Amir H. Alavi

Dr. Amir H. Alavi is an Associate Professor and B.P. America Faculty Fellow in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh's Swanson School of Engineering, with courtesy appointments in Bioengineering and Mechanical Engineering. His research spans three primary thrusts: mechanics and electronics of multifunctional materials, self-powered sensing systems, and data-driven modeling of engineering systems.

Dr. Alavi earned his PhD in Civil Engineering from Michigan State University, with MSc and BSc degrees from Iran University of Science & Technology. His groundbreaking work has established the scientific fields of “meta-tribomaterials” and “mechanical metamaterial electronics (meta-mechanotronics),” which integrate mechanical metamaterials with digital electronics and nano-energy harvesting to create intelligent material systems that can sense, self-power, compute, and communicate without external power sources.

His research portfolio demonstrates a clear trend toward increasingly sophisticated intelligent material systems that bridge civil infrastructure, aerospace, and biomedical applications. Recent publications highlight the convergence of mechanical metamaterials with AI-driven design approaches, particularly in developing self-powered medical implants and smart civil infrastructure systems. The articles reflect a strategic focus on creating materials with “cognition” that can form sense-decide-respond loops for autonomous operation.

• NSF CAREER Award (2023)
• NIH Trailblazer Award (2019)
• ASME Rising Star of Mechanical Engineering Award
• Web of Science ESI World Top 1% Scientific Minds (2018, 2023)
• Stanford University List of Top 1% Scientists (2019-2023)

Since joining Pitt in 2019, Dr. Alavi has secured nearly $3 million as lead PI from various funding agencies. His ISMART research group includes multiple postdoctoral scholars, PhD students, and undergraduate researchers working on projects ranging from metamaterial concrete to self-powered spinal implants. The lab actively collaborates with industry partners and government agencies, including partnerships with the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. Dr. Alavi also serves as Editor-in-Chief of npj Metamaterials and maintains editorial roles at Elsevier's Measurement and Chip journals.