Engineering Quad

The Valentine Lab values creativity, curiosity, collaboration, diversity and inclusion. We seek motivated trainees eager to work across disciplinary boundaries to learn from nature, and to translate that knowledge into new engineering solutions. We work on diverse problems, ranging from applied mechanics and soft materials development to mechanobiology and soft robotics. Read more about our Core Lab Values here. If you are interested to join us, see below.

Postdocs

Postdoctoral scholars should send a cover letter describing their prior work and research interests, as well as a CV with list of publications, presentations, contributions to teaching and/or outreach, and the names and contact information for at least three references. Applicants are encouraged to apply at least 6 months prior to their anticipated graduation date.

Graduate Students

Graduate students must apply to a specific Department and are accepted by the Graduate Division, not an individual lab. If you would like to discuss possible projects or rotations, contact Prof. Valentine and include your CV, transcript, copies of any published papers or conference abstracts, and a summary of your research interests.

Undergraduate Researchers

Undergraduates interested in experimental or remote projects should contact Prof. Valentine and include your transcript and a description of any prior research or design projects.

Please understand that due to the volume of interested applicants, unfortunately, it is not possible to personally respond to every inquiry. I appreciate your interest.

Interested in Learning More?

Affiliated Research Centers
UC Santa Barbara Points of Pride
  • #1 in the world for research impact among public universities, Leiden University rankings for research citation impact in engineering, 2015-19
  • #1 in patents issued, utility licenses, and start-up companies per $100M in funding
  • #7 among all public universities, U.S. News and World Report 2020
  • All College of Engineering Departments ranked in Top 5 by the National Research Council's most recent rankings

Contact

Professor
Co-Director, California NanoSystems Institute
Ph.D. Physics, Harvard University
M.S. Physics, University of Pennsylvania
Burroughs Wellcome Career Award (CASI)
NSF CAREER Award
Fulbright Scholar Award
APS Fellow, AIMBE Fellow