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Email: cxu at uab.edu
Office: GH 5229, 902 14th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35205
Lab: GH 1215
Research Interest:
Physical intelligence
Human/robot touch
Soft sensors & actuators
Bioinspired materials
Digital manufacturing
Principal Investigator
Principal Investigator
Chengyi Xu, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, X-Lab
Department of Mechanical & Materials Engineering (MME)
School of Engineering
The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)
Affiliated Faculty
Neuroengineering PhD Program
Graduate Biological Science Program
Associate Scientist
Comprehensive Neuroscience Center
Heersink School of Medicine
Training & Education Background
Stanford University, CA (2020-2024)
Research Staff Scientist
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Department of Chemical Engineering
Advisor: Zhenan Bao
University of California, Irvine, CA (2015-2020)
Ph.D. in Materials Science & Engineering
Advisor: Alon A. Gorodetsky
University of Science and Technology of China (2012-2015)
M.S. in Polymer Chemistry & Physics
University of Science and Technology of China (2008-2012)
Special Class for the Gifted Young (少年班)
B.S. in Chemistry
Welcome to Join Our Interdisciplinary Research Team!
X-Lab Culture
(A) Always Ask, (B) Be Kind, (C) Collaborative, (D) Disciplined, (E) Empathetic
1. Openings are available at the PhD, master's, and undergraduate levels.
*For PhD applicants, please submit your CV and briefly explain why you would be a good fit for the group,
including your funding status and/or plan. General inquiry emails will NOT be responded.
Graduate Application: https://www.uab.edu/engineering/mme/graduate
Undergrad Application: https://www.uab.edu/engineering/mme/undergraduate
2. Motivated interns from local high schools are encouraged to apply through UAB CORD.
UAB CORD Program: https://www.uab.edu/cord/program
Team Members
Team Members
Jinxin Chen
PhD Student
Year Joined: 2024
Email: jchen9@uab.edu
Previous Institution
M.Sc./B.Sc. in BME
Case Western Reserve University
Research Interest
Neural interfaces
Hobbies
Swimming, playing guitar, cooking, basketball, gaming
Nyeem Ul Haque Durjoy
PhD Student, Blazer Fellow
Year Joined: 2025
Email: ndurjoy@uab.edu
Previous Institution
KUET
Research Interest
Robotic skin
Hobbies
Traveling, playing badminton, cricket, chess
Adam Finger
PhD Student
Year Joined: 2025
Email: afinger@uab.edu
Previous Institution
Colorado School of Mines
Research Interest
Brain-Computer Interfaces, Neuroprosthetics
Hobbies
Playing electric guitar, drawing, knitting, spending time with friends
Maria Rezvova
PhD Student
Co-advisor: Prof. Pengfei Wang (UAB Chemistry)
Year Joined: 2026
Email: mrezvova@uab.edu
Previous Institution
M.Sc./B.Sc in Chemistry
Kemerovo State University
Research Interest
Polymer materials for biomedical applications
Hobbies
Reading, sewing, playing ukulele
Lara Báez-Brogan
Undergrad
Year Joined: 2025
Email: lbaezbro@uab.edu
Institution
UAB
Research Interest
Neural interfaces
Hobbies
Reading, Crochet, drawing, spending time with friends
Aldo Antonio Aversa
Undergrad
Year Joined: 2026
Email: aaversaa@uab.edu
Institution
UAB
Research Interest
Soft sensors for clinical applications
Hobbies
Playing soccer, working out, hanging out with friends
Chole Mondido
Undergrad (NSF REU student)
Year Joined: 2026
Email: cmondido@uab.edu
Institution
UT Chattanooga
Research Interest
Robotic skin
Hobbies
Drawing, gaming, enjoying music, spending time with friends
Alumni
Alumni
Md Harun Or Rashid Molla
Master's Student
Year Joined: 2024
