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Rob Shepherd received a B.S. (2002) and a Ph.D. (2010) in Material Science from the University of Illinois, where his research focused on developing polymeric and colloidal suspensions as ‘inks’ for 3D printing. He fabricated microfluidic devices and synthesized single micron to millimeter scale parts, such as glass silicon microgears. Concurrently with his research, he received an M.B.A. (2009) and started a company, gaining significant experience in market research, financials, accounting, and legal aspects of entrepreneurship. In 2010, he continued his education as a post-doctoral fellow at Harvard University in George Whitesides’s research group within the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology. In this group, he developed pneumatic actuators from soft elastomers capable of moving in multiple gaits, such as walking and undulating. These actuators are used in low-cost manipulators and concert with microfluidic systems for biomimetic camouflage and display. His research interests include developing disruptive manufacturing technologies (such as 3D printing, replica molding, and microfluidics) and functional materials to enable new devices and user experiences, focusing particularly on increasing speed, dimensionality, resolution, and materials capability of free-form fabrication techniques, as well as developing soft actuators that mimic biological functions.
Department of Architecture