Matthew Spenko

  • Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
  • Co-Pi, CARNATIONS

Education

Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2005
M.S. Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2001
B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, 1999

Research Interests

  • Electrostatic gecko-like adhesives for climbing, perching, and manipulation
  • Navigation integrity for self-driving cars and other mobile robots
  • Granular-based soft robots
  • Robots for exploring, measuring, and sampling tree biota

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

Senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

Awards

  • Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research, Armour College of Engineering, 2022
  • MMAE Excellence in Research Award, Illinois Institute of Technology, 2018
  • MMAE Excellence in Teaching Award, Illinois Institute of Technology, 2014 and 2017
  • One of 21 Researchers to Know, Illinois Science and Technology Coalition, 2019
  • Named a Top Researcher of 2015, Chicago Inno
  • IIT/Bauer Family Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award, IIT, 2014
  • Best Paper, Planetary Rovers Session, Int. Society of Terrain-Vehicle Systems, 2011
  • Air Force Summer Faculty Fellowship, May-July 2009
  • Best Paper Award, IEEE Transactions on Robotics, 2008
  • Intelligence Community Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, August 2005-July 2007
  • Best Student Paper, IEEE Int. Conf. on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 2007
  • Best Paper Finalist, IEEE Int. Conf. on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 2007
  • Best Paper, Unmanned Vehicles Session, Army Science Conference, 2006
  • Best Conference Paper runner up, Army Science Conference, 2006 

Publications

Google Scholar Citations

Expertise

Control, dynamics, mechanical design, and soft robotics

Media Appearances