Bryant receives NSF CAREER Award

Dr. Matthew Bryant, assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at North Carolina State University, has received a Faculty Early Career Development award, also known as the CAREER Award, from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The award is one of the highest honors given by NSF to young faculty members in science and engineering.

NSF will provide $500,000 in funding over five years to support his project, “Muscle-Inspired Load-Adaptive Actuation for Compliant Robotics.”

Bryant’s project aims to advance national health, welfare and security through scientific advancements in the field of biologically inspired robotics favorable for wearable technology and exoskeletons. He looks to do this by creating a new type of actuator that is inspired by human muscle tissues.

The new approach Bryant is looking to achieve will help to make assistive robotics safer, more comfortable and more compatible with the human physiology — which will lend itself to outreach opportunities to work with young people who suffer from disabilities. Additionally, the outreach activities will help inspire these young people and show them how engineering can be used to improve their lives and those around them.

Bryant received his B.S. in mechanical engineering in 2007 from Bucknell University, M.S. in mechanical engineering in 2011 and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering in 2012, both from Cornell University.