Webster-Wood named to ASME’s 2025 MechE Watch List

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). has named Vickie Webster-Wood, associate professor of mechanical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, to its 2025 Mechanical Engineering Magazine Watch List.

Launched in 2024, the annual Watch List spotlights early career professionals who have already left their marks on industry, academia, and society. Nominees were evaluated by the Mechanical Engineering editorial team based on their demonstrated impact, strong potential for advancement in their field, and engagement with the broader community advocating for the engineering profession.

Webster-Wood was selected for her work designing robots made from renewable and biodegradable materials.

Her lab tackles this challenge from two directions within the context of bioinspired robotics. One focuses on biodegradable robotics and “how to develop new manufacturing methods and composites made out of plant or animal byproduct derived inert materials so that we’ve got robots that are much more biocompatible.” These systems, Webster-Wood explained, would be safe to deploy in sensitive environments and would naturally degrade at the end of their mission.

The other approach involves integrating living muscle cells directly into robots, taking advantage of their softness, energy efficiency, and ability to grow stronger with use—traits that could make future machines safer and more adaptable in real-world settings.

Her group’s research spans both areas, from biodegradable actuators made from algae-derived alginate to bioinspired tactile sensing technologies and a broader perspective on emerging directions in biohybrid robotics.

“We’re envisioning a future where we can use these biologically derived materials and get some of that robustness and adaptability and energy efficiency that we see in animals in the robots,” she explained. “What do we need to learn and develop now to enable sustainable, adaptable robotics in 10 or even 20 years?”

When asked about advice for students considering STEM careers, Webster-Wood’s response is both empowering and personal. “A piece of advice I got was don’t reject yourself for them,” she said. It’s a lesson that led her to apply to CMU, despite doubts about her qualifications—an application that ultimately launched her faculty career.

“I think it’s especially true when I talk with my junior trainees who are women, that they're hesitant to apply to these places where they don’t necessarily have every single one of the credentials,” Webster-Wood said.