About
I use geometry to design novel materials that have unusual mechanical properties, with a particular focus on thin and slender structures that can undergo large deformations at low energy. Currently, I am studying (i) the interplay between symmetries and stiffness in origami sheets and (ii) the localization of deformations in mechanical bilayer networks.
As a theorist, I use simple models that enable analytical insight, such as symmetry arguments and topological invariants frequently used in quantum systems but are only valid in extreme limits. Thus, a crucial part of my work is to understand the limitations of my theoretical models and determine scaling laws that enable collaborators to realize these structures experimentally.
My interests extend far beyond these examples ranging from the manipulation of geometric phases for locomotion to the characterization of periodic structures in curved spaces.
