Smela, Elisabeth
Professor
Mechanical Engineering
The Institute for Systems Research
Materials Science and Engineering
Maryland Robotics Center
The Institute for Systems Research
Materials Science and Engineering
Maryland Robotics Center
2112 Glenn L. Martin Hall
Background
Research Scientist, Linköping University, Sweden
Senior Scientist, Risø National Laboratory, Denmark
Vice President of Research and Development, Santa Fe Science and Technology, Inc. (SFST), New Mexico
University of Maryland since 2000
Education
Ph.D., Electrical Engineering, University of Pennsylvania
B.S., Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Honors and awards
NSF Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), 2004
(converted from NSF CAREER for "Development of Advanced MEMS Actuator Technology for Microrobotics," 2003)
Outstanding Invention of 2004, Office of Technology Commercialization, UMD
for cell sensor-based pathogen detection
E. Robert Kent Teaching Award for Junior Faculty, UMD, 2004
DuPont Young Professor Award, 2003
Danish Research Councils Talent Project award, 1998
NSF Fellow, Summer Institute in Japan, 1991
Dr. Smela's research is primarily in the field of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), particularly polymer MEMS and bioMEMS. She focuses on the use of organic materials (from polymers to cells) in microsystems to realize microactuators, cell-based sensors, and CMOS/MEMS integrated systems.
Investing in Environmentally Responsible Engineering
A grant from The Lemelson Foundation will accelerate environmentally and socially responsible engineering through innovation in undergraduate curricula.Spread Hope: The "Smart Bra"
The "smart bra" is a low-cost wearable device that could conceivably detect breast cancer early enough for treatment.Real-time imaging platform for lab-on-CMOS biosensor systems
Pamela Abshire, Elisabeth Smela and their students developed a platform that generates high-quality images of lab-on-CMOS systems in cell culture environmentsBehtash Babadi wins Clark School teaching award for junior faculty
The Clark School annually presents the E. Robert Kent Teaching Award for Junior Faculty at its winter commencement.Alum Marc Dandin Appointed to Carnegie Mellon Faculty
Dandin was appointed as an assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.Elisabeth Smela one of five honored with Campus Women of Influence Award
Recipients have contributed to improving the quality of women's lives.Maryland Robotics Center launches a new postdoctoral fellowship program
The program will foster multidisciplinary collaborations among Maryland Robotics Center faculty.Salamanca-Riba Appointed 2017/2018 UMD ADVANCE Professor
Dr. Salamanca-Riba will help facilitate opportunities for advancement among University faculty members, especially under-represented groups.ISR faculty leading bio-inspired robotics and transportation electrification REUs
NSF's REU program provides undergraduate students with hands-on exposure to scientific research.Smela named Clark School Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Graduate Programs
She will begin serving in this position on Sept. 1.Khaligh wins Clark School junior faculty teaching award
Khaligh will receive the E. Robert Kent Teaching Award for Junior Faculty at winter commencement.University of Maryland, College Park & Baltimore Campuses Announce Seed Grant Winners
Program, now in eight year, spurs inter-campus research collaborationElisabeth Smela named ADVANCE Professor
She joins the ranks of five other ISR faculty associated with the ADVANCE program.Students present final projects for 2014 NSF Microrobotics REU
Research ranged from robotic skin to leg designs, inertial tail actuators, and more.Derek Paley wins PECASE Award
ISR/AE faculty member has research interests in dynamics and control.Sarah Bergbreiter wins PECASE Award
ISR/ME faculty member specializes in microrobotics.ECE Ph.D. student Timir Datta wins Graduate All-S.T.A.R. Fellowship
The fellowship honors scholarship, teaching, administration and research.Bruck, Smela, Yu receive NSF grant for compliant multifunctional robotic structures
