Our Team

Lab Director

Jianguo Zhao
Dr. Jianguo Zhao

Dr. Jianguo Zhao is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Colorado State University. Before joining CSU in 2015, he received his Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Michigan State University in 2015; his M.E. in Mechanical Engineering from Harbin Institute of Technology, P. R. China in 2007 and B.E. in 2005.

Graduate Students

Zhe Chen

Zhe is a Ph.D. student who joined the lab in August 2019 after completing his M.S. at Huazhong University of Science and Technology. His research is centered on reconfigurable robots.

Elisha Lerner

Eli is a Ph.D. student who originally joined the lab in 2019 as an undergraduate researcher. After earning his Bachelor’s Degree, he chose to continue his studies in the lab, now focusing on origami robots for his Ph.D. research.

Mahmud Saikot

Mahmud is a Ph.D. student who joined the lab in 2023. He received his Bachelor’s Degree from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). He is currently working on robotic fish.

Sudheera Kariyawasam

Sudheera is a Ph.D. student who joined the lab in 2024 after completing his Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Moratuwa. His current research focuses on robotic perching.

Clint Middlemist

Clint is currently a M.S. student. He is working on shape-morphing robots.

Undergraduate Students

Andrew Stefka

Andrew joined the lab in summer 2023. He is currently working on perching robots.

Josh Chrisler

Josh joined the lab in spring 2024. He is currently working on deployable robots.

Alex Leadbetter

Alex joined the lab in summer 2024. He is currently working on robotic fish.

Alumni

  • Jiefeng Sun, Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering, Summer 2022. Current Position: Assistant Professor, Arizona State University
  • Haijie Zhang, Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering, Spring 2021. Current Position: Data Scientist, Optum
  • Bryce Jones, M.S. Mechanical Engineering, Summer 2024. Current Position: Testing Engineer, Blue Origin
  • Ajai Singh, M.S., Electrical Engineering, Spring 2023. Current Position: Control Engineer, Caterpillar 
  • Brandon Tighe, M.S. Mechanical Engineering, Spring 2022. Current Position: Manufacturing Engineer, Nordson Medical
  • Billy Hsiao, M.S., Electrical Engineering, Spring 2021. 
  • Ben Pawlowski, M.S. Mechanical Engineering, Fall 2019.
  • Ali Abbas, M.S. Mechanical Engineering, Spring 2018. Current Position: System Engineer, Samsung
  • Tony DeMario, M.S. Mechanical Engineering, Summer 2018. Current Position: President, Heath Steel
  • Fei Jiang, M.E. Mechanical Engineering, Spring 2016. Current Position: Dimensional Engineer, Meta
  • Sydney Spiegel,  B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Summer 2024.
  • Heaven Smith, B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Spring 2021.
  • Jordan Julian, B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Spring 2019.
  • Jeff Larchar, B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Spring 2019. 
  • Bradley Pospeck, B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Spring 2018
  • David Trinko, B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Spring 2017
  • Jeffrey Gier, B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Spring 2016
  • Alyssa Fournier, Summer REU, 2024.
  • Jacob Brannon, Summer REU, 2023.
  • Nick Woolsey, Summer REU, 2022.
  • Ben Burdess, Summer REU, 2021.
  • Simon Hempel-Costello, Summer REU, 2021, 2022.
  • Feiyu Wu, Poudre High School, 2023