Paul Baconnier

Paul Baconnier is a Research Fellow at AMOLF (Amsterdam, Netherlands), conducting advanced research within the Mechanical Metamaterials group under Martin van Hecke's leadership. His work falls under the Modern Mechanics expertise center at the institute.

His primary research focuses on mechanical metamaterials—engineered structures deriving exceptional properties from architectural design rather than composition. This encompasses:

• Wave propagation control in structured media
• Nonlinear elastic responses
• Programmable mechanical behavior
• Lightweight impact-absorbing systems
• Topological mechanics
• 3D-printed material architectures

His investigations bridge theoretical mechanics, computational modeling, and experimental nanofabrication, targeting applications in aerospace, biomedical devices, and adaptive structures. The research demonstrates strong interdisciplinary connections with photonics and soft matter physics through AMOLF's collaborative framework.

Dr. Baconnier actively contributes to the institute's mission in fundamental energy research through mechanical systems innovation, operating within state-of-the-art nanofabrication facilities.