NEW.Mech is a one-day workshop that aims to bring together the New England Mechanics community to share the latest advancements in the field. As in past years, this workshop is completely free of charge.
Date: Friday, Oct 30th, 2026
Time: 1pm–6pm
Location: MIT Green building
54-100, 21 Ames Street, Cambridge, MA 02139
Register here by Friday, Oct 23th, 2026
The workshop will consist of three keynote talks from new faculty and two sessions of lightning talks (2-3 minute oral presentations). Lightning talk submissions are now closed---instructions will be sent out to presenters shortly.
Tentative Schedule:
1:00pm-2:00pm Reception & Registration at Green building atrium
2:00pm-2:10pm Opening Remarks
2:10pm-2:40pm Connor McCann, WPI, "Mechanics of Hybrid Rigid-Soft Structures Inspired by Stingray Skeletons"
2:40pm-3:30pm Lightning Talks — Session A
3:30pm-3:45pm Break
3:45pm-4:15pm Shabnam Raayai, Boston University, "Dynamics of bio-inspired V flight formations"
4:15pm-4:45pm Andrew Akerson, MIT
4:45pm-5:45pm Lightning Talks — Session B
5:45pm Closing Remarks & Social
Questions? Contact Mrityunjay Kothari or Abigail Plummer
We thank MIT's Civil & Environmental Engineering and Mechanical Engineering Departments for their support of this workshop!