Affiliation: U.S. Naval Research Laboratory

Dr. Nicole Xu is a bioengineer with an interdisciplinary background in the field of soft robotics, fluid mechanics, and organismal biology. Currently, her work as a National Research Council (NRC) Postdoctoral Research Associate at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory focuses on using bioinspired shark skin surfaces to improve the performance of unpiloted underwater vehicles. During her PhD work at Stanford University, Dr. Xu developed a robotic system to control live jellyfish swimming and demonstrated the swimming speed enhancements in both laboratory and field work. She received her MS in Bioengineering from the California Institute of Technology and BSE. in Bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania.