Our research group is located in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Virginia Tech. We foster an interdisciplinary research environment where scientists and engineers explore fundamental and applied aspects of soft materials. The Soft Materials and Structures Lab is located in Goodwin Hall and the Corporate Research Center in Blacksburg, Virginia.
Research Focus
Our research lies at the intersection of soft materials, mechanics, and functionality. Through precise experiments and analyses, we study and exploit the fascinating interplay between material composition, geometry, and programmed deformations. This interdisciplinary and biomimetic approach aims to create advanced, multifunctional materials with novel combinations of mechanical and functional properties, including ‘smart’ adhesives, stretchable electronics and soft robotics, and adaptive materials.
Recent News
4/2021 – Prof. Bartlett presents at MRS and chairs a session on novel soft composites.
4/2021 – Prof. Bartlett gives an invited seminar at Texas Tech in Mechanical Engineering.
4/2021 – Prof. Bartlett gives an invited presentation at the 2021 ACS Spring Meeting in the Fundamentals of Polymer Mechanics session.
3/2021 – Prof. Bartlett receives the ICTAS Junior Faculty Award. VT news story.
3/2021 – Dohgyu receives the 2021 Adhesion Society Distinguished Paper Award for his work on Programmable Adhesion.
2/2021 – Prof. Bartlett gave a keynote presentation at the 2021 Adhesion Society meeting and co-organized/chaired a session on the 50th anniversary of the JKR theory. Dohgyu, Ted, Haque, and Ravi all present.
12/2020 – Dohgyu receives the Peebles Award from the Adhesion Society.
11/2020 – Prof. Bartlett was a guest on the Soft Robotics Podcast. You can listen to the conversation on SoundCloud, iTunes, Google Podcast, and other podcast providers.
8/2020 – The Soft Materials and Structures lab moves to Virginia Tech!
7/2020 – Lin successfully defends her PhD!
7/2020 – Ravi successfully defends his PhD!
7/2020 – Dohgyu successfully defends his Masters!
6/2020 – Prof. Bartlett and Rob Style write an editorial titledIntroduction to Liquid Composites as guest editors for the special Soft Matter issue on ‘Liquid Composites.’ See the collection here.
6/2020 – Haque receives a Postdoctoral Seed Grant from the Graduate College at Iowa State.
3/2020 – Dohgyu receives the Research Excellence Award from the Graduate College. Read more here.
3/2020 – Haque, Ravi, Dohgyu, and Ted present at the Midwest Graduate Student Society of Experimental Mechanics (SEM) Symposium.
2/2020 – Prof. Bartlett receives the Early Career Scientist Award from the Adhesion Society.
2/2020 – Ravi receives the Alan Gent Distinguished Student Award from the Adhesion Society. Read more here.
2/2020 – Dohgyu, Ravi, and Prof. Bartlett attend and present at the Adhesion Society in Charleston, SC. Prof. Bartlett co-organized and co-chaired a session on Soft Materials for Soft Technology.
1/2020 – Dohgyu receives the Brown Graduate Fellowship.
1/2020 – Sarah is awarded the Dean’s High Impact Award for Undergraduate Research to support her research in the lab.
