Victoria Webster-Wood
Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering
Courtesy Appointment, Biomedical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Robotics Institute
Victoria Webster-Wood received her B.S. in 2012, M.S. in 2013, and Ph.D. in 2017 in mechanical engineering at Case Western Reserve University, receiving graduate support as an NSF Graduate Research Fellow and GAANN Fellow in the Biologically Inspired Robotics Lab. She subsequently completed her postdoctoral training as a Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA Postdoctoral Fellow in the Tissue Fabrication and Mechanobiology Lab at the same institution.
Upon joining Carnegie Mellon University, she established the CMU Biohybrid and Organic Robotics Group (B.O.R.G). The B.O.R.G.’s research focuses on the use of organic materials as structures, actuators, sensors, and controllers toward the development of biohybrid and organic robots and biohybrid prosthetics.
Faculty Insights
Biohybrid and Organic Robotics
Tactile Sensors for Manufacturing
Using Organic Materials in Robotic Systems
Education
2017 Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University
2013 MS, Mechanical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University
2012 BS, Mechanical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University
Media mentions
CMU Engineering
Hitting the gym: Researchers design controllers for robots made from living muscle
In a lab where biology meets robotics, Carnegie Mellon researchers are tackling a unique challenge: how do you control a robot made of living muscle that grows stronger every time it moves?
CMU Engineering
Designer biobots made from human lung cells
Researchers are developing microscale robots with customizable movement, aiming to navigate the body for targeted therapies using advanced tissue engineering.
Mechanical Engineering
Building a collaborative network of researchers in mechano-computation
Vickie Webster-Wood, in collaboration with researchers at University of California San Diego and Purdue, has launched a research network that brings together leading experts to tackle critical challenges in autonomous systems through the integration of mechanical and computational intelligence.
Mechanical Engineering
Sea slug research advances soft robotics
While many roboticists turn to nature to inspire their designs and breakthrough research, Vicki Webster-Wood’s lab seeks insights from a surprising model organism: the humble sea slug.
Mechanical Engineering
Webster-Wood named to ASME’s 2025 MechE Watch List
The annual Watch List spotlights early career professionals who have already left their marks on industry, academia, and society.
CMU Engineering
Biological neural circuits critical for neurodegenerative disease therapy and biohybrid robot control
To support the development of new therapies for neurodegenerative disease and advance biohybrid robots, Jessica Zhang and Victoria Webster-Wood will lead a project to develop computational tools to predict neuron growth and transport regulation.
CNN
Webster-Wood quoted on a new mushroom based biohybrid robot
MechE’s Vickie Webster-Wood was quoted by CNN about a new robot developed by researchers at Cornell University that uses a mushroom’s mycelium in its hardware, allowing the robot to respond to the environment.
Mechanical Engineering
Development of ‘living robots’ needs regulation and public debate
Bio-hybrid robotics creates unique ethical challenges, say researchers
CMU Engineering
Sea slugs: what can we learn from them?
Studying Aplysia californica, or sea slugs, can tell us a lot about neuromuscular systems and open up avenues for more controlled animal experiments.
CMU Engineering
Engineering for older adults
As an undergraduate student in the College of Engineering, Justin Lam was able to design his own major track inspired by his passion for helping aging populations, which he called geriatric engineering.
CMU Engineering
Undergraduates present research at Meeting of the Minds 2024
Engineering undergraduate students had a wonderful showing at Meeting of the Minds, displaying posters, giving presentations, and demonstrating projects they have worked on this past academic year.
Nature
Webster-Wood talks with Nature about biohybrid robots
MechE’s Victoria Webster-Wood talks with Nature about biohybrid robots. “A biohybrid is really any robot that combines both biological materials and synthetic materials,” she says.