معرفی
Pratap M. Rao is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), with affiliations in Materials Science & Engineering and Chemical Engineering. He holds a BS from WPI (2007) and a PhD from Stanford University (2013). His research focuses on developing advanced materials for solar energy conversion, catalysis, printed electronics, sensors, and functional coatings, emphasizing scalable synthesis of nanostructured thin films.
His lab, the NanoEnergy Lab, integrates materials science, mechanical engineering, solid-state physics, and thermal sciences. Recent work includes projects on stretchable strain sensors for soft robotics, wearable haptic interfaces, and photocatalytic materials for environmental remediation. Rao is affiliated with the NextFlex Manufacturing USA Institute.
Rao has received grants from the National Science Foundation and the EPA, including a $3M NSF grant for human-robot workplace interaction studies and an EPA grant for 3D-printed structures to combat harmful algal blooms. Media highlights include a miniaturized oxygen sensor for infants and a robotic teleoperation glove, covered by the Worcester Business Journal and Boston 25.
