I am a recent graduate of Caltech’s Mechanical Engineering PhD program and am currently working as a postdoc in the department.

My thesis work with Prof. Chiara Daraio focused on developing systematic approaches to the design of shape-changing structures. This entailed studying how a structure’s global mechanical behaviors can be “programmed” by tuning geometric features at the micro/mesoscale, then using these concepts to create deployable devices and soft robots that change shape and locomote in response to environmental stimuli. In addition to my work at Caltech, I was a NASA Space Technology Research Fellow and spent two summers collaborating with researchers at the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab. Before moving to California for graduate school, I earned a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering at MIT.

MY WORK

Modeling and programming shape-morphing structured media

There is a strong connection between a material’s microstructure and its macroscopic mechanical behaviors. With the emergence of advanced manufacturing techniques that allow engineers to tailor microstructures, we have seen the creation of materials that can be “programmed” to display desired functionalities. Examples of this include initially flat sheets that morph into target 3D geometries and soft robots that can locomote through their environment by using temperature-responsive materials that propel the robotic frame. My research studies the connection between the microstructure of materials and their macroscopic shape-morphing behaviors, with the aims of predicting how materials will deform due to applied loads or environmental stimuli and to design structured media that undergo target deformations. Achieving these aims opens doors to new applications in deployable space structures, architecture and soft robots that interact with their environments without carrying onboard batteries and controllers.

publications

Oropeza*, D., McMahan*, C., Hofmann, D., "Self-deploying amorphous metal origami structures for environmental protection of lunar payloads", (Submitted).
*Equal contribution.

McMahan, C., Akerson, A., Celli, P., Audoly, B., Daraio, C., “Effective continuum models for the buckling of non-periodic architected sheets that display quasi-mechanism behaviors”, Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, 166, 104934 (2022). [PDF]

McMahan, C., "Modeling and programming shape-morphing structured media",  Ph.D. Thesis, California Institute of Technology (2022).

Brighenti, R., McMahan, C. G., Cosma, M. P., Kotikian, A., Lewis, J. A., Daraio, C., “A micromechanical-based model of stimulus responsive liquid crystal elastomers”, International Journal of Solids and Structures, 219-220, 92-105 (2021). [PDF]

Celli*, P., Lamaro*, A., McMahan*, C., Bordeenithikasem, P., Hofmann, D.C., Daraio, C. "Compliant morphing structures from twisted bulk metallic glass ribbons", Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, 145, 104129, (2020). *Equal contribution. [PDF]

Guseinov, R., McMahan, C., Perez, J., Daraio, C., Bickel, B., "Programming temporal morphing of self-actuated shells", Nature Communications, 11, 237, (2020). [PDF]

Kotikian*, A., McMahan*, C., Davidson, E.C., Muhammad, J.M., Weeks, R.D., Daraio, C., Lewis, J.A. "Untethered soft robotic matter with passive control of shape morphing and propulsion", Science Robotics, 4, eaax7044 (2019). *Equal contribution. [PDF]

Celli, P., McMahan, C., Ramirez, B., Bauhofer, A., Naify, C., Hofmann, D., Audoly, B., Daraio, C. "Shape-morphing architected sheets with non-periodic cut patterns", Soft matter 14.48 (2018): 9744-9749. [PDF]

Lin, B., Moerman, K. M., McMahan, C. G., Pasch, K. A., & Herr, H. M. “Low-cost methodology for skin strain measurement of a flexed biological limb”, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, 64(12), 2750-2759 (2016). [PDF]

VIDEOS

PhD thesis defense: Modeling and programming shape-morphing structured media

Details: Date / Conference / Length (TBD)

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Programming liquid crystal elastomer-based soft robots

Details: Date / Conference / Length (TBD)

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NEWS + EVENTS

August 17, 2021

Defended my thesis:  “Modeling and programming shape-morphing structured media.”

September 9, 2021

Gave an invited talk to the Geometric Computing Laboratory at EPFL

Summer 2020

Visiting technologist with the Materials Development and Manufacturing Technology Group at NASA/JPL

August 21-23, 2019

Our work on untethered soft robots was featured in the Los Angeles Times, Forbes, Science Daily, and others

Summer 2019

Visiting technologist with the Advanced Large Precision Structures Laboratory at NASA/JPL

April 5, 2018

Awarded a NASA NSTRF graduate fellowship

Contact

Office: +1 626 395 3619

Gates-Thomas 126, Caltech

Resume