Joost J. Vlassak

Joost J. Vlassak is the Abbott and James Lawrence Professor of Materials Engineering at Harvard University, affiliated with the Department of Mechanical Engineering. He serves as an Area Chair in Materials Science & Mechanical Engineering and a Faculty Associate at the Harvard University Center for the Environment. His research interests include materials science, mechanical engineering, and soft matter. Vlassak is associated with the Vlassak Small-Scale Mechanics Lab and the McKay Laboratory. His work spans applied physics, surface and interface science, and solid mechanics, with a focus on innovative technologies and their applications.

Joost Vlassak is a researcher at Harvard University specializing in Mechanics, Materials, and Thermo-mechanical behavior. His work focuses on the development of highly stretchable and tough hydrogels, adhesives for wet surfaces, and the mechanical characterization of thin films and anisotropic materials. He has also explored the mechanical properties of metal films on polymer substrates and the behavior of lithium-ion battery electrodes under fast charging. His research integrates experimental and numerical methods to study the mechanical response of materials under various conditions, contributing to the fields of soft robotics, biomedical devices, and energy storage.