Stephan Warnat

Dr. Stephan Warnat is an Associate Professor in the Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Department at Montana State University’s Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering. He holds affiliations with the Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana Nanotechnology Facility (MONT), and The Graduate School. His research focuses on MEMS, biofilm sensing, environmental monitoring, and sensor development for applications in space, agriculture, and icy environments.

Education: Ph.D. in Material Science (Christian Albrechts University, 2010), M.S. in Material Science (2005), and Diplom-Ingenieur in Electrical Engineering (University of Applied Science, 2002).

Research interests include biofilm detection using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, MEMS-based sensors for extreme environments, and water quality monitoring. He teaches courses on measurement systems, MEMS, and material science. Recent awards include the 2025 Lloyd Berg Faculty Mentorship Award and the 2024 CBE Research Faculty Award.

Grants include USDA funding for smart farming and NSF support for studying solute dynamics. He actively engages in outreach, serving on the Alentic Microscience and Lorax Systems Inc. boards, and hosts educational events for Cub Scouts.