required:158
Quantitative
Required:149
Analytical Writing
Required:4
Overall
Required:4
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in Psychology or related field Research experience/publications
Application Checklist
  • Online application
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Transcripts
  • GRE scores (optional but reported in profile)
  • English Proficiency (TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo)
Specialization Notes

Admission is extremely competitive with no strict GPA cut-offs; holistic review is used.