Cullen Buie

Cullen Buie is an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with tenure, working within the School of Engineering. He directs the Laboratory for Energy and Microsystems Innovation (LEMI), which focuses on microscale electric field driven transport phenomena for applications in biotechnology, fluid mechanics, and energy systems. His research bridges mechanical engineering, chemistry, and biology to address challenges ranging from healthcare to biofuels and energy storage.

Dr. Buie earned his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from The Ohio State University (2003), followed by an M.S. (2005) and Ph.D. (2009) from Stanford University. Prior to joining MIT, he was a University of California President's Postdoctoral Fellow at UC Berkeley working with Professor Liwei Lin at the Berkeley Sensors and Actuators Center.

His research interests center on exploiting microscale electric field phenomena, particularly in three interconnected areas: electrochemistry, electrokinetics, and microfluidics. His work has significant applications in microbial biotechnology, where electric fields are used to manipulate and assess cell phenotypes, and in energy storage systems, including the development of a membrane-less hydrogen bromine flow battery (HBLFB) that rivals membrane-based systems in performance while potentially reducing costs.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a consistent focus on microfluidic systems for biological applications, particularly bacterial manipulation and transformation. His work spans fundamental fluid dynamics, electrokinetic phenomena, and practical applications in energy storage and microbial engineering, with numerous publications in high-impact journals including Nature Communications, Lab on a Chip, and Physical Review E.

• NSF CAREER Award (2012)
• DuPont Young Professor Award (2013)
• DARPA Young Faculty Award (2013)
• Stanford Distinguished Alumni Scholar (2013)
• Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (2016)
• NIH Director's Transformative Research Award (2017)

Dr. Buie has successfully mentored several graduate students to completion of their degrees, including Ph.D. graduates Qianru Wang and Andrew Jones, and M.S. graduate Rameech McCormack. His research has received substantial funding, including an NIH Director's Transformative Research Award. He has also co-founded Kytopen Corp., a company commercializing technology from LEMI, which received startup funding from The Engine. His teaching portfolio includes core mechanical engineering courses such as Thermodynamics, Advanced Fluid Mechanics, and Thermal-Fluids Engineering.

At LEMI, Dr. Buie leads a research group investigating the intersections of electrochemistry, electrokinetics, and microfluidics engineering for 21st Century energy systems. The lab has developed innovative technologies including microfluidic devices for bacterial transformation, membraneless flow batteries, and methods for aerosol generation and analysis. The lab's work has led to both academic publications and commercial applications through the spinout company Kytopen.