Robert L. Steward, Jr.

Robert Steward Jr. is an Assistant Professor in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. He received his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University (CMU). During his time at CMU he began working in the field of cellular mechanics under the supervision of Philip LeDuc. After completing his studies at CMU he was a post-doctoral fellow at the T.H. Chan Harvard School of Public Health under the supervision of Jeffrey Fredberg where he continued his training in cellular mechanics.

Dr. Steward Jr. joined the University of Central Florida as a faculty member in 2015 and he currently runs a cellular biomechanics lab. His lab's major research focus includes investigating the effects of cellular mechanics on atherosclerosis, neurodegenerative disorders, diabetes, and the gut epithelium.