National Robotics Initiative grant will develop a robotic 'nervous system.'Miniature Robotics REU students give final presentations
Ten undergrads from around the country give talks on their summer projects.Five additions to faculty
ISR welcomes four new joint appointments and one new affiliate faculty member.Antbot research profiled in Pacific Standard magazine
Article explores potential of antbots in search and rescue operationsISR organizes NSF Workshop on Micro, Nano, Biosystems
Event is held March 30-31 in Arlington, Va.Six ISR grad students in Clark School Future Faculty Program
Program helps students prepare for academic careers in top-50 engineering schools.Pamela Abshire wins Kent Teaching Award
Chosen for engaged teaching, curriculum development and advising student research.International partnership agreement being finalized
International relationship will include research and education components.Ching Teo and Yezhou Yang win in Qualcomm Innovation Fellowship competition
Teo is advised by ISR affiliate faculty member Yiannis Aloimonos.ISR faculty earn promotions
Sennur Ulukus, Elisabeth Smela, Min Wu and Bruce Jacob promoted to Full Professor.Nuno Martins promoted to Associate Professor with Tenure
Dr. Martins' research interests are in control theory, estimation and information theory.ISR students Datta, Teo are part of finalist teams in Qualcomm competition
Qualcomm Innovation Fellowship competition recognizes outstanding Ph.D. students.ISR's busy November: NSF site visit, 25th anniversary dinner, SAC meeting
The Institute for Systems Research held three major events from Nov. 17–19.Martins, Somasundaram, Frazier win awards at ISR's annual ceremony
Congratulations to our outstanding faculty, graduate student and staff member!Six Clark School faculty become affiliates of ISR
ISR welcomes Desai, Humbert, Jacob, Paley, Qu and Smela.Martins, Abshire, Smela, Bergbreiter win $1.5 million NSF grant
The team will develop self-organizing ant-sized microrobots.Cell-based sensors featured in The Scientist
Cross-disciplinary work of Abshire, Smela, Shapiro is highlighted.Shapiro, Smela are issued U.S. Patent 7,523,608
Clark School faculty members invent electrically driven microfluidic pumping for actuation.Clark School Researchers Collaborate on New Cell-Based Sensors
New bio-sensors could speed up and improve the detection of pathogens, explosives.Abshire, Shapiro, Smela part of biosensor grant
Researchers are partnering with IBI, graduate of university's TAP program.New Scientist highlights cell sensor research
Work of Shapiro, Abshire, Smela improves pathogen detection.Microfluidic System for Sample Preparation (ISR IP)
This IP is available to license.Micro-Array for Nucleotide Amplification with 2D Positional Information (ISR IP)
This IP is available to license.Micro-Fluidic Pumping (ISR IP)
This IP is available to license.Cell-Based Sensing: Biological Transduction of Chemical Stimuli to Electrical Signals (Nose-on-a-Chip) (ISR IP)
This IP is available to license.Cell Canary (ISR IP)
This IP is available to license.Abshire is PI for NSF grant on cell-based sensing
ECE/ISR assistant professor will research integrated transduction, actuation and controlISR faculty win two Invention of the Year awards
Faculty recognized in information science and physical science categoriesGupta, Ghodssi, Shapiro part of $3 million micro air vehicles MURI
April 2004—ISR faculty will be working on "Micro Hovering Air Vehicles: Revolutionary Concepts and Navigation Advancements"Temporary Clark School clean room opens
Room meets urgent need for enhanced fabrication capabilities.Ghodssi, Rubloff, Smela awarded DURIP for chemical mechanical planarizer
Tool used in semiconductor fabrication, microelectronics, optoelectronics and MEMSGhodssi, DeVoe awarded MRI for MEMS aligner/bonder
Grant to fund state-of-the-art MEMS microfabrication equipment- Structures and methods for increasing the speed of electroactive polymers
- Cell-based sensing: biological transduction of chemical stimuli to electrical signals (nose-on-a-chip)
- Electrically conductive metal impregnated elastomer materials and methods of forming electrically conductive metal impregnated elastomer materials
- Electrically Driven Microfluidic Pumping for Actuation