Robin Orval

Since April 2022, Robin is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Form Finding Lab at Princeton University under the supervision of Prof Sigrid Adriaenssens, working on design strategies for scaffold-free construction of shell and space structures.

In 2019 – 2022, during his previous postdoc under the supervision of Dr John Orr in the Structures Research Group in the Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge, Robin contributed to the ACORN project on automating concrete construction by designing and building a concrete shell as a sustainable alternative to building floors thanks off-site robotic fabrication.

Between 2016 and 2019, Robin completed a joint-PhD between the Laboratoire Navier at École des Ponts ParisTech and the Block Research Group in the Department of Architecture at ETH Zurich under the supervision of Prof Oliver Baverel and Prof Philippe Block, introducing topology finding of patterns for structural design.

Prior to this, Robin graduated as a structural engineer at École des Ponts in 2016, following a double curriculum in structure and architecture with the École d’Architecture de Paris-Marne.

For a year, Robin also gained practice experience in the structural engineering office Bollinger + Grohmann in Frankfurt in 2014/2015.

Derosh George

I joined the Form Finding Lab as a postdoctoral researcher in July of 2021. Before joining Princeton University, I have worked as a researcher in the field of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering for over six years; two years as a Junior Research Fellow (JRF), and more than four years as a Ph.D. student. My work so far has been interdisciplinary; it was a curious amalgam of solid mechanics, material science, and microfluidics. As a JRF, I worked on biomimetic liquid transport systems, whereas my doctoral studies concentrated on developing carbon manufacturing strategies that enable tailoring carbon’s morphology and microstructure. One of the key products of my Ph.D. research is the development of programmable self-foldable films for origami-based manufacturing.  Pivoting on these prior works, I want to focus my future research on advanced manufacturing methods. As a postdoctoral researcher at Princeton University, my goal would be to grow a unique research portfolio by building upon my foundation on carbon origami microfabrication. Leveraging on my previous work, in my current research, I want to develop a scalable and high-throughput manufacturing method for complex three-dimensional structures of multiple materials and scales, using appropriate folding mechanisms and computational origami approaches. Ultimately, I want to share the knowledge thus gained from research through mentoring, teaching, and publications.

Lucia Stein-Montalvo

I joined the Form Finding Lab in August 2021 as a Presidential Postdoctoral Research Fellow. I completed my Masters and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at Boston University, where I studied the mechanics of “shape-shifting” in plates and shells–i.e. compelling structures to adopt a different configuration on demand, or in response to a stimulus, through large deformations and instabilities. Prior to this, I received a B.S. in Mathematics from Davidson College, with a minor in Hispanic Studies.

In the Form Finding lab, I am exploring how the mechanics of shape-shifting can inform adaptive architectural design, aimed at improving ventilation and thermal comfort while reducing energy needs in urban landscapes. Specifically, my current areas of research interest are fluid-structure interactions, morphing metamaterials (e.g. kirigami), and dynamic shading.

Tian Yu

I received my PhD in Engineering Mechanics from Virginia Tech in December 2019, and joined Princeton University as a Postdoctoral Research Associate in February 2020. My PhD work was focusing on mechanics of thin structures, such as bifurcations of thin rods/strips/sheets. 

In the Form Finding Lab, I am working on bifurcations and multi-stability of elastic networks (made of slender strips/rods), and mechanics of flexible nets (e.g., dancing nets), through a combination of experiments and numerical simulations. I am also interested in structural design and optimization.

Landolf Rhode-Barbarigos

I received my PhD in Structural Mechanics in August 2012 from the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and joined Princeton University in October 2012 as a Postdoctoral Research Associate. My research to date has focused on the design and analysis of adaptive and passive structures combining form-finding and analysis methods with advanced computing. My research interests include adaptive structures, structural design and optimization as well as computer-aided engineering.