Prize Recipient


Recipient Picture

Anette Hosoi
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Citation:

"For creative analysis of locomotion, contributions to the development of soft robotics as an emerging field, and her ability to combine mathematical analysis with physical insight."

Background:

Anette "Peko" Hosoi is the Neil and Jane Pappalardo Professor of Mechanical Engineering and professor of Mathematics at MIT.  Her research contributions lie at the junction of fluid dynamics, biomechanics, and bio-inspired design. A common theme in her work is the fundamental study of shape, kinematic, and rheological optimization of biological systems with applications to the emergent field of “soft robotics.”  Her work is internationally respected by physicists, biologists, roboticists, applied mathematicians, and engineers alike, and is used to guide the engineering design of robotic swimmers, crawlers, burrowers, and other mechanisms. More recently, she has turned her attention to problems that lie intersection of biomechanics, applied mathematics, and sports. She is the co-founder of the MIT Sports Lab which aims to solve engineering challenges in the sports domain. The program connects students and faculty with alumni and industry partners who work together to improve athletic performance using engineering to elevate endurance, speed, accuracy, and agility.

Peko has received numerous awards including the Ruth and Joel Spira Award for Distinguished Teaching, the Bose Award for Excellence in Teaching, and the Jacob P. Den Hartog Distinguished Educator Award. She is a Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS), a Radcliffe Institute Fellow, and a MacVicar Faculty Fellow.

Peko joined the MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering in 2002 as an assistant professor after receiving an AB in physics from Princeton University and an MA and PhD in physics from the University of Chicago.


Selection Committee:

2018 Selection Committee Members: S. Balachandar (Chair), Karen Daniels (Vice-Chair), Rajat Mittal, Randy Ewoldt, Eva Kanso, Jens Eggers, Sungyon Lee, Amir Riaz