Nikos is a postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, where he is conducting research in the Biomechanics and Control Lab.
He performs experimental studies to understand the forces that underlie animal locomotion and how animals with diverse appendage morphologies—from fins to feet—manage the stresses of propulsion. To achieve that, he has developed novel force sensors to measure dynamically varying and spatially distributed three-dimensional forces in moving animals, including walking fish, fruit flies, and humans. Concurrently, he is conducting experimental studies of electromechanical models of artificial muscle to reveal the molecular underpinnings of muscle’s actuation capabilities, which ultimately underline animal locomotion. He aims to incorporate scientific perspectives from different fields to understand the mechanics of animal locomotion and translate biological principles into technological applications to lessen or prevent locomotion-related health issues.
When not at the lab, he mainly enjoys spending time with his cat, motorcycle racing at NYST, reading books, attending concerts, and learning how to use new tools at MakeHaven-Makerspace.