Elliot Hawkes

Elliot Hawkes is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). His research bridges design, mechanics, and non-traditional materials to develop robust, adaptable, human-safe robots for uncertain environments. He leads the Hawkes Lab, focusing on bio-inspired microstructured adhesives, nonlinear compliant mechanisms, soft actuators, exoskeletons, and growing robots.

• PhD from Stanford University, 2015
• Postdoctoral Scholar at Stanford's CHARM Lab, 2015-2016
• Assistant Professor at UCSB since 2016

Current projects include:

• Material-like robotic collectives with spatiotemporal control
• Variable friction shoe for locomotor therapy
• High-force soft actuators for industrial applications
• Vine-inspired robots for search and rescue
• Growing robots for biomedical and environmental use

Recent publications in Science and Nature highlight breakthroughs in soft robotics and human-safe actuation. His team has received multiple NSF GRFP awards and a UCSB Regents Fellowship. The lab holds patents in adhesive gripping, soft actuation, and reconfigurable robotics.