Robert Nawrocki

Robert Nawrocki is an Associate Professor at Purdue University's School of Engineering Technology (SoET), specializing in organic electronics, bioelectronics, and neuromorphic systems. His research focuses on developing ultra-thin, flexible, and biocompatible electronic devices for biopotential monitoring, soft robotics, and smart materials.

• Education: PhD in Engineering (2014) and M.S. in Computer Engineering (2011) from the University of Denver; B.S. in Computer Engineering from NJIT (2004).
• Key Research Areas: Physically flexible organic electronics, neuromorphic systems, piezoelectric/chemical sensors, and soft robotics.

His work has advanced 3D-printed functional materials, including the world's thinnest organic electronics skin (sub-300 nm) with tactile sensors and polymer neuromorphic circuits capable of pattern recognition. Recent publications emphasize applications in precision agriculture, wearable healthcare monitoring, and hardware-level spiking neural networks. He has received prestigious awards such as the 2021 Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award and 2021 Ralph W. and Grace M. Showalter Research Trust Award.

• Scientific Awards:
  • 2021 ONR Young Investigator
  • 2021 Showalter Research Trust
  • 2023 Collins Aerospace & USDA
  • IEEE Best Paper Award (2011)
• Advising: Mentors current PhD and Master's students in organic electronics and neuromorphic systems.
• Labs: Leads the Laboratory of Organic Bio-Electronics (LOBE), a hub for interdisciplinary research in bio-compatible sensors and printed electronics.