Ryan L. Truby

Ryan L. Truby is an Assistant Professor at Northwestern University in both the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and the Department of Mechanical Engineering. He leads the Robotic Matter Lab, focusing on advancing machine intelligence through material design for soft robotics and multifunctional systems.

• Northwestern University: 2021–Present
• Core Member, Center for Robotics and Biosystems

Education

• Ph.D. in Applied Physics, Harvard University
• B.S. in Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin
• Postdoctoral Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Research Interests: Truby's work bridges soft robotics, multimaterial 3D printing, and bioinspired actuation. His lab develops materials with distributed sensorimotor capabilities, integrating machine learning-based control strategies and rheological characterization to create autonomous systems for healthcare and environmental applications.

Scientific Awards

• DARPA Young Faculty Award (2023)
• CESR Seed Funding Award (2023)
• Air Force Young Investigator Research Program Award (2021)

Contact: rtruby@northwestern.edu