Narasimha Boddeti, an assistant professor at Washington State University, has been selected as a Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture Dean’s Faculty Fellow in recognition of his contributions to engineering research, teaching, and academic service.
The fellowship program honors faculty members whose work supports the college’s academic mission while creating new opportunities for students and fellow researchers. Established in 2025 with donor support, the program provides selected faculty with multi-year funding that can be used to strengthen research programs, improve student experiences, and explore emerging areas of study.
Boddeti is a Berry Family Assistant Professor in WSU’s School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering. His research brings together several advanced fields, including computational mechanics, topology optimization, additive manufacturing, architected materials, and composites. Through this interdisciplinary work, he seeks to develop materials and structures with specifically engineered properties that can address complex challenges beyond the capabilities of conventional materials.
His research has potential applications across industries such as aerospace, infrastructure, soft robotics, and advanced manufacturing. A major focus of his work is architected materials, which are engineered at the structural level to achieve specialized mechanical and functional characteristics.
Boddeti’s achievements have already received national recognition. In 2024, he was awarded the prestigious National Science Foundation CAREER Award, a five-year grant supporting promising early-career researchers. The award supports his work on soft architected materials that combine liquids with 3D-printed solid structures.
The research aims to reproduce certain characteristics found in biological tissues and could contribute to future developments in biomedical technologies and soft robotics. By combining computational design with modern manufacturing techniques, Boddeti’s research seeks to create flexible and highly functional materials for emerging applications.
Voiland College Dean Partha Pande praised Boddeti’s contributions to both research and education, describing his work as an example of the innovation and commitment to excellence associated with the college.
Boddeti joins four other faculty members selected as Dean’s Faculty Fellows: Omar Al-Hassawi from the School of Design and Construction; Venera Arnaoudova from the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; Jean-Sabin McEwen from the School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering; and Arezoo Zare from the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering.
The recognition highlights Boddeti’s growing influence in advanced engineering research and his role in developing technologies that could shape future manufacturing, materials science, and robotics.
