Professor Michael McAlpine of the University of Minnesota is the 2018 Henry Maso Award Lecturer. He will present at the annual scientific meeting next month.


Dr. McAlpine is the Benjamin Mayhugh Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Minnesota (2015-present). Previously, he was an assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Princeton University (2008-2015). He received a BS in chemistry with honors from Brown University (2000), and an MA (2002) and PhD (2006) in chemistry from Harvard University. His current research is focused on 3D printing functional materials and devices. He has received a number of awards, including the George W. Taylor Award for Distinguished Research, the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), National Academy of Science (NAS) Kavli Frontiers Fellow, Extreme Mechanics Letters (EML) Young Investigator Award, SPIE Nanoengineering Pioneer Award, NIH Director’s New Innovator Award, Graduate Mentoring Award in Engineering, DARPA Young Faculty Award, National Academy of Engineering (NAE) – Frontiers of Engineering, Technology Review TR35 Young Innovator Under 35, DuPont Young Investigator Award, American Asthma Foundation Early Excellence Award, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) Young Investigator Award, and the Intelligence Community (IC) Young Investigator Award.


Dr. McAlpine’s lecture is: “Presenting 3D Printing Electronics on the Skin.” During his presentation, he will address the ability to three-dimensionally interweave biological and functional materials that could enable the creation of devices possessing unique and compelling geometries, properties and functionalities. Interfacing 3D devices with biology, including the skin, could impact a variety of fields, including regenerative bioelectronics, smart prosthetics, biomedical devices and human-machine interfaces. His group has pioneered advances in multi-material 3D printing, by using 3D printing and imaging for personalized biomedical devices; employing nano-inks to introduce material functionality; and 3D printing a range of functional inks to enable the interweaving of a diverse palette of materials, from biological to electronic.


3D printing is a multiscale platform, allowing for the incorporation of functional nanoscale inks, the printing of microscale features, and ultimately the creation of macroscale devices. This blending of 3D printing, functional materials, and “living”’ platforms will enable next-generation 3D printed devices directly on the skin.


The award presentation and lecture, held during SCC’s Annual Meeting in December, is sponsored by Siltech and the Maso family.