Summer research, real impact: Undergraduates partner with Yale faculty

Written by Natalie Haase '27

For first and second year engineering students, finding a paid internship can be challenging as they may lack some of the major background knowledge (typically gained from junior year coursework) required to be competitive for these positions. Research is a productive and efficient way to develop engineering skill sets as well as invaluable academic knowledge along with analytical and practical skills. Some of the best research in the world is happening right here in New Haven, and many students choose to spend their summer here to partake in it.

For this article, I spoke with three rising juniors (Class of 2027) and one rising sophomore (Class of 2028) who are spending their summer doing research with Yale professors. Across projects, a common pattern emerged: students began by reviewing relevant literature and receiving mentorship, then transitioned to more hands-on and eventually independent work. This progression reflects a typical and rewarding trajectory for summer research.

The best part? Getting started is often as simple as sending an email.

Some of my favorite moments this summer have come from the small but meaningful wins: making steady progress on a task, celebrating alongside Ph.D. candidates when something finally works, and forming genuine friendships with lab mates. Research may seem intimidating from the outside, but at its core, it's a collaborative and welcoming space to learn by doing.

Allen Huang '27 / Chemical Engineering

This summer, Allen Huang '27 is conducting research in the Kwabi Lab, where he’s working at the intersection of electrochemistry and nanotechnology to explore the future of sustainable battery storage.

Under the mentorship of Bin Wang, Ph.D., Huang is testing how nanoparticles can optimize performance in flow cell batteries. Traditional flow batteries typically rely on dissolved molecules or ions as charge carriers, but Huang’s research focuses on metallic nanoparticles—specifically nickel selenide—as more efficient alternatives. These particles are capable of picking up charge and donating it to redox-active molecules in the electrolyte, potentially improving the charge and discharge efficiencies of the battery.

In a second project, Huang is collaborating with Andy Ogrinc, Ph.D. on developing precision nano-scale tools. The pair is experimenting with pipette pulling—systematically adjusting variables and standardizing procedures to achieve consistent pipette tips that are around 10-100 nanometers in diameter. These nanopipettes are then used in a technique called scanning electrochemical cell microscopy, in order to screen and evaluate materials for next generation flow batteries

Both projects speak to a broader motivation: building more effective, long-term energy storage systems for a low-carbon future.

Alyssa Quarles '28 / Computer Science

This summer, Alyssa Quarles '28 is exploring how humans and robots can better collaborate by refining the way robots receive and respond to feedback. Working in the Interactive Machines Group under Principal Investigator Marynel Vázquez and mentored by Ph.D. student Kate Candon, Quarles is contributing to a project titled “The effects of implicit requests for feedback and optionality for granularity on the frequency and granularity of human feedback in human-robot interactions.”

The research centers around a simple but rich collaborative task: making a pizza. In the experiment, a robot arm offers toppings—fake, for now—to a human partner who arranges them on a pizza. While the robot doesn’t know the human’s preferences, the shared activity combines the structured nature of an assembly line with the flexibility of a home kitchen, creating a compelling setting to study how people give feedback in semi-structured environments.

So far, Quarles has been focused on refining the robot’s movements, calibrating camera systems, and grounding her work in existing literature. As the summer progresses, she’ll begin running user studies to investigate how different types of feedback--from binary button presses to more granular keypad inputs—affect how often and how specifically people offer feedback to their robotic collaborator.

Quarles first discovered the lab through the STARS I program, a Yale initiative supporting first-year students from underrepresented backgrounds in STEM. “My STARS mentor helped me reach out to a few labs,” she explained. “I emailed three different PIs, and from there, we decided this lab was the best fit.”

Outside the lab, Quarles is making time to relax and reconnect with friends after a busy first year. Looking ahead, she hopes to continue working in the lab during the academic year and keep deepening her interest in human-robot interaction.

Diana Cao '27 / Mechanical Engineering

Diana Cao, a rising junior studying Mechanical Engineering, is helping reimagine how robots move through the world. Since January 2024, she’s been conducting research in the Faboratory, Yale’s soft robotics and materials science lab led by Professor Rebecca Kramer-Bottiglio. There, she works on the Tensegrity Robot, a lightweight, flexible structure designed to tumble across unpredictable terrain.

Under the mentorship of Ph.D. candidate Will Johnson, Cao is developing variable stiffness tendons (VSTs) that allow the robot to shift between two key modes: soft and stretchable for movement, and rigid for stability. These tendons are small but essential - enabling the robot to “brace itself” when needed and to locomote using the same kind of elasticity you’d find in a stretched rubber band.

The word tensegrity fuses “tension” and “integrity”—a reference to the robot’s structure, which uses tendons in tension and rods in compression. This gives it a unique resilience: it can absorb impact when dropped from significant heights (like the East Rock Park overlook or the bridge near 17 Hillhouse) and continue functioning. That flexibility also allows it to navigate rough terrain like ice, grass, or loose rocks by shifting its center of gravity to tumble.

Cao’s VSTs are designed with soft silicone components that use onboard pumps to control internal air pressure. By stiffening when needed, they enable the robot to “shape-lock”—or freeze into a more stable posture. Embedded liquid metal strain sensors track changes in the tendons’ length, helping the robot monitor and adjust its movements in real time.

For Cao, the project blends mechanical design, materials innovation, and robotics. Her work not only enhances the robot’s adaptability, but also brings it one step closer to deployment in real-world scenarios—like search and rescue missions—where robots must be able to withstand impact, respond to their environment, and move reliably across challenging landscapes.

Emma Popowitz '27 / Biomedical Engineering