Julianna M Abel

Julianna M Abel is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Minnesota. Her research focuses on smart materials and active textiles, particularly shape memory alloys (SMAs) and their applications in biomedical devices, wearable technology, and mechanical systems. She leads projects funded by organizations such as the National Science Foundation and Toyota Motor Corporation, exploring topics like programmable textiles for mobility, SMA-based actuators, and medical compression garments.

Her work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to improving health and well-being through innovations in medical compression therapy and wearable technologies. Projects include developing dynamic, tunable compression garments for orthostatic intolerance and creating self-fitting wearables using functional fabrics. She collaborates with interdisciplinary teams on advanced materials characterization, including in-situ X-ray analysis of knitted SMA architectures.

Key collaborations include roles on grants like the NSF CAREER award for NiTi fabrics and Toyota-funded mobility applications. Her research outputs span conferences such as ASME SMASIS and ACM ISWC, emphasizing practical applications and material science advancements. While no specific awards are listed, her extensive publication record and grant leadership highlight her prominence in the field.