Jeff Dusek

In September 2017 I joined the faculty at the Olin College of Engineering ​where I am an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering and lead the Laboratory for Adaptation, Inclusion, and Robotics (LAIR). In the LAIR lab my undergraduate research students work on projects in marine robotics, adaptive technology, and rehabilitative devices. As I develop a new web presence for my lab, please contact me at jeff.dusek@olin.edu.
 
Brief Bio:
Growing up on the shores of Lake Erie outside of Cleveland, Ohio, I developed a love for the water at a young age. This interest, combined with a passion for science, led me to the exciting field of Ocean Engineering, which I pursued at Florida Atlantic University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Following my graduate work, I completed a postdoctoral fellowship working in the Self-organizing Systems Research Group at Harvard University under the guidance of Professor Radhika Nagpal.
 
Broadly, my ocean engineering areas of interest include experimental hydrodynamics, sensor development, and biomimetics. In all cases, I strive to apply lessons learned in the lab to real-world problems. 
 
I have a keen interest in assistive/adaptive devices and the ability of emerging technologies and materials to enhance the lives of those living with a disability. I am particularly interested in working with co-designers to develop user-focused technologies that enhance performance and maintain autonomy. My lab has partnered on impactful projects with Toyota of North America, The Peabody Foundation, Crotched Mountain, and numerous individual community members.

Education:
I am a 2016 PhD graduate from Professor Michael Triantafyllou’s Towing Tank group in the MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering.
I was also a member of the Center for Environmental Sensing and Modeling (CENSAM) as part of the Singapore MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART).
 
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
PhD, Mechanical and Ocean Engineering, February 2016
Thesis: “Development of Bio-Inspired Distributed Pressure Sensor Arrays for Hydrodynamic Sensing Appplications”
Advisor: Professor Michael Triantafyllou
 
SM, Ocean Engineering, 2011
Thesis: “Leading Edge Vortex Detection Using Bio-Inspired On-Body Pressure Sensing”
Advisor: Professor Michael Triantafyllou 
 
Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL
BS, Ocean Engineering, Summa Cum Laude, May 2009