Hangbo Zhao
Assistant Professor of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering
Education
- 2017, Doctoral Degree, Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- 2014, Master's Degree, Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- 2011, Bachelor's Degree, Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University
Biography
Hangbo Zhao joined the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering in the USC Viterbi School of Engineering in 2020 and has held a courtesy appointment in the Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering since 2023. He is the holder of the Philip and Cayley MacDonald Early Career Chair. Prior to joining USC, he was a postdoctoral researcher at Northwestern University. He received his M.S. (2013) and Ph.D. (2017) degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His research focuses on micro- and nanomanufacturing, soft electronics, and soft robotics. He has developed mechanics-driven manufacturing processes to create stretchable materials and electronics for applications in biomedical engineering and soft robotics. He has received a Society of Manufacturing Engineers Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award (2023), an Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award (2023), a Med-X Young Investigator Award (2025), and an NSF CAREER Award (2025).Research Summary
Hangbo's group works at the intersection of advanced manufacturing, materials, and applied mechanics. The group aims to advance the science and technology of manufacturing through a combination of fundamental understanding of materials, mechanics, interfacial science, and multidisciplinary experimental approaches. Hangbo's focus areas include micro/nano manufacturing, bio-integrated electronics, soft robotics, and engineered surfaces/interfaces.Awards
- 2025 NSF CAREER Award
- 2024 ASME Rising Star of Mechanical Engineering
- 2024 Med-X Young Investigator Award
- 2023 Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award
- 2023 SME Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award
- 2021 Charles Lee Powell Faculty Research Award
- 2021 ASME Haythornthwaite Foundation Research Initiation Award
- 2015 International Conference of the Polymer Processing Society Outstanding Poster Award
- 2014 Materials Research Society Best Poster Award
- 2011 Tsinghua University Excellent Graduates Award
- 2009 China National Scholarship
Appointments
- Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
- Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering
- Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering
- OHE 430S
- Olin Hall of Engineering
- 3650 McClintock Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90089
- USC Mail Code: 1453
- hangbozh@usc.edu