Horacio D. Espinosa

Horacio D. Espinosa is the James N. and Nancy J. Farley Professor in Manufacturing & Entrepreneurship at Northwestern University, with affiliations in the Theoretical and Applied Mechanics Program and the Institute for Cellular Engineering Technologies. He holds professorships in Mechanical Engineering and courtesy appointments in Biomedical Engineering and Civil and Environmental Engineering. His research focuses on nanomaterials mechanics, biomaterials, and micro/nanodevices for medicine. Espinosa earned his Ph.D. in Solid Mechanics from Brown University, alongside multiple M.Sc. degrees in Applied Mathematics and Structural Engineering. He has received prestigious awards including the Prager Medal (2019) and is a Fellow of AAAS and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

His research interests span understanding mechanical behavior of nanomaterials, developing micro/nanodevices for medicine, and designing mechanical metamaterials. The Micro and Nanomechanics Lab under his direction explores bioinspired materials, single-cell manipulation, and 2D materials mechanics. Espinosa serves on editorial boards of journals like Journal of Experimental Mechanics and chairs the Society of Engineering Science. His work integrates machine learning for material design and experimental mechanics, with over 300 publications and a strong focus on interdisciplinary collaboration.

• Education:
  • Ph.D. Solid Mechanics, Brown University (1988)
  • M.Sc. Applied Mathematics, Brown University (1985)
  • M.Sc. Solid Mechanics, Brown University (1985)
  • M.Sc. Structural Engineering, Polytechnic of Milan (1982)
  • Civil Engineering (Magna Cum Laude), Northeast National University (Argentina)
• Awards:
  • Prager Medal (2019), Murray Medal (2014), AAAS Fellow (2013)
  • Member, Academia Europaea (2019–present)
  • SES Young Investigator Medal (2007)
• Lab Capabilities: SEM-based nanomechanical testing, AFM, nanofountain probe electroporation, microfluidics platforms for gene editing.

Publications highlight advancements in 2D material toughness, bioinspired metamaterials, and single-cell electroporation. Espinosa's interdisciplinary approach bridges mechanics, biology, and nanotechnology to address challenges in materials science and medicine.