Mission
Creating better products and processes. Reusing as many materials as possible.
Contact: matscisteph at gmail dot com
Companies/Labs
Current:
Oregon Shire Shop (Owner/Operator)
Past:
Intelligent Machines and Materials Lab (IMML) (OSU)
Reconfigurable Robotics Lab at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
New Devices Group (Venture) at Intel
Research Interests
Additive manufacturing, polymer science, materials science, 3d printing, elastomers, silicone, green chemistry, sustainability, wearables, assistive technology, fabrication, processing, extrusion, process engineering, soft robotics
Education
University of Washington, School of Public Health
Green Chemistry & Chemical Stewardship Online Certificate Program
3-course (1 year) program · (September 2019 - June 2020)
Oregon State University
Dual Ph.D. in Materials Science and Robotics
Focus on Polymer Materials, Soft Robotics · (September 2014 - September 2018)
Oregon State University
B.S. Chemical Engineering
Focus on Microelectronics Processes & Materials Science · (September 2011 - June 2014)
San Diego State University - California State University
B.A. Applied Science
Focus on Graphic Design · (August 2003 - May 2007)
Experience
Owner - Oregon Shire Shop | Salem, OR
2018 - Present
Source vintage merchandise and repair/clean for resale, including repair of electronics, decor, textiles, and shoes
Manage online eBay store with approximately 400 listings, including customer service and shipping
Daily accounting
Postdoctoral Scholar - Oregon State University/The Intelligent Machines and Materials Lab (IMML) | Corvallis, OR
October 2020 - Present
PI: Dr. Joseph Davidson
Tactile sensing technologies for underwater manipulators
Custom-build instrument for tensile/compression testing
Postdoctoral Scholar - Oregon State University/Facebook Reality Labs | Corvallis, OR
June 2019 - October 2020
PI: Dr. Joseph Davidson
Materials formulation for 3D printing
Custom soft material 3D printing process development
Exploration of geometrical limits for soft printed material
Project management
Intern mentoring
Postdoctoral Associate - Yale University | New Haven, CT
November 2018 - March 2019 (5 months)
PI: Dr. Rebecca Kramer-Bottiglio
Engineered new rotational molding technique for creating thin-walled soft robot voxels
Managed intern projects
Created new research directions for additive manufacturing of multicomponent soft filaments
Advised on manufacturing of soft materials with adaptable morphologies
Graduate Research Assistant - Oregon State University | Corvallis, OR
January 2015 - September 2018 (3 years 9 months)
PI: Dr. Yigit Menguc
Developed new safely degradable actuator for soft robotics using green chemistry
Created first high-resolution silicone extrusion 3D printer capable of printing without support
Performed materials characterization including rheology, curing kinetics, mechanical testing, polymer synthesis, custom actuator testing
NCCR Ph.D. Exchange Fellow - EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) | Switzerland
February 2018 - July 2018 (6 months)
PI: Dr. Jamie Paik
Engineered silicone printing process for creating hollow vacuum actuators for the face
Designed custom actuator test rig to mimic skin and bone for actuator performance
Performed material testing (tensile mechanical testing, sensor resistance testing)
Graduate Technical Intern - Intel Corporation, New Devices Group | Hillsboro, OR
June 2016 - September 2016 (4 months)
Created intellectual property for new soft robot actuator structures
Advised on materials for wearable assistive technologies, focusing on extremities
Laboratory Manager - Polymers Lab, Oregon State University | Corvallis, OR
April 2014 - February 2015 (11 months)
PI: Dr. Skip Rochefort
Trained students in thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, contact angle goniometer tests
Maintained 3D printer and 3D scanner
Managed multiple interns with wet chemistry and instrumentation work
Ensured lab standards (cleanliness, waste disposal, supply ordering, instrument ordering)
Skills
3D printers (thermoplastic, photopolymer, custom-made), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), optical profilometer, contact angle analyzer, tensile tester, laser cutter, wet chemistry, rotational rheometer, scanning electron microscope (SEM), Arduino, MATLAB, SOLIDWORKS, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, Acrobat), TA Universal Analysis (rheology + DSC), Microsoft Office, polymer characterization, data analysis, design of experiments (experimental design), product development, process improvements, documentation, analytical skills, quantitative analysis, teamwork, statistical analysis, problem solving