Email: mmolla@uab.edu
Previous Institution
M.Sc. in MechE
University of Texas at El Paso
Research Interest
Artificial muscles
Hobbies
Traveling, cooking, and playing indoor games
Current Position
Faculty, KUET
Bryson Smith
Undergrad
Year Joined: 2026
Email: brsmith4@uab.edu
Institution
UAB
Research Interest
Robotic skin
Hobbies
Reading, working out, gaming, hanging out with friends
Hanny Cardoso-Alcantar
Undergrad
Year Joined: 2024
Email: hgcardos@uab.edu
Institution
UAB
Research Interest
Engineering artificial mechanoreceptors
Hobbies
Enjoy drawing, reading, and spending time with my family and friends
Anthony Speight
Undergrad
Year Joined: 2025
Email: aspeig34@uab.edu
Institution
UAB
Research Interest
Artificial muscles
Hobbies
Chess, skateboarding, 3D printing
Current Position
Engineer, Niagara Bottling
Bryan Armstrong
Undergrad
Year Joined: 2025
Email: bkarmstr@uab.edu
Institution
UAB
Research Interest
Artificial muscles
Hobbies
Gaming, sports, traveling
Current Position
Engineer, RTX
Miguel Brooks
Undergrad
Year Joined: 2025
Email: brooksma@uab.edu
Institution
UAB
Research Interest
Artificial muscles
Hobbies
Songwriting, fashion, hiking
Muhammad Abusalameh
Undergrad
Year Joined: 2025
Email: mmabusal@uab.edu
Institution
UAB
Research Interest
Artificial muscles
Hobbies
Trivia, concert-going
Current Position
Incoming PhD student, Rice University
Greeshma Vinoy
High school intern
Year Joined: 2025
Institution
Alabama School of Fine Arts
Research Interest
Neural interfaces & bioelectronics
Hobbies
Swimming, traveling, watch Formula-1
Albert Chen
High school intern
Year Joined: 2025
Institution
Alabama School of Fine Arts
Research Interest
Artificial muscles
Current Position
Incoming freshman, Purdue University
Brijesh Brijesh
Master's Student
Year Joined: 2025
Email: bbrijesh@uab.edu
Previous Institution
UAB
Research Interest
AI for robotic materials discovery
Hobbies
Gaming, swimming, basketball, traveling
Current Position
Solution Engineer, Google
Taha Khan
Master's Student
Year Joined: 2025
Email: khan9@uab.edu
Previous Institution
UAB
Research Interest
Intelligent robotic interface
Hobbies
Traveling, going to gym, gaming, and watching movies
Current Position
Engineer, DZ Corporation
Saketh Varma Kanumuri
Undergrad
Year Joined: 2024
Email: svkanumu@uab.edu
Institution
UAB
Research Interest
Engineering artificial mechanoreceptors
Current Position
CEO/Founder, STRYD Orthopedics
Leonardo Wang
Undergrad (NSF REU Student)
Year Joined: 2025
Email: lw7@uab.edu
Institution
Sewanee: The University Of The South (Physics)
Research Interest
Soft electronics
Hobbies
Martial arts, chess, and driving
Current Position
Columbia University (EE)
Ashima Sharma
Master Student in CS
Year Joined: 2025
Email: sharma4@uab.edu
Previous Institution
UAB
Research Interest
AI for robotic materials discovery
Hobbies
Trekking, Badminton, Gaming, Traveling
Current Position
Software Engineer, Metis
John Logan Sliman
Undergrad (EE)
Year Joined: 2025
Email: jlsliman@uab.edu
Research Interest
Artificial muscles
Hobbies
Building computers, and scuba diving
Takumi Uesaka
Master Student in MME
Year Joined: 2024
Email: tuesaka@uab.edu
Previous Institution
B.S. in MechE
Osaka City University (Japan)
Research Interest
Adaptive materials
Hobbies
Traveling, snowboarding
Honorable Member
Honorable Member
BuBu
Canine Scholar
He/him/his
Year Joined: 2025
Current Institution
UAB 🐲
Research Interest
How to efficiently break plush toys
Hobbies
Hiking, chasing birds, and eating kale
Fun Fact
Born in Huntsville, AL - NASA's Rocket City 🚀
Best friend: Rocky the Dachshund
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