Skylar Tibbits

Skylar Tibbits is an Associate Professor of Design Research at MIT's Department of Architecture, where he leads undergraduate programs and co-directs the Self-Assembly Lab. His roles include teaching design studios and coordinating MIT's undergraduate Design programs. He is also an Assistant Director for Education at the Morningside Academy for Design. His work focuses on programmable materials and self-assembly technologies for manufacturing, construction, and product innovation.

Education:

• Bachelor of Architecture (Professional Degree) from Philadelphia University with a minor in experimental computation
• Master of Science in Design Computation from MIT
• Master of Science in Computer Science from MIT, advised by Patrick Winston, Terry Knight, Erik Demaine, and Neil Gershenfeld

Research Interests:

• Self-assembly systems and programmable material technologies
• 4D printing and shape-changing materials
• Robotics, smart manufacturing, and architectural applications
• Material agency and adaptive systems

His lab explores innovations like reversible textile transformation, active haptic knits, and gel-supported 3D printing.

Key Awards:

• R&D Magazine's 2015 Innovator of the Year
• National Geographic Emerging Explorer (2015)
• WIRED Fellow (2014)
• Fast Company Innovation by Design Award (2013)

Advising & Labs:

• Director of MIT's undergraduate Design programs
• Founder and co-director of the Self-Assembly Lab
• Collaborates with industry leaders in architecture, robotics, and materials science

Future Work: Expanding applications of programmable matter in construction, healthcare, and wearable technologies.