Kathryn Matlack

Kathryn Matlack is an Associate Professor and Richard W. Kritzer Faculty Scholar in the Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, part of the Grainger College of Engineering. She holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology (2014), an M.S. from the same institution (2013), and a B.S. from MIT (2008). Prior to her faculty role, she was an ETH Postdoctoral Fellow (2014–2016) and held positions at the Air Force Research Lab.

Her research focuses on wave propagation in complex media, metamaterials, additive manufacturing, and ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation. Key interests include damage-tolerant metamaterials and their applications in energy, security, and defense. She leads the Wave Propagation and Metamaterials Laboratory, which designs architected materials for vibration mitigation and acoustic control.

Notable honors include the NSF CAREER Award (2021), ASME Early Career Award (2023), and Grainger College Dean’s Research Award (2023). Her lab actively engages in interdisciplinary projects, including collaborations with the U.S. Department of Defense and industry partners.